For the full interview, listen in to Connecting Albert County: The Audio Edit, wherever you stream your podcasts, or above.
As Fundy Albert prepared for the 2026 municipal election, voters throughout the wards will consider candidates aiming to guide the municipality through its next phase following amalgamation. Among them is Derek Lackey, a business professional and recent community volunteer who says he hopes to bring strategic thinking and communication improvements to council.
Ward 1 had one candidate enter the race, therefore Lackey is Ward 1 Councillor by acclimation. However, he desires the residents of Fundy Albert to get to know him and completed this interview. His perspective centres on economic development, improved communication with residents, and a stronger sense of unity across the municipality.
As Fundy Albert prepared for the 2026 municipal election, voters throughout the wards will consider candidates aiming to guide the municipality through its next phase following amalgamation. Among them is Derek Lackey, a business professional and recent community volunteer who says he hopes to bring strategic thinking and communication improvements to council.
Ward 1 had one candidate enter the race, therefore Lackey is Ward 1 Councillor by acclimation. However, he desires the residents of Fundy Albert to get to know him and completed this interview. His perspective centres on economic development, improved communication with residents, and a stronger sense of unity across the municipality.
Background and Community Roots
Originally from Ottawa, Lackey spent much of his adult life in the Toronto area, where he built a career in advertising and marketing. “I really spent 30 years in the advertising and marketing community in Toronto,” he said, noting that he founded and sold several agencies during that time.
Now living in Fundy Albert, Lackey says his professional experience has shaped how he approaches problem-solving. “I look at context as well as content… I try to listen to what’s informing the statement as well as the statement itself,” he explained.
In recent years, he has shifted his focus toward local involvement, joining community boards and organizations. His volunteer work includes serving on the board of Connecting Albert County and as secretary for the CCRC, which he says helped prompt his decision to run.
Leadership Style and Experience
Lackey describes his leadership style as driven but empathetic. Drawing on his experience managing teams of 30 or more staff, he emphasized balancing expectations with support. “I drive fairly hard, but with lots of empathy,” he said.
He pointed to workplace practices such as open town halls and flexible time-off policies as examples of creating a supportive environment. “You had to do your job, but I was inclusive,” he said.
In a municipal context, he sees his role as more collaborative than directive. “I’m kind of less in people’s face, more listening and more trying to come up with creative solutions,” he noted.
Motivation for Running
Lackey said his decision to run was influenced by both timing and local circumstances. Ward 1 has experienced gaps in representation, and he believes the municipality is now entering a more stable phase following amalgamation.
“The first [term] was the most difficult… we’re now getting a much clearer picture,” he said. “I thought that I could both contribute and learn.”
He also expressed a desire to challenge perceptions about the role of smaller communities within Fundy Albert. “Alma has a great deal to contribute… and I think there’s old perceptions that are in the way,” he said.
Platform Overview
Unlike some candidates, Lackey is not running on a formal platform. Instead, he emphasizes listening to constituents and identifying shared concerns.
“I’m just starting to get out and hear what those issues are,” he said, noting that common themes are already emerging across the ward. Among the issues he identified, two stand out as early priorities:
He also acknowledged that infrastructure—especially roads—remains a consistent concern among residents.
Approach to Governance
Lackey supports mandatory training for councillors and brings prior experience from political campaign work.
think that training should be mandatory,” he said, adding that understanding both the responsibilities and limits of the role is essential.
Transparency and Accountability
On transparency, he framed the issue primarily as a communication gap. “The perceived lack of transparency is more a function of not communicating effectively,” he said.
He emphasized the need for more proactive outreach, suggesting regular town halls and direct engagement. “People don’t want to go find information—they want it pushed to them,” he noted.
Environment and Natural Resources
Lackey sees environmental protection as an important consideration in municipal planning, particularly through policy and land-use decisions.
He also expressed strong opposition to glyphosate spraying. “It’s just a hard no… I can’t believe it still goes on,” he said.
Housing, Cost of Living, and Poverty
Lackey connects housing and affordability challenges to broader economic development. He suggested that attracting new businesses could significantly improve local conditions.
“If somebody put a business with 50 employees… it would completely transform [the community],” he said.
However, he acknowledged current limitations, including a lack of housing and difficulties navigating the permitting process. “We’re shooting ourselves in the foot,” he said of development barriers.
Economic Development
Economic growth is a central focus of Lackey’s campaign. He believes the municipality should actively promote its quality of life to attract new residents and businesses. “At the very least, [we need to] be great ambassadors for the quality of life here,” he said.
He advocates targeting smaller businesses with growth potential, suggesting that gradual expansion is more sustainable than a starting approach of bringing in already maximized businesses. “We could handle a 15-person company that grows to 100,” he said.
Arts, Culture, and Heritage
Lackey expressed strong support for preserving and promoting local cultural assets, including museums and historic sites.
“These are all worth keeping… the more the merrier,” he said, while also noting concerns about reduced provincial support for cultural initiatives. He supports continued collaboration between council and community organizations to identify and address needs in this area.
Infrastructure
On infrastructure, Lackey highlighted both immediate and long-term challenges, including aging water and sewage systems.
He pointed to alternative solutions such as pipe relining technology as a potential way to reduce costs. “It was certainly cheaper than digging up the roads,” he said, referencing past experience.
Amalgamation and Regional Collaboration
Lackey emphasized the importance of embracing a unified municipal identity. “We’re all Fundy Albert,” he said, arguing that focusing on former boundaries can hinder progress.
While acknowledging the challenges of amalgamation, he believes the focus should now shift to making it work. “How do we make the best of it? How can we help our neighbours?” he said.
He also suggested that the municipality must move beyond operating as separate entities. “We’re still really three separate villages trying to figure out how to get married… it’s time to get married,” he said.
Closing Thoughts
As he concluded, Lackey reiterated his belief in a unified future for the municipality. “It’s going to have to be Fundy Albert first,” he said.
You can contact Lackey by telephone: 416-524-7844 and email: [email protected]
Originally from Ottawa, Lackey spent much of his adult life in the Toronto area, where he built a career in advertising and marketing. “I really spent 30 years in the advertising and marketing community in Toronto,” he said, noting that he founded and sold several agencies during that time.
Now living in Fundy Albert, Lackey says his professional experience has shaped how he approaches problem-solving. “I look at context as well as content… I try to listen to what’s informing the statement as well as the statement itself,” he explained.
In recent years, he has shifted his focus toward local involvement, joining community boards and organizations. His volunteer work includes serving on the board of Connecting Albert County and as secretary for the CCRC, which he says helped prompt his decision to run.
Leadership Style and Experience
Lackey describes his leadership style as driven but empathetic. Drawing on his experience managing teams of 30 or more staff, he emphasized balancing expectations with support. “I drive fairly hard, but with lots of empathy,” he said.
He pointed to workplace practices such as open town halls and flexible time-off policies as examples of creating a supportive environment. “You had to do your job, but I was inclusive,” he said.
In a municipal context, he sees his role as more collaborative than directive. “I’m kind of less in people’s face, more listening and more trying to come up with creative solutions,” he noted.
Motivation for Running
Lackey said his decision to run was influenced by both timing and local circumstances. Ward 1 has experienced gaps in representation, and he believes the municipality is now entering a more stable phase following amalgamation.
“The first [term] was the most difficult… we’re now getting a much clearer picture,” he said. “I thought that I could both contribute and learn.”
He also expressed a desire to challenge perceptions about the role of smaller communities within Fundy Albert. “Alma has a great deal to contribute… and I think there’s old perceptions that are in the way,” he said.
Platform Overview
Unlike some candidates, Lackey is not running on a formal platform. Instead, he emphasizes listening to constituents and identifying shared concerns.
“I’m just starting to get out and hear what those issues are,” he said, noting that common themes are already emerging across the ward. Among the issues he identified, two stand out as early priorities:
- Completing the municipality’s rural plan within the required timeline
- Addressing disparities in tax rates across different communities
He also acknowledged that infrastructure—especially roads—remains a consistent concern among residents.
Approach to Governance
Lackey supports mandatory training for councillors and brings prior experience from political campaign work.
think that training should be mandatory,” he said, adding that understanding both the responsibilities and limits of the role is essential.
Transparency and Accountability
On transparency, he framed the issue primarily as a communication gap. “The perceived lack of transparency is more a function of not communicating effectively,” he said.
He emphasized the need for more proactive outreach, suggesting regular town halls and direct engagement. “People don’t want to go find information—they want it pushed to them,” he noted.
Environment and Natural Resources
Lackey sees environmental protection as an important consideration in municipal planning, particularly through policy and land-use decisions.
He also expressed strong opposition to glyphosate spraying. “It’s just a hard no… I can’t believe it still goes on,” he said.
Housing, Cost of Living, and Poverty
Lackey connects housing and affordability challenges to broader economic development. He suggested that attracting new businesses could significantly improve local conditions.
“If somebody put a business with 50 employees… it would completely transform [the community],” he said.
However, he acknowledged current limitations, including a lack of housing and difficulties navigating the permitting process. “We’re shooting ourselves in the foot,” he said of development barriers.
Economic Development
Economic growth is a central focus of Lackey’s campaign. He believes the municipality should actively promote its quality of life to attract new residents and businesses. “At the very least, [we need to] be great ambassadors for the quality of life here,” he said.
He advocates targeting smaller businesses with growth potential, suggesting that gradual expansion is more sustainable than a starting approach of bringing in already maximized businesses. “We could handle a 15-person company that grows to 100,” he said.
Arts, Culture, and Heritage
Lackey expressed strong support for preserving and promoting local cultural assets, including museums and historic sites.
“These are all worth keeping… the more the merrier,” he said, while also noting concerns about reduced provincial support for cultural initiatives. He supports continued collaboration between council and community organizations to identify and address needs in this area.
Infrastructure
On infrastructure, Lackey highlighted both immediate and long-term challenges, including aging water and sewage systems.
He pointed to alternative solutions such as pipe relining technology as a potential way to reduce costs. “It was certainly cheaper than digging up the roads,” he said, referencing past experience.
Amalgamation and Regional Collaboration
Lackey emphasized the importance of embracing a unified municipal identity. “We’re all Fundy Albert,” he said, arguing that focusing on former boundaries can hinder progress.
While acknowledging the challenges of amalgamation, he believes the focus should now shift to making it work. “How do we make the best of it? How can we help our neighbours?” he said.
He also suggested that the municipality must move beyond operating as separate entities. “We’re still really three separate villages trying to figure out how to get married… it’s time to get married,” he said.
Closing Thoughts
As he concluded, Lackey reiterated his belief in a unified future for the municipality. “It’s going to have to be Fundy Albert first,” he said.
You can contact Lackey by telephone: 416-524-7844 and email: [email protected]
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