(Submitted Photo/Valorie Higgs)

By Josh Ryan

Voice for Seniors

Council candidate Higgs advocating for seniors, businesses

Oct 15, 2020 | 9:00 AM

Of all the council candidates in North Battleford this election season, Valorie Higgs is fine with being the most prominent voice for seniors in the 2020 race.

The former professional assistant, who’s worked in a variety of capacities for local organizations in the Battlefords, is interested in helping elderly residents during a particularly difficult time. She said many seniors have struggled with getting groceries, making it to doctors’ appointments and getting to Saskatoon for other medical appointments and she feels compassion for what they are going through.

“I have people I help on a regular basis,” Higgs said. “I’m going to be the only one who steps up and says I have a warm fuzzy feeling for seniors in this community and I’d like them to have a voice.”

Higgs worked in sales and advertising for the Battlefords News-Optimist for years and has taken multiple short term opportunities in recent years, including interviewing local businesses for the BBEX Awards and working for the federal election last year. Having not run for council previously, she said it’s important to recognize she and other newcomers will have a lot to learn in the early goings as councillors.

“My big thing is to be the ears and voice for our community and I need to know exactly how everything works at City Hall,” Higgs said.

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Another focus of her bid for council is working for the business community. Higgs said her time over 20 years working with many business leaders gives her credible insight into where things stand now and how to move forward, which could include a closer look at tax incentives and grants to help us through the pandemic.

“I was able to connect and understand the concerns of the business community, the challenges it faces and the vision it has,” she said.

Higgs said she’s also well equipped to communicate with residents, having listened to their concerns for many years. She wants to further promote the community as a wonderful place to live. Higgs said the communal feeling and many assets, such as the close proximity to larger cities, having an airport and being located in a position to receive plenty of travellers gives them unique ability to show off recreation and arts attractions like the Allen Sapp Gallery and the Dekker Centre.

“There’s a lot of potential for businesses to tap into those tourists dollars,” she said. “We’ve got a rich and colourful past, an exciting present and an engaging time for the future.”

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports