Leadership for what’s next.
Melissa Syer is running for Mayor because she believes Yellowknife is at a turning point — and that this city should be ambitious about what comes next.
A message from Melissa
I’m running for Mayor of Yellowknife.
Ten years ago, I came to Yellowknife with the Canadian Armed Forces. I expected it to be another military posting. Instead, I fell in love with this place.
My husband and I decided to make Yellowknife home. We adopted two senior dogs from the NWT SPCA, eventually welcomed our daughter, and somewhere along the way the North stopped being a work posting and simply became home.
Over those ten years, I’ve also had the opportunity to see our community from a lot of different perspectives. I came here as a Naval Warfare Officer and served at Joint Task Force North, planning and executing military operations across the North. Since leaving the military, I’ve led the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, worked in business and the nonprofit sector, and most recently worked in municipal economic development.
Throughout all of those roles, I’ve learned that good leadership isn’t about having the loudest voice in the room. It’s about listening, bringing good people together, making thoughtful decisions and getting things done.
I believe Yellowknife is at a generational turning point: this is an important moment for us. We have real challenges to tackle — housing, affordability, infrastructure, downtown vitality and a changing economy. But we also have enormous opportunities ahead of us as attention turns to the North and investment follows.
I think Yellowknife should be ambitious about what comes next. I want us to be a city that works, a city with ambition, and a city people choose. That’s why I’ve decided to put my name forward to be Yellowknife’s next Mayor.
Over the coming weeks, I’m looking forward to getting out into the community, knocking on doors and listening. I want to hear what you love about Yellowknife, what frustrates you, and what you want our City to become.
I’d be honoured to earn your vote on October 19.
Meet Melissa
What began as a military posting became home — and gave Melissa a practical, ground-level view of how Yellowknife works.
Melissa Syer came to Yellowknife ten years ago with the Canadian Armed Forces — and never really planned to stay. She was posted to Joint Task Force North after a career as a Naval Warfare Officer, where she served aboard Canadian warships, navigated and drove ships at sea, and specialized in anti-submarine warfare. At Joint Task Force North, Melissa helped plan and execute Canadian Armed Forces operations across the North.
Then Yellowknife changed the plan. Melissa and her husband fell in love with the community. They adopted two northern specials from the NWT SPCA, and somewhere along the way decided that the place they had been posted to had become home. Years later, Yellowknife means even more to their family — they've since welcomed their daughter, and raising her here has given Melissa a new appreciation for what makes this community special: the freedom and independence children can have, the familiarity of a small community, the people who look out for one another, and the extraordinary access to the land that surrounds us.
After leaving the military, Melissa built a career that has allowed her to see Yellowknife from many different perspectives. As Executive Director of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, she spent three years working closely with local businesses, advocating for the business community and building relationships across government, industry and the North. Her experience has also included infrastructure planning with the Government of the Northwest Territories, project management, nonprofit executive leadership, and municipal economic development.
Melissa believes Yellowknife is entering one of the most consequential moments in its recent history — with real challenges around housing, affordability, downtown vitality and a changing economy, alongside real opportunities in Arctic security and defence, infrastructure, tourism, investment and economic development. She's running for Mayor because she believes her leadership experience, knowledge of Yellowknife, and ability to build relationships can help the city seize those opportunities while protecting what makes it such an extraordinary place to live.
Away from work, Melissa is a voracious reader, a runner, and happiest spending time with her family. One of her favourite versions of Yellowknife is March — skate skiing with her dog on the lake, under endless sun and blue sky.
The platform
Three commitments for what Yellowknife should be next.
A city that works
Responsive, effective municipal government focused on the things that matter to residents.
A city with ambition
Actively pursuing opportunities in Arctic investment, defence, infrastructure, tourism and economic development.
A city people choose
A safe, vibrant and welcoming Yellowknife, with more housing options for people at every stage of life — a city where people want to live, raise families, build businesses and stay.
Get involved
Melissa is spending the coming weeks knocking on doors and listening. Here's how to be part of it.
Talk to your neighbours
Tell people why you're supporting Melissa. Yellowknifers depend on each other to tell them whats real. Share your support.
Put up a lawn sign
Visible support around the city shows your support and means so much!
Volunteer your time with us
Help with door-knocking, events, or other campaign tasks. Reach out and we will let you know how you can support the campaign.
Vote on October 19
This is so important. Make sure you vote. And make sure the people you know are registered and know where to go to vote.
Support the campaign
Local support keeps this campaign running.
Every contribution goes toward signs, printing, events and getting Melissa to as many doors as possible before October 19. There are no big donors behind this campaign, just Yellowknifers who want a city that works for everyone.