Mayor Laura Cabott: Loving the job, but ready for new opportunities
Despite loving her job, Whitehorse Mayor Laura Cabott decided back in May she wouldn’t be running for re-election. But even as she looks to saying goodbye this October, she has plenty of insights into the state of local government today. Photo: Laura Cabott
Laura Cabott loves almost everything about being mayor of the City of Whitehorse. But after some six months of deep thought and introspection, she decided back in May she wouldn’t be running for re-election.
Cabott is quick to acknowledge she finds being mayor “rewarding.” Whitehorse, she said, is unique from many other municipalities. The city is small in population – 33,000 – but its large geography creates challenges.
Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon, is northern and remote. Still, it also has one of the highest growth rates in the country at about 12 per cent. Of course, there are issues that come with that, too.
But one of the big reasons for her decision stems from something that was completely out of her control. Her previous time on council was spent in three-year terms. And then legislation changed that timeframe to four years. With that in mind, and after six years on council (three as mayor), Cabott admits the thought of another four years weighed on her mind.
“I really do enjoy being the mayor, almost all aspects of it. Looking forward, I thought you need a lot of energy. It is all-consuming as far as being the mayor,” Cabott said. “I’ve really enjoyed the intensity of that, but looking forward, I just wasn’t sure that I would have that energy for another four years.”
Transit Investment Pays Off
Cabott has faced plenty of challenges in her time at city hall. But she celebrates the “great things” the city has achieved around transit.
The city has worked hard, Cabott said, to convince people to embrace public transit. The goal was to encourage more people to ride the bus, to leave their vehicles at home, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and be more inclusive. After all, not everybody can afford a car, so issues on accessibility are also always a concern.
Whitehorse has added buses, drivers, and routes, making the transit system more effective. The city has extended operating our hours and added Sunday and holiday service.
The work, Cabott said, has paid off. Transit ridership has set records in Whitehorse. And those records keep being broken.
Densification Leads to Housing Growth
Housing is another area where Cabott said she is proud of what the city has been able to accomplish. All municipalities are struggling with housing issues. But Cabott said the city worked to create a plan that focused on densification by trying to avoid sprawl and looking at infill.
Some municipalities have been mandated by their provincial/territorial governments to support densification. Whitehorse did so willingly, Cabott said, and is expecting “some real positive payoff” from that effort.
“We had a bit of a struggle at the beginning of the term about not doing infill, not doing densification, not allowing zoning amendments,” Cabott said. “And now in the second half of the term, I think the council has really accepted that this is a way to do smart sustainable housing. We’ve sort of shifted there and over the next few years we’re going to see some real good growth in housing in Whitehorse.”
Best Advice: Do Your Homework
While it took Cabott a while to make the decision to not to seek re-election, she was quick to make her announcement once she did. She made her announcement back in May to give people plenty of time to decide on their own mayoral campaigns.
After all, it is a commitment requiring a lot of time and effort to bring together. That being said, she is happy to offer some advice to people looking to take their shot at the mayor’s seat.
The best piece of advice Cabott said she has to offer is for politicians to do their homework, to be prepared for meetings. But when it comes to the day-to-day work, she recommends, “Don’t get down into the weeds, even though it’s hard not to. Let the administration run with it.”
Cabott said she reads articles all the time (often in Municipal World or the MW Daily newsletter) about mayors, councillors, or senior administration not fully understanding, or not accepting, their roles. As such, “doing your homework” is the key to success in the council chambers.
There’s a strong constituency out there, Cabott said, that will follow what’s happening at council. They’ll watch the meetings, they’ll read what’s in the media, they’ll listen to the news, and they’ll figure out those of you on council – whether it’s a mayor or councillor – who has done the work and knows what they’re talking about.
“I’ve seen that over my two terms, it’s obvious who’s not doing that. You need to do your homework. You need to be prepared,” Cabott said. “You need to be open to hear from others. But once decisions are made, you need to be decisive, make the decision and move forward. Don’t be wishy-washy. Make well-informed decisions and then move forward on your plan.”
Loving the Day-to-Day Details
One of the things Cabott will miss about the job is something few people would take as much pleasure in.
Saying it likely stems from her legal background, Cabott admits she enjoys chairing meetings. She enjoys meetings as a place where business is done, where the conversation is effective, and everybody has an opportunity to speak.
But something she won’t miss about the job is something she actually enjoys a great deal. Being mayor can be an all-consuming situation in an active community. People want the mayor to show up. And while she can sometimes delegate these situations to the deputy mayor or a councillor, too often it means some late nights.
“There is a lot going on almost every evening, almost every weekend,” Cabott said. “So that took away a little bit of my personal time where I would like to get away for the weekend to go to the cabin or do stuff like that. So yeah, I wouldn’t call it the downside, but it’s one of the responsibilities that I think over time can have an impact.”
What Comes Next?
After the election this October, Cabott will begin focusing on what comes next.
Even when she was working as a lawyer, Cabott did some hiking and guiding. If anyone has been to the Yukon, she explains, it is a wonderful place for outdoor activities. Whether it’s skiing or kayaking, canoeing or hunting, those are some things that Cabott is hoping to have a little bit more time to do. But since she isn’t ready to retire, Cabott is also looking at what comes next professionally.
Cabott is quick to celebrate all the things she has learned as mayor. Her hope is to take those skills, and her skills from her legal career, and to continue to be involved in the community. Whether it’s on a board of directors of a national not for-profit or a mining company, or doing consultation work with First Nations and others, she is eager to stay involved.
“I’d love to be involved in something like that because the world is large, but it’s also quite small and there’s things that we can help each other with,” she said. “I’d be interested in some of that work for sure.” MW
✯ Municipal World Executive and Essentials Plus Members: You might also be interested in Sean Meyer’s article: Local government champions look ahead to new experiences.
Sean Meyer is digital content editor for Municipal World.
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