Your Council
Governed by the Municipal Government Act of Alberta, Council works to provide programs and services to the public to improve overall quality of life by developing and maintaining a safe and viable community. All decisions made reflect the priorities of their community - efficiently, effectively and with financial prudence. Council’s vision is to have responsible governance, economic opportunity, supportive infrastructure, community development, and environmental responsibility.
As your council, we work with you, for you, and in the spirit of our community.
Mayor William Choy grew up in Stony Plain and has a strong history with Town Council. He first entered the Town Council scene in 2007 when he served a term and a half as a Councillor and then transitioned to the role of Mayor in the 2012 by-election. He is now representing Stony Plain in his third term as Mayor. Prior to entering local government, Mayor Choy earned his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from Kings University. He is an active entrepreneur in the community and is proud to be a third-generation business owner.
Mayor Choy participates on several boards in the community and is actively involved with local charities and service groups. His community stewardship has been recognized through the Chamber of Commerce Decker Kulak Memorial Award and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Outside of his Mayoral duties, Mayor Choy can be found working the grill at Bing’s #1 and spending time with his wife Dara and their three children.
Fun fact: Mayor Choy can hit a golf ball a long way for someone of his height.
Councillor Justin Anderson grew up in Spruce Grove and now lives in Stony Plain with his wife Sharlene. After graduating with Distinction from the University of Alberta’s Bachelors of Education program, Councillor Anderson began his teaching career with Parkland School Division. He has taught at Stony Plain Central, Ecole Broxton Park, and Prescott Learning Centre with his most recent assignment at Connections for Learning as a Grade 1 and 2 Virtual Learning Teacher and Program Developer. Throughout his teaching career, Councillor Anderson has provided leadership in the areas of educational and instructional technology and has been a strong advocate for the inclusion of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit perspectives and teachings within the classroom and school community.
Councillor Anderson has been an active member in the Tri-Region, volunteering with Parkland Search and Rescue, the Alberta Winter Games, and acting as an activity coordinator for community events as well as coaching community and school teams. In 2011, Councillor Anderson was awarded the Chamber of Commerce 'Community Volunteer of the Year' award for his work with the Parkland Children's Christmas Program in support of low-income and single parent families in the Tri-Region.
In his free time, Councillor Anderson enjoys being out in nature kayaking, paddle boarding, mountain biking, and dabbling in wildlife photography. During those long Albertan winters, he enjoys staying in to build puzzles, play board games, and read thriller novels.
Fun fact: Councillor Anderson was the star of his high school band, taking the triangle to new heights.
Born in Millersburg, Ohio, Councillor Hansard was raised in a United States Air Force military family and is no stranger to adapting to new environments. After growing up moving from state to state, Councillor Hansard immigrated to Canada in 1982 where she and her husband Dan settled in Stony Plain. She has worn various professional hats and has worked as an investigative reporter, motivational speaker, freelance writer and editor, as well as a residential and commercial real estate agent for 20 years. Prior to her appointment in 2021, Councillor Hansard served on Stony Plain Town Council for five terms between 2001 and 2017.
Establishing roots is important to Councillor Hansard, and her growing family of four generations has lived in Stony Plain for 30 years. Councillor Hansard is an active volunteer and has served on various Town boards, committees, and commissions. A steward of the community, Councillor Hansard has been recognized for her commitment to improving the lives of others through the Woman of Distinction Award, the Royal Order of British Columbia Award, and the Alberta Courage to Serve Award.
Councillor Hansard enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones, cheering on her grandchildren’s sports teams from the stands, and meeting friends for coffee. When she’s not busy in Council Chambers or volunteering in the community, Councillor Hansard can be found enjoying the Outdoor Wellness Park and taking strolls through the local trail system.
Fun Fact: Councillor Hansard knows a thing or two about making people laugh, and she is actually a comedian!
Born and raised in the neighbouring community of Spruce Grove, Councillor Laurie has now lived in Stony Plain for 12 years. He started a career in the wireless telecom industry shortly after leaving high school and spent 10 years working in various roles. He joined the Stony Plain Fire Department in January 2013 and held an active role for seven and a half years. Together with his wife Tasha, Councillor Laurie operates a personal health and wellness business offering fitness classes, personal training, and healthy eating and weight loss consultation and coaching.
Councillor Laurie has deep roots within the community and a passion for volunteering. He has coached youth soccer with both the Stony Plain and Spruce Grove Soccer Associations for roughly 10 years, and currently serves as the Executive Director with the Spruce Grove Soccer Association. He spent four years with Stony Plain Family and Community Support Services, including one term as Vice Chair and one as Chair of the Board of Directors.
Councillor Laurie’s life-long passion is soccer, and he spent much of his youth and young adult years playing as well as refereeing. When he’s not on the field, he enjoys reading John Grisham novels and spending time with his wife and three children.
Councillor Melanie Loyns has lived in Stony Plain for nearly 10 years after making the move from Sherwood Park. She got an early start in government right out of high school with Alberta Health and Wellness, and eventually moved on to work with Alberta Energy. She has worked alongside Ministers at the Alberta Legislature as well as several Deputy Ministers. Councillor Loyns has received post-secondary training at NAIT, NorQuest, and Bredin College. She has been part of several political campaigns, both federal and provincial, and has worked on various constituency association boards.
Councillors Loyns moved to Stony Plain with her husband to raise a growing family and quickly fell in love with the small town hospitality. She is a proud mother of three and serves as the secretary for her children’s Parent Action Committee.
Outside of her professional life, Councillor Loyns enjoys camping, fishing, and boating with her family. She loves to travel and enjoys learning about all the world has to offer. In true Stony Plain spirit, Councillor Loyns is a rodeo fan and enjoys watching chuck wagon races.
Fun fact: Councillor Loyns loves to travel! During her high school years, she jumped on an opportunity to explore France and experience its rich culture.
Councillor Eric Meyer was born and raised in Alberta and has lived in Stony Plain all his life. After working as a rig hand out of high school, Councillor Meyer completed his first year of a Bachelor of Arts program at Grant MacEwan before taking time off for the birth of his first child. He then changed gears and completed Firefighting 1001 and Emergency Medical Response training to work as an industrial medic and firefighter around the province for several years. A desire to be closer to his family resulted in Eric picking up several business-related courses at NAIT to support a career closer to home.
Councillor Meyer has a long history of engaging his community in various roles. He served as a volunteer firefighter for four years, a volunteer with Alberta Parenting for the Future Association, a Council Member for the Parkland Transportation Council, and as a football coach for several years. Councillor Meyer is a dedicated member of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church and takes pride in his work with the local Knights of Columbus.
Outside of his professional life, Councillor Meyer enjoys spending time with his wife Angela and their two children. You might bump into Councillor Meyer on the local trail system bright and early for his morning run, or at the Stony Plain Public Library with his nose buried in a stack of history books.
Fun fact: Councillor Meyer’s super-power is having the keen ability to tell you when it is exactly 17 degrees.
Councillor Pawlechko has lived and worked in Stony Plain for nearly 30 years. A new career opportunity first drew Councillor Pawlechko and his wife Laura to the area, and since moving to town he has put down familial roots and developed his professional business portfolio.
With the majority of his professional life spent in sales and management, Councillor Pawklechko is a life-long entrepreneur and has owned several businesses in the area. He is serving his community on Town Council for a second term and is passionate about working together with the local business community to foster a stronger, more robust Stony Plain.
Councillor Pawlechko has served on a number of local boards over the years, including the District Chamber of Commerce, Stony Plain Family and Community Support Services, the Municipal Planning Commission, and the Subdivision and Appeal Board. He further served as a firefighter with the Stony Plain Fire Department for 25 years and held a Captain position with the team.
Outside of Council Chambers, Councillor Pawlechko is an outdoor enthusiast and is always looking for an excuse to get outside. He enjoys working in the yard, playing sports, camping with his family, and dabbling in woodworking projects.