Edmonton Mayoral Debate Recap

On Friday September 12, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce hosted a mayoral debate, televised by Global Edmonton. This brief is intended to provide a concise, non-partisan, analytical summary of the debate and how candidates performed. For more details, see the Chamber’s Website or watch the full debate on YouTube.

Pre-Debate Landscape

According to the Leger Municipal Poll conducted August 22–25, 2025, 58 per cent of Edmontonians believe the city is on the wrong track, compared with 33 per cent who think it is headed in the right direction. This sense of frustration is strongest among those aged 55 or older, of which 74 per cent believe the city is on the wrong track. Of those surveyed, 66 per cent of residents say they are likely to vote, with men (76 per cent) and those 55+ (82 per cent) most engaged. Yet, 48 per cent remain undecided about their choice for mayor – making this an open race and an important debate.

The survey included 401 Edmonton Proper residents 18 years of age or older (n=401). Results were weighted to reflect the city’s population by age, gender and region. Because the poll is based on a non-probability online sample, it does not have a traditional margin of error. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of about ±4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Pre-Debate Landscape

Highlights of the survey include:

Andrew Knack leads with 12 per cent support, followed by Tim Cartmell at 10 per cent.
Michael Walters (7 per cent), Rahim Jaffer (5 per cent) and Omar Mohammad (4 per cent) trail, while nearly half of voters remain unsure.
Among those aware of the candidate in question, approval rates were at the following level: Mohammad (52 per cent, n=42), Knack (50 per cent, n=214), Walters (49 per cent, n=131) outperform Cartmell (43 per cent, n=218) and Jaffer (24 per cent, n=169). Tony Caterina also received 37 per cent approval (n=185).
The top issues for those surveyed included lowering taxes (43 per cent), reducing poverty (27 per cent), and fiscal restraint (26 per cent). More than half of respondents favour limiting tax increases even if services are reduced, and 57 per cent support stronger investment in downtown revitalization.

Candidate Snapshot

Andrew Knack – Three-term councillor stressing responsible growth, pragmatic budgeting and the need to stand up for Edmonton at the provincial level.
Rahim Jaffer – Former Conservative MP and current small business owner; calls for a tax freeze and fresh start after years of fiscal mismanagement.
Michael Walters – Former two-term councillor and non-profit leader; emphasizes compassionate intervention, doing the basics right and restoring trust.
Dr. Omar Mohammad – Pediatric dental surgeon and political outsider; pledges hard tax freeze, balanced budgets, and public safety.
Tim Cartmell – Engineer and two-term councillor; pitches himself as a responsible builder and manager who can get big projects back on track.

Opening Statements

Andrew Knack opened with an appeal to Edmonton’s work ethic and his record of 12 years on council. He pledged to build a stronger Edmonton with reliable public services and a responsible budget, stressing that he listens and delivers while maintaining affordability.
Rahim Jaffer told his personal story of a refugee family that found opportunity in Edmonton, warning that this opportunity is now slipping away. He condemned steep tax hikes and declining services and called for real change with a government that lives within its means.
Michael Walters framed the race as a question of leadership rather than ideology. Drawing on his non-profit and business experience, he promised to restore trust by getting the basics right and making the city safe, affordable and easier to navigate.
Dr. Omar Mohammad shared that he once faced homelessness and food insecurity, describing his decision to leave a successful dental practice to serve. He pledged a tax freeze, balanced budgets and new leadership that puts people ahead of politics.
Tim Cartmell highlighted his engineering background and 30 years of building communities. He emphasized disciplined project delivery and his Better Edmonton team approach, promising that with the right plan and people the city’s best days are ahead.

Debate Questions and Notable Answers

During this section of the debate, each candidate was given an opportunity to share their initial response to the question. After all candidates answered, there was a short period of free debate. To keep this brief concise, and because not all candidates engaged substantially on each question, only a few standout answers are highlighted.

Council Sentiment

Recent polling conducted for the Edmonton Chamber indicates almost 60 per cent of Edmontonians feel City Council is not on the right track. Do you agree? If so, what is the right track? And how would you, as Mayor, get us there?
- Walters agreed explicitly with the poll, pledging to restore trust by refocusing on basic services.
- Knack argued council has achieved progress but acknowledged the need for clearer priorities and stronger fiscal discipline.

Basic City Services

Snow clearing, garbage pickup and pothole repair are some of the core services Edmontonians rely on every day. What could the city do without to maintain or improve those services?
- Cartmell promised an Infrastructure Committee with private-sector engineers to streamline projects.
- Knack highlighted his record on council, cutting $80M while protecting core services.

Taxes

The number one issue in a recent Chamber survey was lowering taxes. During the last four-year term, City Councillors voted to increase property taxes by just over 17 per cent. How do you propose to address the issue?
- Mohammad vowed a hard property tax freeze with consequences for politicians who fail to deliver balanced budgets.
- Jaffer backed a similar freeze and zero-based budgeting;
- Walters proposed halving the planned 6.8 per cent hike.

Jobs and Economic Development

Edmonton’s unemployment rate remains among the highest in Canada, while our GDP growth has consistently lagged the national average for more than a decade. At the same time, commercial property taxes are nearly 50 per cent higher than residential rates. To keep Edmonton a competitive city, what specific actions will you take to attract investment, create jobs, and ensure a fair and balanced tax burden?
- Walters would aim to attract 10 major “anchor” employers to Edmonton with a regional economic development plan, to diversify the economy and create jobs.
- Knack wants to extend “fast-track” permit technology to all businesses in order to cut red tape.

Downtown Revitalization

Edmonton’s downtown is still struggling with high commercial vacancy rates, and fewer people working in the core since the pandemic. At the same time, businesses are telling the Chamber they need a vibrant downtown to attract talent, investment, and customers. As mayor, what specific policies or investments would you prioritize to revitalize our downtown?
- Jaffer explained the value of solutions like nightly power-washing of entertainment areas and more visible policing.
- Walters emphasized supportive housing and activating underused office towers.

Transit, Infrastructure and City Services

Construction is a major frustration for people trying to get around the city – whether it’s bridge and road maintenance or LRT construction. Delays and cost overruns have also plagued some of those high-profile projects. Are you concerned with how we build and plan these projects, and if so, what would you change?
- Cartmell argued Edmonton must “build it better,” drawing on engineering expertise to avoid overruns.
- Knack cited his pilot LRT project with improved scheduling to cut disruption.

Core Safety

Some Edmontonians say they’re reluctant to visit the city’s core. We’ve heard business owners and residents say crime and disorder are so bad they’re on the verge of leaving. Is downtown and the core safe? And what will you do to make people feel safe?
- Mohammad proposed an AI-assisted “prolific offender” task force and stronger transit security (turnstiles, cameras).
- Walters advocated pairing enforcement with supportive housing to address root causes.

Homelessness and Poverty

In the last four years, Edmonton has seen an increase in homelessness and a change to how we deal with encampments. Tied into this is the fact that, according to the Chamber survey, one in four Edmontonians surveyed said “reducing poverty” in the city should be a priority. How has the City handled these related issues? What would you do differently?
- Knack and Walters emphasized housing-first and day shelters, with or without provincial cooperation.
- Mohammad suggested an action-oriented plan to reduce encampments and direct funding to transitional housing.

Infill

Another contentious issue is infill. Successive city councils have stressed it’s too expensive for Edmonton to keep expanding. They say we need to become denser. But people living in established neighbourhoods have balked at the city’s plan to allow for larger, denser developments. How does your plan for infill balance these competing needs?
- Knack and Walters defended current zoning reforms as essential for affordability.
- Mohammad backed infill but wants a six-unit cap and parking requirements to respect neighbourhood character.

Bike Lanes

Bike lanes are one example of the Provincial Government taking a more active role in civic issues. The Municipal Affairs Minister, for example, has talked about forcing the City to remove bike lanes. How would you work with the provincial government – and what kind of provincial involvement in civic affairs would you consider acceptable?
- Knack criticized provincial interference in local decisions such as bike lanes.
- Cartmell sought respectful collaboration while protecting municipal autonomy.

Closing Statements

Andrew Knack closed by promising to protect and improve core services while managing finances responsibly. He emphasized independence, honesty and a record of compromise and action, positioning himself as a proven bridge-builder who can keep Edmonton both affordable and ambitious.
Rahim Jaffer argued that the city has suffered under repeated tax hikes and declining services, stating that “doing the same things with the same people” will not work. He asked voters to trust him to restore Edmonton’s “City of Champions” reputation by lowering taxes, hiring more police and making government live within its means.
Michael Walters told voters this is the moment to turn the page, offering collaborative, non-partisan leadership to tackle safety, affordability and homelessness head-on. He envisioned a city where his own sons can safely ride transit, buy a home and build their lives – an Edmonton of opportunity and trust.
Dr. Omar Mohammad presented himself as the only true outsider, pledging to freeze taxes, balance budgets and make neighbourhoods safe and affordable. He said his own life story – rising from hardship to professional success – gives him the empathy and drive to bring real discipline and courage to city hall.
Tim Cartmell concluded that Edmontonians deserve value for their taxes and must see projects delivered on time and on budget. Drawing on his engineering and business experience, and alongside his Better Edmonton team, he promised to cut through excuses, demand accountability and deliver visible improvements in core services and safety within his first 100 days.

Candidate Performance Analysis

Andrew Knack
- Biggest win: Knack was thorough in emphasizing that although he has been very liberal ideologically, he is still heavily focused on fiscal responsibility, which remains top of mind for voters this election.
- Missed opportunity: Knack was relatively quiet this debate. Given his position on the political spectrum relative to the other candidates, Knack missed an opportunity to differentiate himself in the race and capture a wide swatch of the voter base.
Rahim Jaffer
- Biggest win: Jaffer leaned into his debate experience from his time as an MP very well. He was the best spoken on stage, engaging with candidates where it was prudent and making effective quips throughout.
- Missed opportunity: Jaffer spent much of his time expressing disappointment in Edmonton’s leadership over the past few years for the current state of the city, but offered little in terms of visionary solutions for where he would take the city as Mayor. He spoke about where the city needs to pull back, but was limited in discussing his plans for innovation and moving the city forward.
Michael Walters
- Biggest win: Walters experience and strong public speaking ability shone through at the debate, where he positioned himself neatly in the center of the other candidates, emphasizing a balance of compassionate solutions and fiscal restraint.
- Missed opportunity: After entering the race late, the debate presented a significant opportunity for Walters to catapult himself up with the other frontrunners. While he had a strong performance, Walters was unable to significantly expose his opponents for their shortcomings or solidify himself as the consensus choice. He did well, but perhaps failed to fully seize the chance to make up ground that the debate presented him with.
Dr. Omar Mohammad
- Biggest win: Mohammad was able to lean into his buzz as the “anti-establishment” candidate among the batch. His passion and spark showed up on stage, where he gained much needed credibility in a formal setting.
- Missed opportunity: Mohammad’s strength doubles as his weakness as his inexperience was evident on stage. While he was able to tug at the frustration Edmontonians are facing, the surface level depth of his policy solutions is likely to remain a concern for detail-oriented voters.
Tim Cartmell
- Biggest win: Cartmell continued to sell himself as a level-headed, solutions focused candidate with the experience to make things happen. As the earliest candidate to announce and the one many would consider the front-runner, it was important for him to simply “not lose the election on stage” – which he achieved. Cartmell also socialized his Better Edmonton team well, while avoiding deep scrutiny for running a newly permitted “municipal slate.”
- Missed opportunity: Cartmell was also quiet on stage, missing an opportunity to elevate himself above the competition. He also leaned into conventional policy solutions such as adding committees which, while potentially effective, may come off to some voters as uninspiring and simply another layer of bureaucracy.

Road to October 20th – What to Watch

Undecided Voters: 48 per cent of voters indicated that they are unsure or undecided regarding their voting intentions, per the Leger survey. Such a large undecided voter base means that it remains an open-ended race.
Ground Game and Voter Turnout: Municipal elections are rarely decided at a particular moment in time. The spread between performances in the debate was small, meaning no candidate won or lost the election on stage that night. As usual, the outcome will largely depend on how many doors each candidate can hit and how well they rally voters to the polls.
Potential Vote Splitting: Many Edmontonians would categorize Andrew Knack as the only “left-wing” candidate and categorize the rest all under the “center to center-right” spectrum. It remains to be seen if this will cause vote splitting, or if Edmontonians will vote strategically and rally behind a single “center-right” candidate. This could be a determining factor under the “first past the post” voting system which is used for municipal elections.