Corey McKee is in the race for the vacant council seat in Lloydminster’s Feb. 13 by-election.
The business and family man has been in Lloydminster for over two decades. His ventures include landscaping, then working with his safety company in the oil sector, volunteering in sports and hockey along with the Salvation Army, and fundraising.
“With Lloydminster being between Edmonton and Saskatoon, this is where my wife and I decided we want to spend most of our lives working in this city and volunteering,” says McKee.
He spends a lot of time at the local arenas working with hockey kids. He says he volunteers a lot of his time to give back as Lloydminster has been good to him.
McKee says politics has been part of his family going back to his grandfather in Melfort. The family background is in agriculture and McKee sees himself as a voice for the people to make a difference in the community.
Strengths of Lloydminster
McKee has owned four businesses during his time in Lloydminster. Through the various economic cycles, he credits the city’s potential as one of the reasons he and his wife have stayed in the oil, gas, and agriculture-based Border City.
Challenges facing Lloydminster
He sees the need for more volunteers for various projects in the city as he lists various societal ills.
“I would say crime, safety, health, economics, and the wellbeing of the people is the big one here in Lloydminster.”
On the downtown core, McKee reflects on its aesthetic and other issues.
“Downtown is a number one priority. I think over the years, it’s like a lot of small-town communities – the infrastructure starts to fail – it needs to be upgraded and sometimes it’s under the ground and people just don’t see that. They don’t know what it costs.”
Much of the 2023 work done in the downtown core was underground, however, the outcry on social media when the project was concluded was that downtown had lost parking and turning lanes. The benches, green spaces, and extra streetlights were also part of the 2023 work. McKee sees greater use of social media as being important to get the message across about the work the city is doing.
From his oil sector background, he appreciates the details involved in contracting out the work to fix infrastructure. The issue of public engagement and even explaining to businesses and the community why it took so long to complete.
“That’s our job as councillors. We have to get out to the public. We have to explain to people why this is taking as long as it’s taking.”
Provincial issues affecting Lloydminster
On healthcare, he talks about wait times for different surgeries.
“It’s at that point now where people need to strictly understand that our healthcare system and everything involved with our government is taking longer and longer. It’s very hard for people right now in these times.” He adds if healthcare is not a primary priority, then he says, “I think we are going to have major issues on our hands. A majority of people within our city have major concerns with the way our provincial government is handling things.”
Reason to vote for McKee
Responding to why people should vote for him, he says he is confident that he can make a change. He is not running for the money, but rather to help Lloydminster. He sees himself as a “people-person”. He enjoys learning and he says if he does not learn every day, then it does not make sense to run for council.
He lists his character qualities as respect, honesty, and loyalty.
By-election information
Advanced voting takes place on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Council Chambers, City Hall.
Election day is Tuesday, Feb. 13, and voting will take place from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., also at Council Chambers, City Hall.
MyLloydminsterNow has profiles on the other candidates who are Leo Aguinaldo, Stan Bugiera, Darrell Dunn, Ben Harrison, David Lopez, Hamid Rahmanian, and Fred Sirett.
