Councillor Matt Connell

Councillor Matt Connell has lived in Whitecourt since he was 13 years old. The community he first stepped into is a far cry from the one in which his grandson will now grow up. “My dad was in the oilfield, which meant we moved around a lot. Whitecourt had a great smalltown feel, and it opened up doors that might not have opened up in a bigger municipality,” explained Connell. “There was also a tremendous amount of freedom growing up in a small town. As I grew up, Whitecourt grew with me.” Connell said that he credited past councils for having a vision of what the community could become. “Past councils and past administrations helped make this community a place where industry wanted to come.”

Watching it change from a more transient place to a blossoming family-oriented municipality is a view that helped form his own passions to run for town council one day. “We are always moving forward. You can raise a family here, but you can also grow old here and retire here. We are cut right out of the forest, and we have so much to do here recreationally. Look at Carson Pegasus. It’s the best campground; I love it. Why would I go anywhere else when that is 20 minutes out of town? I have all these things that are so amazing that it doesn’t leave me necessarily wanting more,” smiled Connell.

As he wraps up a four-year term, Connell said that recognizing how great an administration Whitecourt has is one of several “eureka moments” he fondly looks back on. “There’s a reason why Whitecourt looks the way it does and why we are in the financial shape that we are in. It’s because of past councils making good long-term decisions for the future of Whitecourt, and Administration is constantly working hard to go after grants.”

The 20-Year-Capital Plan was one of those big “eureka moments” for him. “We would be talking about things and would ask, do we have the money for that? And the answer would be yes because past councils decided 15 years ago to start putting away money for it.” Connell said sometimes he wonders if 15-20 years from now someone will look back and be thankful for the decisions council made while he was on it just as he looks back now.

“We had a rec centre (AJMC) long before any town our size had one, and that was visionary. They knew we were going to need this in future, so, past councils thought, since they were good with their money, why not do it now since we can afford it? That’s how incredible Whitecourt is,” he explained. Connell said the proposed Municipal Centre, which encompasses a new library, better sized for the community, a performing arts auditorium, and a town office, could be the next big thing. “If there was ever a hole in Whitecourt, maybe it’s entertainment. The time might be right now where we could stay ahead of everyone and be a trailblazer. We’ve had successes with being a trailblazer already, so why not this? Imagine having a great convention in Whitecourt or a concert? I believe in it.”

For those who haven’t heard, Connell is not seeking re-election this fall. He feels there are people just as passionate that could be great additions to the round table. “If you love your community, being a councillor is a great opportunity to show your love. For four years, I was part of shaping my community, and I am proud of that.”

After looking into a bylaw issue and receiving help from then Councillor Darlene Chartrand, Connell said he wanted to be that councillor for someone else like she was for him. “I wanted to help people, and I did a lot of listening. Being approachable has always been part of my skill set, and I feel I accomplished that. I’m good at bringing people together and having understanding. That’s why I encouraged my brother, Adam, to run because we think alike, and he loves this community.”

Connell said it’s crucial to get in, share your ideas and then get out so that new people can get in and share their ideas. “I think sometimes people are reluctant to run because they think they will fail against an incumbent or something. I worked hard, ran, got elected, and I think the last four years were successful. Now, I think it’s time to let someone else be successful.”

Connell said that he sees things differently now, such as taxation or getting stuck at the train and that he has also helped others see it differently. “No matter where we live, we have to pay property taxes, and when I look at what Whitecourt does with them, I can be proud of that. When I’m sitting at the train, and yes, sometimes it’s 20-25 minutes, I think of why it’s there. They are picking up wood at Millar Western, who is a tremendous employer and taxpayer in our town.”

Married for 24 years to his beautiful wife Sarah, the father of three looks to the future with excitement and is eager to see what the next council will do. “As a taxpayer and not as a councillor, I want to see a more robust conversation around regionalization. There is so much duplicity, and I would love to see bigger borders. There’s stuff that Whitecourt provides, and there’s stuff that Woodlands County provides.”

As someone who lives in town and works in the county, Connell said regionalization could clean up inefficiencies and build strong partnerships between Whitecourt and Woodlands County. “Imagine there is no red tape between the municipalities. Businesses think about that, and they will want to come here. I want people to talk about it in the way of what’s best for the community.”