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SkyriseEdmonton's Getting to Know series seeks to introduce our readers to a host of city-builders, innovators, and urbanists, whose vision for the future includes the creation of cities as livable spaces for all.
Following the sudden Council-backed departure of former Edmonton City Manager Simon Farbrother in 2015, in response to his lead role in the mismanagement of the Metro Line LRT extension file, incoming City Manager Linda Cochrane is set to take the reins. A civil service veteran of more than 30 years and the first woman to hold the position in the City of Edmonton's 112-year history, Cochrane is expected to bring her decades of experience and a fresh perspective to what has in essence been run as an Old Boys' Club for more than a century. In fact, the problem of gender imbalance among both the private and public sectors in Edmonton has been a thorn in the city's side for years. The city ranked 24th out of 25 Canadian cities in a recent report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, which placed Edmonton as one of the worst cities in Canada for women. Citing both a sizeable wage gap, in which women make just 59 cents on the male dollar, and a general lack of women in leadership roles, The City of Edmonton is seeking to shake this reputation, starting with the hiring of its first female City Manager.
As General Manager for the Community Services Department since 2006, and a long-time City Hall staffer before that, Linda Cochrane has been a known entity within City Hall since 1982. When she served as Director of the Edmonton Valley Zoo, Cochrane was instrumental in the retention of Lucy the Elephant, against the wishes of former Price is Right host and animal rights activist Bob Barker, a fight which Cochrane took head on, ultimately winning out against the opposition.
More recently, during the City's well-publicized battle with the local Taxi Lobby in 2015, which was fought largely over decisions pertaining to the future of ride-sharing companies like Uber, Cochrane earned herself the nickname "The Cabbie Whisperer." To earn this name, she single-handedly pushed into the riotous crowd of angry protesters who had filled City Hall, using her calm demeanour to quell what could have easily become one of the most raucous protests in the City's recent memory. A lion in lamb's clothing, Cochrane's numerous career highlights and wins against formidable odds culminated in her selection as City Manager when opportunity struck last fall, and now Edmonton's first female City Manager is sure to bring her own brand of wisdom and experience to the table.
Impressed by Cochrane's inherent sense of leadership and calm under pressure, Mayor Don Iveson has been vocal about his high opinion of the new City Manager, citing not only her demonstrated ability to rein in a crown, but her decades-long commitment to the City and its citizens, and to fighting for causes which she believes in, even in the face of controversy and public dissent. As her three-year contract unfolds, only time will tell how Cochrane will tackle her new duties, the City's recently fumbled transit file, along with the ongoing growing pains of a city undergoing one of the most prolific building booms in recent memory, among the many pressing issues which will test the well-honed capabilities of one of Edmonton's most experienced and well-respected civil servants.
SkyriseEdmonton will return soon with another edition of Getting to Know. Got an idea for our new series? Let us know!
