For the full interview, listen in to Connecting Albert County: The Audio Edit, wherever you stream your podcasts, or above.
As Fundy Albert approaches the 2026 municipal election, current mayor Jim Campbell is seeking another term, positioning himself as a steady hand to continue guiding the municipality through the ongoing challenges of amalgamation and growth.
Campbell, who has served both as a former mayor of Riverside-Albert and as mayor of Fundy Albert following a by-election, says his focus remains on strengthening the municipality while maintaining essential services and managing limited resources.
As Fundy Albert approaches the 2026 municipal election, current mayor Jim Campbell is seeking another term, positioning himself as a steady hand to continue guiding the municipality through the ongoing challenges of amalgamation and growth.
Campbell, who has served both as a former mayor of Riverside-Albert and as mayor of Fundy Albert following a by-election, says his focus remains on strengthening the municipality while maintaining essential services and managing limited resources.
Background and Community Roots
A lifelong connection to Albert County shapes Campbell’s perspective. Raised in Riverside-Albert, he describes returning to the area later in life as a meaningful decision.
“It wasn’t until I was married and had children… I realized how beautiful a place we have and how much it meant to me,” he said.
He and his wife moved back to Riverside-Albert more than two decades ago, where they have remained active in the community. Campbell is a founding member of both the CCRC and the Albert County Trailblazers ATV Club, reflecting a long-standing commitment to volunteerism.
Leadership Style and Experience
Campbell brings a background in management, particularly within the trucking industry, where he served as a general manager. He describes his leadership approach as collaborative and measured.
“First, I like to hear what council has to say… I’m certainly not a dictator,” he said emphasizing respectful dialogue and shared decision-making. “Open conversation, understanding each other… we’re here to work for the betterment of our community,” he said.
When conflicts arise, Campbell says each situation requires a tailored approach. “Sometimes you have to… say everybody needs to take a deep breath and think about what they’re talking about.”
Motivation for Running
Campbell said his decision to run again is rooted in progress already made and the desire to continue that work. “I believe that we have started to pull our community together… it’s a work in progress,” he said.
He acknowledged the scale of the challenge, noting that Fundy Albert encompasses multiple former municipalities and local service districts. “To try and unite that big of an area into one community is a major, major [task],” he said.
With several councillors not returning, he also emphasized the importance of continuity in leadership for the municipality.
Platform Overview
Campbell is not running on a highly detailed formal platform but outlined several key priorities:
Key Priority Focus
A central concern for Campbell is municipal funding. “Finding money is one of the biggest issues,” he said, pointing to the high cost of maintaining roads and infrastructure across the region.
He also highlighted the importance of balancing financial pressures with service delivery. “I really want to try and hold the tax rate to the level it’s at now,” he said, while acknowledging the difficulty of doing so.
Approach to Governance
Campbell supports training for councillors and sees it as important for understanding the scope and limits of municipal authority.
“I think it really helps us to understand the mandate of the Municipal Act,” he said.
He has taken training regarding municipal governance in his past experiences.
Transparency and Accountability
On transparency and conflicts of interest, he emphasized awareness and caution. “We have to be very careful… sometimes you don’t even realize you’re in conflict,” he cautioned, while also stressing the importance of maintaining high standards of conduct within council.
Environment and Natural Resources
Campbell views environmental stewardship as essential, particularly in relation to water resources. “We have to protect [our natural resources]… if we don’t have the forest… we’re not going to have a good supply of water,” he said.
He pointed to past conservation efforts of the municipality and community as successful examples and emphasized the need to balance environmental protection with economic activity.
On glyphosate spraying, Campbell expressed clear opposition. “I’m totally against it… it scares me,” he said, citing concerns raised by residents.
Housing, Cost of Living, and Poverty
Campbell said the municipality has already begun working on housing challenges through partnerships with organizations such as Fundy Housing. “We’ve met with provincial ministers… that’s something we will continue to do,” he said highlighting another reason why his experience matters for re-election.
He acknowledged that attracting [housing] development to rural areas can be difficult but noted early progress and continued interest from potential developers.
Economic Development
Campbell sees economic development as a key area for growth, particularly beyond seasonal tourism. “Our tourism industry is a big provider of employment, but there has to be something… through the winter months,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot to offer… our people are welcoming,” he said and emphasized promoting the municipality as a desirable place to live and work
Arts, Culture, and Heritage
Campbell highlighted the region’s rich history as a significant asset. “Our history is pretty important… it’s amazing what we’ve had over the years,” he said, referencing shipbuilding, forestry, and Acadian heritage.
He supports continued collaboration with local organizations to promote and preserve these cultural assets, while noting that financial constraints can limit municipal fiscal involvement.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure remains one of the municipality’s most pressing challenges. Campbell emphasized the need for continued advocacy to secure funding.
“We need to be lobbying government continuously for help,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of improving key routes such as Route 114, Campbell believes that designation as a tourism corridor could unlock additional funding opportunities for roads and other points of infrastructure.
Amalgamation and Regional Collaboration
Campbell acknowledged that amalgamation continues to present challenges, particularly in fostering a shared identity. He shared that “one of the hardest [things has been] to make people really understand that they are in a large village now.”
He emphasized the importance of community integration and cited local initiatives that bring residents together as positive steps forward.
Closing Thoughts
With years of experience in municipal leadership and a focus on continuity, Campbell is asking voters to support his efforts to continue building a unified and sustainable future for Fundy Albert.
Campbell described his candidacy in simple terms: “I care… I’ve got the time… and I’m committed to do the best I can,” he said.
You can reach Campbell by telephone: 506-381-2424 and email: [email protected]
A lifelong connection to Albert County shapes Campbell’s perspective. Raised in Riverside-Albert, he describes returning to the area later in life as a meaningful decision.
“It wasn’t until I was married and had children… I realized how beautiful a place we have and how much it meant to me,” he said.
He and his wife moved back to Riverside-Albert more than two decades ago, where they have remained active in the community. Campbell is a founding member of both the CCRC and the Albert County Trailblazers ATV Club, reflecting a long-standing commitment to volunteerism.
Leadership Style and Experience
Campbell brings a background in management, particularly within the trucking industry, where he served as a general manager. He describes his leadership approach as collaborative and measured.
“First, I like to hear what council has to say… I’m certainly not a dictator,” he said emphasizing respectful dialogue and shared decision-making. “Open conversation, understanding each other… we’re here to work for the betterment of our community,” he said.
When conflicts arise, Campbell says each situation requires a tailored approach. “Sometimes you have to… say everybody needs to take a deep breath and think about what they’re talking about.”
Motivation for Running
Campbell said his decision to run again is rooted in progress already made and the desire to continue that work. “I believe that we have started to pull our community together… it’s a work in progress,” he said.
He acknowledged the scale of the challenge, noting that Fundy Albert encompasses multiple former municipalities and local service districts. “To try and unite that big of an area into one community is a major, major [task],” he said.
With several councillors not returning, he also emphasized the importance of continuity in leadership for the municipality.
Platform Overview
Campbell is not running on a highly detailed formal platform but outlined several key priorities:
- Maintaining stable tax rates where possible
- Addressing infrastructure needs, particularly roads and water systems
- Strengthening municipal finances and identifying funding sources
- Continuing efforts to unify the municipality
Key Priority Focus
A central concern for Campbell is municipal funding. “Finding money is one of the biggest issues,” he said, pointing to the high cost of maintaining roads and infrastructure across the region.
He also highlighted the importance of balancing financial pressures with service delivery. “I really want to try and hold the tax rate to the level it’s at now,” he said, while acknowledging the difficulty of doing so.
Approach to Governance
Campbell supports training for councillors and sees it as important for understanding the scope and limits of municipal authority.
“I think it really helps us to understand the mandate of the Municipal Act,” he said.
He has taken training regarding municipal governance in his past experiences.
Transparency and Accountability
On transparency and conflicts of interest, he emphasized awareness and caution. “We have to be very careful… sometimes you don’t even realize you’re in conflict,” he cautioned, while also stressing the importance of maintaining high standards of conduct within council.
Environment and Natural Resources
Campbell views environmental stewardship as essential, particularly in relation to water resources. “We have to protect [our natural resources]… if we don’t have the forest… we’re not going to have a good supply of water,” he said.
He pointed to past conservation efforts of the municipality and community as successful examples and emphasized the need to balance environmental protection with economic activity.
On glyphosate spraying, Campbell expressed clear opposition. “I’m totally against it… it scares me,” he said, citing concerns raised by residents.
Housing, Cost of Living, and Poverty
Campbell said the municipality has already begun working on housing challenges through partnerships with organizations such as Fundy Housing. “We’ve met with provincial ministers… that’s something we will continue to do,” he said highlighting another reason why his experience matters for re-election.
He acknowledged that attracting [housing] development to rural areas can be difficult but noted early progress and continued interest from potential developers.
Economic Development
Campbell sees economic development as a key area for growth, particularly beyond seasonal tourism. “Our tourism industry is a big provider of employment, but there has to be something… through the winter months,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot to offer… our people are welcoming,” he said and emphasized promoting the municipality as a desirable place to live and work
Arts, Culture, and Heritage
Campbell highlighted the region’s rich history as a significant asset. “Our history is pretty important… it’s amazing what we’ve had over the years,” he said, referencing shipbuilding, forestry, and Acadian heritage.
He supports continued collaboration with local organizations to promote and preserve these cultural assets, while noting that financial constraints can limit municipal fiscal involvement.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure remains one of the municipality’s most pressing challenges. Campbell emphasized the need for continued advocacy to secure funding.
“We need to be lobbying government continuously for help,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of improving key routes such as Route 114, Campbell believes that designation as a tourism corridor could unlock additional funding opportunities for roads and other points of infrastructure.
Amalgamation and Regional Collaboration
Campbell acknowledged that amalgamation continues to present challenges, particularly in fostering a shared identity. He shared that “one of the hardest [things has been] to make people really understand that they are in a large village now.”
He emphasized the importance of community integration and cited local initiatives that bring residents together as positive steps forward.
Closing Thoughts
With years of experience in municipal leadership and a focus on continuity, Campbell is asking voters to support his efforts to continue building a unified and sustainable future for Fundy Albert.
Campbell described his candidacy in simple terms: “I care… I’ve got the time… and I’m committed to do the best I can,” he said.
You can reach Campbell by telephone: 506-381-2424 and email: [email protected]
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