Door-to-door campaigning big asset, says winner in Alberton mayoral race

Former town councillor Brian Poirier is the new mayor of Alberton in western P.E.I.

Poirier won Monday's three-way race by just 19 votes.

• Brian Poirier: 137.
• Rosetta Tremblay: 118.
• Chester Adams: 68 votes.

"I went door to door and I got to talk to people, and just tell my story and get to know people, and I think that was the biggest asset that I think I could have possibly done for the election," said Poirier.

One of the biggest issues he heard on the doorstep was a need for town council to make itself more available to residents, he said, for example, making more appearances at public events.

Poirier said he will be available regularly at town hall.

"I will be at the office every day for them to come in and express their concerns and have a chat with me," he said.

Alberton is growing quickly, with 16 per cent growth measured between the 2016 and 2021 censuses.

That growth in people, however, has not equated to a growth in business, with some storefronts remaining empty in the downtown.

Poirier said he will work to attract new business to the downtown.

"For anybody at all thinking of opening here, you walk in our downtown, there's always people walking around when [the weather is] nice," he said.

Poirier has lived across Canada as a member of the military, but he is from West Prince and recently moved back to Alberton.

He served on council for a year and a half, but resigned his seat last month to run for mayor. 

Byelection prompted by death of mayor

Poirier replaces David Gordon, who became mayor in 2018.

Gordon died in March at the age of 61. 

Gordon had been mayor since 2018, winning by election that year and by acclamation in the fall of 2022.

He was diagnosed with liver disease last year, an illness that took his life in the spring.