Saskatoon city councillor announces he won’t seek re-election

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One of Saskatoon’s incumbent city councillors will be stepping away from municipal politics at the end of his term.

David Kirton expressed “mixed emotions” as he announced Tuesday that he won’t run again in Ward 3 in the next municipal election.

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“I want to thank the people of Ward 3 for trusting me as their councillor. I have had many deeply satisfying — and at times spirited — conversations at peoples’ doors, on the streets, on the phone and at City Hall. I have especially enjoyed working with and learning from the many diverse communities in Saskatoon,” he said in a statement.

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Kirton thanked his colleagues on city council and the city staff who he described as “passionate about moving the city forward in a good way.”

Kirton said the decision not to run again came after “numerous conversations” with his partner and his family. With several months still to go until the end of his term, he said that he planned to “continue to work tirelessly” for the people in his ward and the rest of Saskatoon.

“After that, though, I will look forward to spending more time with Erin and my family and taking many more walks in the woods with Phil The Newshound,” he said.

Kirton, who is Metis, joined council after decades as a radio host, winning an eight-way race in the November 2020 election after previous incumbent Ann Iwanchuk opted not to run again. His election alongside Ward 10 Coun. Zach Jeffries marked the first time two Indigenous people served on Saskatoon city council at the same time.

Following his election, Kirton told the StarPhoenix that his ancestry never came up on the campaign trail, but he hoped more Indigenous people would consider entering politics.

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As a member of council’s transportation committee, Kirton helped push to have community support officers added to Saskatoon Transit in an effort to make buses safer and more appealing.

He was also instrumental in the push to rename what was formerly John A Macdonald Road, now known as miyo-wâhkôhtowin Road; Kirton made the initial motion to have the street name changed, and worked alongside Mayor Charlie Clark to meet with members of the surrounding community.

Kirton’s tenure has also come with some controversy.

Ward 3 includes the community of Fairhaven. That area has since December 2022 hosted what the Saskatoon Tribal Council refers to as its “wellness centre,” which provides 106 emergency shelter beds. The provincially-funded facility has been blamed by some in the community for spiking crime rates.

In an open letter last year, Kirton blamed the province for changes to income supports that he tied to a wave of evictions exacerbating the city’s homelessness crisis, and called for a review to address problems in the area around the facility, along with funding for more spaces for people with severe mental health and addiction issues.

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The letter drew pushback from Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand, who accused Kirton of “playing politics” and potentially fouling up negotiations for a new contract from the province.

Kirton is the second current council member to announce he won’t seek re-election. Clark announced in January that he wouldn’t seek a third term as mayor.

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