PRINCE ALBERT - The City of Prince Albert will be looking for a new City Manager after Jim Toye announced his retirement.
Toye, who had planned to retire by the end of this year, moved his schedule up when his wife Colleen was also able to retire early.
He attributed his success as an administrator to having a good team to work with.
“I’ve always been surrounded by good people. That’s what I do. It’s not just about Jim Toye. Its who I hire and how we complement the team together and work together on projects,” said Toye following his announcement at City Hall on Jan. 31.
Toye’s ability to hire good managers was one of his best characteristics, said Mayor Greg Dionne.
“When he arrived, our team was more senior. The team we have now is young and they’re aggressive, which is what you want in the changing times,” he said.
Dionne commented on Toye’s leadership during the 2016 water shortage crisis brought on by an oil spill upstream on the North Saskatchewan river.
“When you’re in a disaster, that’s when leaders step forward and our biggest disaster in my history was the 2016 water crisis,” Dionne said. “Jim really stepped forward.”
Toye created the base that will allow the city to thrive, he add.
“It’s sad that he’s leaving now, when we’re at a great point but he set up the foundation and the work for us to get there,” said Dionne.
Toye’s career has been in municipal administration throughout Saskatchewan. He worked in upper management in North Battleford, Kindersley, Leader and Unity.
Toye is leaving the city at a high point, with recent announcements of the re-opening of the pulp mill, building of an OSB mill, expansion of the Victoria Hospital and the city project of multiple hockey arenas and an indoor swimming facility starting construction in the spring.
“The OSB plant has up to 750 jobs. The paper mill, I’ve been out there and viewed it and they’re going to be again looking at reopening it and are spending millions and millions of dollars already in the last couple years,” Toye said.
He also mentioned the Pivot furniture plant that is to be built north of the city and will provide an economic boost to the region.
“Things are going really well right now with the City,” said Toye. “With that development comes job creation. People are going to build houses, work here, go to school here. That is in the future but for me, I think I’ve taken the city to a level where things look very, very positive.
It’s not like we’re going into a depression and things look very, very optimistic.”
The Toyes are almost done with the construction of a new home in the Blackstrap Lake area, a mid-point for seeing their three daughters and their grandchildren.
Toye will officially be done his job on March 31.
