In a move that signals major changes for one of Edmonton's newest political entities, Tim Cartmell has announced his departure from the Better Edmonton Party just weeks after the municipal election.
Founding Leader Steps Away
The former mayoral candidate made his decision public through social media on Friday morning, ending weeks of speculation about his future with the organization. Cartmell co-founded the party alongside other dedicated Edmontonians little more than a year ago with the ambitious goal of changing how civic elections are conducted in the city.
"After a few weeks of quiet contemplation, I have decided to step back from my role with the Better Edmonton Party," Cartmell wrote in his statement. He expressed pride in the effort to build a new political association and gratitude toward the campaign team, volunteers, and leadership.
Financial Context and Election Results
The departure comes against a backdrop of significant campaign investment and mixed electoral success. Cartmell's mayoral campaign had amassed $847,048 in donations by July 31, with $10,000 representing his personal contribution.
Despite this substantial war chest, the Better Edmonton Party achieved limited success in the October 20 election, electing three councillors. However, the party's stability has been further undermined by the recent departures of two of those successful candidates—Mike Elliott and Reed Clarke—who announced earlier this week they were also leaving the party.
Legacy and Future Directions
Cartmell reflected positively on his eight years serving on city council, calling it "the privilege of a lifetime" and expressing belief that "on the whole, we did pretty good work."
In his departure statement, Cartmell indicated that the remaining Better Edmonton team remains "determined to continue the conversation" and will focus on core issues with hopes of mounting another campaign in the next municipal election. He affirmed that they "deserve our ongoing support."
The political landscape shift becomes more notable when comparing campaign resources. Andrew Knack, who ran as an independent but received endorsements from multiple third-party advertisers, secured victory with just $54,000 in total campaign donations—$11,888 of which came from his own pocket.
This series of departures raises significant questions about the future of municipal party politics in Edmonton and whether the Better Edmonton Party can maintain momentum without its founding leader and two of its elected representatives.
