Joe McWilliams
Lakeside Leader

“I love what I do,” says Julie Brandle. “I have always wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. I think municipal politics does that.”

This was in response to the standard candidate interview question: ‘Why are you running?’

In common with most of her council colleagues (not to mention most of the current crop of candidates), Brandle is in favour of economic growth. More business, more tourists, more residents – all of those things. She points to council’s focus in this last term on economic development – which extended to hiring somebody to pursue new businesses for the area. That person has moved on, “but we’re still trying to work on the leads that she made.” This includes a geo-thermal energy company that is considering an investment in the area.

Brandle thinks tourism has lots of room for growth. She’s the chair of the tourism committee, which, thanks to the recent ‘All-In Slave Lake’ event now has some money to spend on promotional campaigns. The group also hopes to identify gaps in services for tourists and “bring new businesses to town.”

Another big portfolio for Brandle in recent years is as chair of the Regional Housing Authority.

“That’s my baby,” she says. “We worked hard to keep seniors safe (during COVID).” The job also involves lobbying the provincial government “for what’s best for the community,” she says.

Brandle has lived in Slave Lake for 28 years, having moved from Ontario in 1993. She says she worked more than one job in those early years to get ahead. She eventually got her real estate license in 2006 and in 2012 was able to purchase the Royal LePage agency. She became a town councillor in 2013.

One of the highlights for the just-ending council term for Brandle is the regional collaboration agreement, which was signed just last Thursday. It brings together five municipalities and five First Nations in the area in an arrangement that is being called unprecedented in Canada.

“I’m pretty proud of that,” she says. “Same for the tri-council. We’ve always been kind of ahead of the game and we want to keep it that way.”