October 22, 2019
City Manager Linda Cochrane has decided to retire from the City of Edmonton on December 31, 2019.
The Mayor and Council accepted Ms. Cochrane’s retirement plan after it was presented to them earlier today at a meeting of City Council.
“Linda Cochrane cares about the people of Edmonton and leads with real humility,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “With quiet confidence and a devotion to her team, she has served Council and Edmontonians in a way that has been honest, compassionate and consistently committed to excellence. She has helped this organization truly evolve into a modern municipal corporation.”
Ms. Cochrane first began her career working part-time as a swimming instructor at Scona Pool. After graduating from university and a stint working at the City of Spruce Grove, she returned to the City of Edmonton in 1982. While working full time, Ms. Cochrane also accomplished two masters degrees
—one in arts, focusing on public policy and one in business administration. She moved up through what is now the Citizen Services department to General Manager, becoming City Manager in September 2015.
“I’m grateful to the Mayor and Council for giving me the opportunity to serve Council, the people of Edmonton and our employees,” said Linda Cochrane. “My three-plus decades at the City have been among the happiest of my life. I know there is strong leadership in place, up, down and across the organization -- in fact there are more than 13,000 leaders delivering 73 services who make Edmontonians lives better every day. I am proud of them all.”
City Council will appoint an Acting City Manager in the coming weeks and will begin the recruitment for a permanent replacement immediately.
