Photo Courtesy Lionel Frey

By Tanner Smith

Candidate profile

City of Grande Prairie Council Candidate Profile: Lionel Frey

Sep 17, 2025 | 10:55 AM

Lionel Frey is one of over 20 residents running for a City Council position.

He was asked to answer the following four questions with a 600-word limit.

1. What has inspired you to run for mayor/council/school trustee in the Oct. 20, 2025, municipal election?

I have thought about running for council for a number of years but previously didn’t think it was the right time for me. As manager of the Prairie Mall for roughly 13 years (15 with the company), my focus was on my career; however, with my impending retirement at the end of 2025, I realized now is the optimal time. I see a city with enormous potential for growth, but I would like to ensure that it is planned, deliberate growth and I think I bring some varied experience to the table to assist in that endeavor. As CEO of the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce in the early 2000s, I spent a considerable amount of time working not only with the business community, but also the City and County of Grande Prairie in advancing economic development in our city and region. It was at that point that I was introduced to the world of governance as it relates to advancing the interests of Grande Prairie and region. It was also at that point that I began to develop a very good working relationship with a variety of members of the community in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. As a result of some of these experiences, I believe I bring a perspective that is considerate of both sectors and some of the opportunities and challenges for each.

2. What skills or experience do you have that you feel would make you a good fit for the role?

Perhaps the biggest advantage I have is the level of variation in my career experiences. I started as a junior high school teacher over 30 years ago and eventually moved into adult education. From there I transitioned as an employment counsellor for several years working with economically disadvantaged individuals attempting to work their way back into the workforce, as well as collaborating with people with disabilities to pursue the same outcome. I later worked with start-up entrepreneurs as a business consultant, assisting them with developing business plans as well as with financing for their start-up businesses. Eventually, this experience lead me to my time as CEO with the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce, working to advance the interests of for-profit and non-profit organizations, and working with local municipal governments as well as the provincial and federal government on policy to assist the local business community in thriving and moving forward. For the last 15 years, I have worked for Morguard Corporation, owner of the Prairie Mall, assuming the general management position for the last 13 years. I believe this collective experience has afforded me the perspective of both the for-profit and non-profit sectors and allowed me to understand the opportunities and challenges that face both.

3. What do you feel are the key or main election issues in your community, and what are the issues of priority for you?

One issue that increasingly comes up for at least some in the community is that of affordability. This emerges in the context of level of taxation, housing affordability and houselessness, and pressures from inflation. Despite Grande Prairie being one of the more affordable communities to live in Alberta comparable to other mid-size and larger communities in the province (check on a variety of sources), it is important to have a plan and strategy for growth. I’m all for growth to create opportunities and jobs – full stop. However, if we allow growth to happen on its own without putting the pieces in place for managed growth ahead of time, we create economic disparities in our community that leads to social issues, such as crime and houselessness. This is one of the reasons I’m such a big proponent of planned growth and, in fact, is a cornerstone of my platform because it has such a significant impact on virtually every area of life in our community.

4. Where can people learn more about you?

My Facebook page Frey4GPCityCouncil