With the Saskatoon Civic Election just over 130 days away, former cabinet minister Rob Norris has officially launched his campaign to run for mayor.

Norris made the announcement from a parking lot on 8th street, Thursday morning, with a multiple calls to action including a more affordable Saskatoon. Norris stressed the need for a more prosperous Saskatoon, where families can see their children reach their full potential. He called for a safer Saskatoon, safer for everyone, in their homes and in their communities, including a safer downtown section.

Norris says it’s time for fresh eyes and a fresh prospective in city hall. He says, for too many families bills are too high and dollars are too tight, with jobs a lot less certain then they were.

Norris points to missed opportunities, including a billion dollar partnership with Madison, Wisconsin, that city council declined, that Norris claims showed a lack of vision and engagement in the world.

On the topic of de-funding or reducing police budgets in the city, Norris says he could not be more opposed to the idea. He explains while the Saskatoon Police Service is not perfect, they are among the best in the country, and adds in order to diversify the police force and enhance training they will need that funding.

Norris suggests that there are opportunities to improve Saskatoon’s already booming tech sector to get even more business and create more jobs, by using big data, for a community solutions tech accelerator to help make the city safer.

Norris, an MLA for Saskatoon Greystone, from November 21, 2007 to December 31, 2015, is the first to announce his candidacy for mayor, ahead of the civic election which will take place on November 9th.