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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Mayoral candidate Paul Falvo hasn't always been a Northerner, but he always aspired to be one.

Mayoral candidate Paul Falvo says communication, affordable living and quality of life are key issues he plans to discuss throughout the campaign. - Laura Busch/NNSL photo

"I'd always wanted to be in the North, and I'd read a lot about it. So, when the opportunity came I took it," he said. "Being in Yellowknife, I enjoy the access to the outdoors ...and also being close to all the amenities you might need."

Falvo grew up in Charlottetown, P.E.I, and spent time in Ontario and British Columbia before settling in Yellowknife in 2001. After losing in his first attempt to join city council in 2003, Falvo rebounded to win a seat in 2006. He kept his seat in the 2009 election and received the most votes out of all the candidates.

"I've now had that experience and I've seen how things work. I also see an opportunity for me to do more of what I think I'm better at, which is communication," he said of his decision to run for mayor in the upcoming election.

Falvo is basing his campaign on three main issues: communications, affordability and quality of life.

One of the main complaints Falvo hears from Yellowknifers is how expensive it is to live here. This includes the high rental costs in the city. The cost of housing is not something the city can control outright, but there are steps that can be taken to address the issue, said Falvo.

"Developers and builders complain about the hoops they have to jump through, about the costs that they incur and about the delays," he said. "Sometimes, the time it takes to get a permit approved, I think is unnecessary. I think we can do a lot of things faster."

Another focus of Falvo's campaign is quality of life, which he defines as embracing the things that make Yellowknife unique among Canadian cities and other communities in the NWT.

"It's about remembering why we're here," he said. "A lot of us chose to live in Yellowknife, and we chose it because we like the lifestyle here, we like the opportunities, we like being close to the wilderness."

This quality of life can be improved in many ways, said Falvo, from relatively small initiatives, such as keeping the downtown area free of litter, to large projects, such as improving parking in the downtown core with a multi-level parking garage.

Communication is a vital issue because residents have been unhappy with the transparency level at city hall, said Falvo.

"For a long time, I've noticed that people are unhappy with dealings with city hall," he said. "I think the Con Mine referendum is an example of that. I think that was less a vote against geothermal than it was against city hall."

Falvo said it is up to the mayor of the city to act as facilitator and communicator between city hall and the public.

Specifically, Falvo criticized the city's current ban on all social media, saying it can be used as a valuable tool to inform people about the goings on at the municipal government.

He also said he would like to see an improvement in the way residents' complaints and concerns are dealt with by city administration.

"People don't feel listened to or well treated," he said. "Whatever side of an issue you're on - whatever your ideology is - if that communication isn't there, you're going to be angry."

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