Every community has leaders who don’t just serve — they invest their lives in the place they call home. Bonnyville lost one of those leaders with the passing of Councillor Brian McEvoy.

Lakeland Connect is deeply saddened to share this loss with the community. Brian was a serving member of Bonnyville Town Council, elected to his third term in October 2025, and a lifelong public servant whose influence reached far beyond council chambers or boardrooms. His work, his leadership, and his character helped shape Bonnyville in lasting ways.

Brian served the community right up until his passing — a reflection of who he was at his core. He believed in showing up, doing the work, and leaving things better than he found them.

A Leader Who Chose Bonnyville

Brian McEvoy first came to Bonnyville in 1996. From the beginning, this was not just a place he worked — it was a place he chose to build a life.

He and his family put down deep roots in the community. Brian was the proud father of two grown children — one living in Edmonton and one remaining in the area — and a devoted grandfather to two grandchildren who live right here in Bonnyville. Family mattered deeply to him, and so did the future of the town his grandchildren are growing up in.

That long view — thinking not just about today, but about the next generation — shaped how Brian approached leadership, decision-making, and public service.

Service on Town Council

Brian was first elected to Bonnyville Town Council in 2017. Voters returned him to office in 2021, and again in October 2025, beginning his third term as a councillor.

During his first term, Chad served alongside Brian on Council. Over those four years, Chad and Jena had the opportunity to get to know Brian well — not just as a fellow councillor, but as a thoughtful, steady, deeply principled person who took the responsibility of public office seriously.

Brian was not a loud or performative leader. He listened more than he spoke. He asked questions. He read the material. He respected staff, colleagues, and residents, even when conversations were difficult. He believed good governance required patience, professionalism, and humility.

He did not seek recognition. He sought outcomes.

As he began his third term, Brian was genuinely excited about Bonnyville’s future and the opportunity to guide the community through continued growth and positive change alongside a strong Council team. His passing leaves a profound absence at the Council table.

It is with heavy hearts that Mayor and Council share the passing of our colleague, Brian McEvoy.

Brian was more than a dedicated public servant. He was a dear friend, mentor, peer, and colleague around the council table and throughout our community.

He served with integrity and a deep commitment to the people he represented. His leadership was grounded in respect, collaboration, and a belief in the importance of community. We are profoundly grateful for the time we had the privilege to serve alongside him. His legacy will live on in the work he championed, the relationships he built, and the many lives he touched.

On behalf of Mayor and Council, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and all who are grieving his loss. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered with gratitude and affection.

Mayor and Council and the Town of Bonnyville.

 

Nearly Four Decades of Public Service

Brian brought nearly forty years of experience working at both the provincial and municipal levels of government to everything he did in Bonnyville.

That depth of experience showed. He understood how systems worked, how policy decisions echoed over time, and how local decisions fit into broader provincial and national frameworks. He knew when to push, when to pause, and when collaboration mattered more than speed.

Throughout his career, Brian contributed to numerous provincial and national committees, offering expertise shaped by real-world experience rather than theory. He was trusted because he was prepared, consistent, and fair.

His leadership roles included serving as Chair of an Underwriters Laboratories of Canada Standards Committee and as President of the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association — positions that reflect not only professional competence, but the respect of peers across the province and country.

A Life Dedicated to the Fire Service

Brian’s legacy in the fire service is both deep and enduring.

He dedicated decades of his life to emergency services, providing steady, principled leadership at the local level and earning respect on the national and international stage. His work focused not just on operations, but on strengthening the profession itself — mentoring leaders, advancing standards, and improving emergency services organizations for the long term.

Brian served as Regional Fire Chief before later transitioning into municipal leadership as a Town of Bonnyville Councillor. Even after stepping away from the chief’s role, he never stepped away from service.

He continued to give his time and expertise as a valued member of the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority Board.

His Impact on the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority

Within the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority, Brian’s impact is described as immeasurable.

He helped shape the organization during critical periods of development. He championed collaboration between municipalities, professionalism within the service, and a culture rooted in accountability and respect. He believed firefighters deserved strong leadership, clear standards, and organizations that supported both operational excellence and personal well-being.

Brian remained deeply committed to public safety and emergency services even while balancing his responsibilities as a Town Councillor. His ability to bridge governance, operations, and policy made him a trusted voice at the table.

Those who worked with him describe a leader who was calm under pressure, fair in judgment, and unwavering in his commitment to the people he served.

More Than Titles and Roles

While Brian’s resume speaks volumes, it is who he was beyond the titles that so many will remember most.

He was known for his integrity — the kind that does not shift based on convenience or politics. He was generous with his time, his knowledge, and his mentorship. He believed in lifting others up, particularly young leaders and those new to the fire service or governance roles.

Since arriving in Bonnyville in 1996, Brian was also a dedicated volunteer with local boards and youth groups. He gave quietly, consistently, and without expectation of recognition. For him, service was not transactional — it was a responsibility.

He understood that strong communities are built not by any single person, but by people who are willing to invest their time, energy, and care over decades.

A Councillor, A Fire Chief, A Mentor, A Neighbour

Brian moved easily between roles because he never lost sight of the people behind them.

To Council colleagues, he was steady and prepared.
To firefighters, he was a mentor and advocate.
To staff, he was respectful and collaborative.
To residents, he was approachable and sincere.
To his family, he was a father and grandfather first.

He believed leadership was not about control, but about trust — trusting professionals to do their jobs well, trusting colleagues to work through differences, and trusting communities to move forward when given honest information and thoughtful guidance.

A Loss Felt Across the Community

Brian’s passing is being felt across Bonnyville, throughout the fire service, and among colleagues and friends across Alberta and beyond.

Lakeland Connect extends our deepest condolences to Brian’s family, his children, and his grandchildren. We also extend our sympathies to his friends, colleagues, fellow councillors, firefighters, and the many individuals whose lives and careers were shaped by his guidance and example.

The number of people mourning this loss is a reflection of the breadth of his impact.

A Lasting Legacy

Bonnyville has lost more than a councillor. It has lost a leader who invested his life here.

Brian McEvoy believed in this community. He believed in public service done well. He believed in building systems that last, mentoring people who will carry the work forward, and leaving things stronger for the next generation.

His legacy lives on in the institutions he helped shape, the people he mentored, the policies he helped guide, and the community he served with quiet dedication.

Lakeland Connect is honoured to have known Brian and to share in remembering a life defined by service, integrity, and genuine care for others.

Rest in peace, Brian.
Your leadership mattered.
Your service will be remembered.