Ward 2 race widens with Giroux
- Tracey Giroux
- Mar 7
- 3 min read
With the seat empty, things are starting to get interesting for Ward 2 for the 2025 Municipal Election.
On Sunday, March 2, Tracey Giroux hosted a campaign launch, seeking the Ward 2 councillor spot, at Nitza’s Pizza in Emerald Hills. The event included notable endorsements by former Mayor Roxanne Carr and rural councillor and MLA Jackie Fenske.
“I’m running for Ward 2 because I believe the cost of living has become unmanageable for too many of us and it’s time for a change,” Giroux told The News. “I’ve always believed that strong communities are built on collective action, compassionate leadership and a commitment to making life better for everyone.”
After raising her son and living as a single mom in Edmonton, the political newcomer has called Sherwood Park home for more than 10 years.
Professionally, she has worked 15 years as a community peace officer at the University of Alberta.
Through that work, three years ago, she implemented a community assistance team, which partners with two social navigators from local non-profits and connects those experiencing social disorder and mental health issues with needed resources.
While she has volunteered at various community events, she has also given back to the community by being a board member with the county’s Transportation and Traffic Safety Task Force Committee, a vice chair with the Strathcona Youth Justice Committee (SYJC), a volunteer advocate with Strathcona Victim Services, a volunteer with the Alberta Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Alberta Special Olympics as well as Parents Empowering Parents (PEP) Society. Her volunteering efforts were recently recognized with a King Charles III Coronation Medal.
“Working with these organizations have given me a unique insight of the challenges and opportunities facing the community,” Giroux said, adding she saw the potential of local youth involved in the SYJ program.
Her campaign platform includes:
• Affordability: implementing targeted property tax rebates to help families make ends meet, introducing tax breaks on affordable housing, reducing local utility costs, and investing in community services to better support seniors.
“I’ll look at what we need versus what we want in the budget,” Giroux said. “A lot of people are struggling and that’s troubling. I want to stand up for people in Ward 2 and I’m listening to their issues, and I’ll work with the rest of council to make Strathcona County a better place to life.”
• Community safety: hiring more peace officers, expanding neighbourhood watch programs and public safety education programs, expanding bike patrols by RCMP and Enforcement Services, and enhancing traffic safety with improved signage, crosswalks, and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.
• Bringing the community together: creating a local investment attraction task force to bring industry and job opportunity to the county, advocate to the province for an expansion of local hospital services, enhance and expand county transit, strengthen local mental health programs, and enhance local arts, culture and recreation services.
When asked why people should put an ‘X’ next to her name on Oct. 20, Giroux
“For me, it’s all about putting people first,” Giroux said. “It’s about representing what matters to the residents of Ward 2.”
To learn more about Giroux’s campaign, go to traceygiroux.ca.
Ward 2 election info
As previously reported, incumbent Ward 2 Coun. Dave Anderson announcing last fall he will not seek re-election, putting the Ward 2 seat up for grabs. In January, Mike Derbyshire put his name forward for Ward 2.
Ward 2 voters should keep in mind the new ward boundaries, which were approved January 2024. Residents in Emerald Hills and Aspen Trails will shift from Ward 4 to Ward 2, and those in Glen Allan will move from Ward 2 to Ward 3. Boundaries were redrawn to ensure proper representation by ward amid a growing population.
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