ATHABASCA – Jon LeMessurier announced his resignation from the Town of Athabasca municipal council after a decision to move his family back to his childhood acreage south of town put him in non-compliance with the Municipal Government Act.
LeMessurier handed in his resignation letter Aug. 29, two months before the upcoming municipal election would have signified the end of his term.
“Two months ago I had a chat with my wife and actually got the green light to run for town council again; that was my full intention. Now, it’s finding out that, for me as a believer, God had different plans,” said LeMessurier in an Aug. 29 interview.
“My mom and dad came to me and asked if I wanted to purchase the acreage where I grew up. We felt that for our kids, this was a really exciting and positive move. In the town’s bylaw, it states that you have to live in town limits in order to be a councillor, so unfortunately, I had to resign.”
LeMessurier was a first-term councillor, winning his seat in the 2021 election, where he received 539 of a possible 717 votes after he had been encouraged to run by then-councillor Rob Balay and other community members.
“It felt like there were some things I could contribute, and I decided to take a crack at it. I’ve learned in the three and a half years to not be intimidated,” he said.
“The two biggest things that would make you a good councillor are having a passion for your community, and a passion to serve. Having some common sense also goes a long way.”
Thanks to his age and family status, LeMessurier brought a new perspective to the table, and he carried that through his four-year term. From concerns about drone usage at the Cornwall skating rink to questions about the speed limit near the Multiplex and in the rest of town, LeMessurier was often at the forefront of community safety.
“I’m glad he turned out to be such a strong councillor. He was a very good communicator; he knew when to listen and when to speak up, and he was never afraid to speak up. You knew what he thought and he fought for what he believed, and I really respect that. He’s going to be sorely missed,” said Balay.
Political Highlights
When asked to reflect on what he and his fellow councillors did well, LeMessurier pointed to the community standards bylaw, tax incentives for residential and commercial developments, and successfully lobbying the provincial government to keep Athabasca University in town as highlights in his term.
Despite the term nearing its end, LeMessurier hinted at a few exciting developments coming down the pipeline that he hoped his peers would be able to announce before or after the fall election. As a member of the Athabasca Regional Multiplex board, LeMessurier worked to improve the sustainability of the building, and get long-term agreements codified between the town and county.
“There was never any written agreements, and that just shocked the heck out of me. To get some of these agreements almost across the finish line – I’m hopeful that they’ll be done before the term. It’s too bad, I became a huge advocate for that and that was one I was unfortunate that I couldn’t see to the end,” he said.
LeMessurier won’t be able to run in the 2025 election as a county councillor – candidates have to reside in the electoral division for at least six months before Nomination Day – but he didn’t rule out the possibility of stepping back into politics down the road.
“I’m so grateful to the residents who voted for me; it was a huge shock that I received the most votes, and I didn’t take that lightly. It felt like I had something to then have to work on and always provide for the residents,” he said.
“It was so encouraging to be able to give back to the community that really helped me as I grew up in Athabasca. Where I am now, it’s neat to see through council, through other work, that it’s the same people that taught me, or sponsored me, or coached me going up here.”
LeMessurier left the final word to thank his fellow councillors and his faith for helping him be as successful as he was throughout his term.
“I’ll always be grateful for this opportunity; my fellow councillors and mayor, they made it such a positive experience for me. I didn’t do this on my own. God, He guided me through this whole thing, and definitely the glory goes to him for this opportunity and this phase in life.”
