Meet the Candidate: Lawrence Ference for Ward 2, MD of Bonnyville

Bison rancher, business owner, and longtime Northeastern Albertan puts his name forward for Ward 2

 

Lawrence Ference is a name many in the Lakeland already know. A lifelong Northeastern Albertan, he has spent more than 35 years as a full-time bison farmer and diversified livestock rancher. Born in Elk Point and calling Bonnyville home for over two decades, Ference pairs hands-on agricultural experience with time in small business and the oil industry — a blend he says grounds his approach to council.

 

Why now

 

Ference says the timing is deliberate. Four years ago, with families and communities working through COVID disruptions, he chose not to run to “maintain a stable environment.” This fall, after talking it over with his family, he believes he is “a little wiser and a little more prepared.”

 

“I’ve lived in the Bonnyville area for 21 years,” he says. “With my farming background, oil and gas experience, and governance experience, I think I’ve got a lot to offer and give back.”

 

Mission, values, and that word “integrity”

 

Ference frames his mission this way: take community-driven input and work collaboratively with unified teams to make smart, bold, fair, and responsible decisions for a safe, vibrant, and sustainable future for Ward 2 and the MD of Bonnyville — all done with fun and integrity.

 

On integrity, he is plainspoken: “It includes transparency, honesty, responsibility, fiduciary duty, and respect.” He shares a lesson from his father: if a deal turns out poor, “renegotiate or live with it, but you don’t walk away.” If a choice doesn’t sit right, check your values.

 

He also keeps a favourite reminder close: “If we’re all thinking the same, nobody’s thinking.” For Ference, good councils think differently, then come together.

 

Vision: looking over the horizon

 

His vision statement looks long term: the MD of Bonnyville will be a leader, building a safe, progressive, desirable, and sustainable future for generations. Vision is the “over the horizon” work, he says — how a council will be recognised 10, 20, even 30 years from now.

 

What he’s hearing in Ward 2

 

After travelling “corner to corner,” Ference calls Ward 2 “very diverse,” from Moose Lake residents to rural homesteads, seniors to youth. The common thread: sustainability. “There are different wish lists, and we have to match those up and meet the needs of all.”

 

Time commitment

 

Asked if he has the time to serve, Ference says he has “recalibrated” his farm to free up capacity. “Busy people get things done. It’s a big role and I’ll make the time for it. I will stay busy, but I will be committed.”

 

Strategic plan and investing for the future

 

Ference has read the MD’s 17-page strategic plan and calls it a “very good foundation” with strong guiding principles. He draws a firm line between investment and expense.

 

“In order to be sustainable, you have to invest,” he says, pointing to amenities that attract families and talent — trails, a swimming pool, recreation facilities, the ski hill, the lake, and the airport. He shares a story of a young family choosing Bonnyville after seeing those investments first-hand. “Investment leads to sustainability.”

 

Ward first — and MD-wide thinking

 

He is clear that a councillor must balance ward priorities with the strength of the MD as a whole. “You work with your ward members, but the strength is in the MD as a whole. My job is to communicate why a decision adds strength to both.”

 

Leadership and governance

 

Ference brings a decade on the United Farmers of Alberta board — including time as First Vice-Chair — to his view of how councils should work. “One board, one voice,” he says. “All councillors are one vote. Collectively we make decisions, and when that door opens, the board speaks as one.”

 

Leadership, to him, blends community-based and principle-based decision making. “You will not please everyone, but you aim for the betterment of the ward and the MD.”

 

The takeaway

 

Pragmatic, progressive, and visionary are the three words Ference uses to describe how he works — common sense solutions today, steady improvement week to week, and bold over-the-horizon thinking for tomorrow. For Ward 2 voters, he offers a mix of ranching grit, boardroom governance, and a focus on investing in the MD’s future.

 

Voting day is Oct. 20.