Town Councillor Renaud Bissonnette announced his candidacy for mayor of Assiniboia during the municipal elections held throughout Saskatchewan this year on November 9.
Bissonnette was asked why he鈥檇 be an ideal mayor for Assiniboia. He outlined his former experiences in Assiniboia and Willow Bunch.
Previously, Bissonnette served as the mayor in Assiniboia from 2000-2006. He also functioned as Willow Bunch鈥檚 mayor shortly after his last term was completed in Assiniboia.
鈥淲hen I moved to Willow Bunch, I was the mayor there for two terms from the fall of 2006 to September 2012.鈥�
He also stood on the board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for two years and functioned as a local representative with SUMA (Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association) for three years.
Moreover, the mayoral candidate who grew up in St. Victor served in local hospitality businesses and built 12 units of townhouses in Assiniboia.
In addition, Bissonnette was a member of the Assiniboia Town Council from 2016 to the present.
Bissonnette is hopeful about becoming Assiniboia鈥檚 major once again, because he wanted to assist the town in pursuing a different course for 2020 and beyond.
Bissonnette is pleased with his community for many reasons, but hoped to implement a greater number of positive changes for Assiniboia.聽
鈥淚 just want to see a new direction. I want to see the beautification of the town itself. I want to see more pride.鈥�
On this note, Bissonnette discussed the success of Communities in Bloom and how some of the shops in town have applied their grant monies to improve individual storefronts. However, he aspired to instigate measures to encourage homeowners to take better care of their yards and dwellings.
He also recognized that Assiniboia is an agricultural town with three grain terminals, three implement dealers and a livestock yard. However, Bissonnette acknowledged that Assiniboia is a regional centre in 麻豆传媒AV Central Saskatchewan for many reasons, including recreation.
鈥淲e definitely have a community that鈥檚 a regional community. We want to support the municipalities around us, because strong municipalities around Assiniboia make Assiniboia stronger,鈥� Bissonnette said.
One of Bissonnette鈥檚 objectives is to build effective relationships with the RM Lake of the Rivers and the RM of Stonehenge.
鈥淭he outer regions aren鈥檛 contributing enough to Assiniboia,鈥� Bissonnette recounted. In particular, he referred to the maintenance of Assiniboia鈥檚 recreational facilities, such as the Regional Park Golf Course, the Aquatic Centre, the Prince of Wales Cultural and Recreation Centre and the Assiniboia Civic Centre Arena.
鈥淲e need help to pay for operations and upkeep,鈥� Bissonnette explained, saying the combined costs of operating and preserving these services was phenomenal.
鈥淧eople are coming to Assiniboia to use our facilities. We鈥檙e going to have to find some help (financial) somehow,鈥� he said.
Since user fees are prohibitive, Bissonnette suggested that taxes might be raised to maintain the town鈥檚 recreational amenities.
Bissonnette also referred to the significant amount of grain trucks and haulers coming into town on a recurrent basis and damaging the town鈥檚 roads.
鈥淲e have to figure out a system where the burden isn鈥檛 just on Assiniboia,鈥� the mayoral candidate asserted.
Further, Bissonnette believed the town should be building more lots to create a larger tax base and said the timing is right for an increase of lots, as the nation鈥檚 interest and inflation rates are low. 鈥淲e need to be more aggressive,鈥� he emphasized.
If elected as mayor, Bissonnette said another priority of his would include an open-door policy for the town鈥檚 residents, where they could communicate with him directly on local matters.聽 聽聽
