Rod was first elected Mayor of Strathcona County on October 16, 2017.

Mayor Frank was raised in the County, after moving here with his family in 1963. Rod and his wife brought up their own family here also.

He earned business and law degrees from the University of Alberta. Before becoming mayor, Rod had over 40 years of experience in the business and legal worlds. As a corporate lawyer, Rod had a telecom, and competition and antitrust law practice.

Leadership credentials in the business world include co-leader of Legal Services at TELUS, and practice lead to the wholesale, business, and wireless divisions; as well as lead competition law advisor. Rod was lead counsel closing a $1.2 billion-dollar deal, one of the single largest telecom services transactions in Canadian history.

In the legal field he headed the Canadian Bar Association’s National Competition Law Section, comprised of over 1,000 expert antitrust lawyers. Rod is also a former member of the American Bar Association’s Compliance & Ethics Advisory Board.

In the non-profit sector, Rod was one of the original incorporators of the Elk Island Education Foundation (REAL Foundation), and a former President and General Manager of the Edmonton Wildcat Junior Football Club. With two sons who grew up in the Park, Rod has also volunteered for more than 15 years in local schools, and “every sport out there – football, hockey, soccer, baseball, lacrosse”. Rod previously wrote a legal column for the Sherwood Park - Strathcona County News, "The Lawyer in Your Corner. "

Rod is committed to serving the citizens of Strathcona County. The core of his plan is to realize Strathcona County's vision, to provide first-in-class municipal services, to provide financial certainty for individuals and industry, and to foster a citizen-centered culture.

How will you support the Strathcona County's competitive advantage and market affordable housing? How do you see fees, levies, taxes and municipal cost control playing a role in housing affordability? Note: CHBA-ER refers to “market affordable housing” as housing that is market priced and meets the general requirements of affordability based on household income. Market affordable housing may include market rental housing and market home ownership.

I will support Strathcona County's competitive advantage by executing on our our vision of an inclusive community, a diverse economic base, and best-in-class municipal services. We have been enormously successful with this strategy, with approval ratings of over 87 per cent from our citizens, to become Canada's most livable community. 

Market affordable housing will be maintained by the most competitive taxes in the Province (we have cut taxes by 1.35 per cent over the last four years), economic growth (we are on track for $30 billion in investment by 2030), and job creation - including over 5000 employed in high paying jobs in our nation-leading industrial zones. Our Industrial Incentive policy has been extremely well received by business, and is attracting investment; which lays the foundation for further competitive residential growth. As well, we are a controlling entity of Heartland Housing, who's mission includes solutions for affordable housing.

Fees, levies, taxes, and municipal cost control are crucial to affordable housing, so that the citizen and businesses are not burdened by excessive costs and revenue drains. Strathcona County is in an extremely healthy financial situation. We do not have a deficit, we were one of the top ten Priority Based Budgeting municipalities in North America (reallocating over $30 million from low priority services to high priority services without asking the taxpayer for a single dollar), 95% of revenue goes to services (and not banks to service debt), and our budget is sustainable (any increase over the next four years is forecasted to be less than the rate of inflation). As a result, we citizens are free to spend more discretionary dollars, and the power of the free market is unleashed in Strathcona County.

What steps do you believe are necessary to reduce red tape and support business investment in the residential construction industry?

Strathcona County is already implementing recommendations of its Red Tape Reduction Task Force, as well as those of its Economic Resiliency and Vision Task Force to lead us through prosperity through and after COVID-19. We have met directly with the residential construction industry to reduce regulatory drag, increase investor confidence, and provide flexible and transparent solutions. Our Economic Development team leads the region in client service and obtaining results.

Do you support welcoming a diversity of housing types throughout Strathcona County?

Yes, through Mayor and Council leadership Strathcona County has approved and supported the entire spectrum of housing from transitional, to affordable, to market based; and in all its forms. Though our Municipal Development Plan, Heartland Housing, and the approval of new developments our community leads the region in housing options for citizens and opportunities for businesses to succeed. Strathcona County is the premier community in Alberta for lifestyle, education, and economic opportunity; and it will remain as such under my leadership,

Is there anything about your platform that you think CHBA-ER members should know?

Under Rod’s leadership, Strathcona County has achieved first-in-class results. This has laid a premier foundation for housing investment.

•  Stable, calm and disciplined leadership through two major crises: the 2018 County Hall explosions and the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Highest quality municipal services with citizen satisfaction over 87%; New Chief Commissioner hire for more positive change
• Taxes cut by 1.35 percent
• Crime down 11 percent
• Rural: Roads – additional $3 million in funding; Recreation – spray park, skate park; Water fill; Multimillion dollar Broadband initiative
• Social service non-profits empowered with an additional $1 million annually in funding
• Jobs and economy: over $4 billion in new investment
• Agricultural Master Plan implementation