- Hub staff
Within hours of Bill Walker's announcement that he would not be running for re-election, the Ontario PC Party issued an internal media release announcing that Rick Byers would be the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound candidate in this June's election.
There was no explanation of why there was no nomination vote by local party members.. Walker was acclaimed as the party's candidate in a virtual nomination meeting (due to Covid restrictions) in September of 2020, putting to bed any speculation that some local municipal politicians might run for the nomination if Walker were to step down. Byers was appointed to take his place.
Byers, who has served as President of the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Conservative and Progressive Conservative Associations, was Campaign Manager for Bill Walker’s successful 2018 re-election campaign. He previously ran for the federal nomination in a field of five candidates in April 2019 but was eliminated on the first ballot. Almost 3000 local Conservative Party members were eligible to vote in that election, which saw Alex Ruff with more than twice the votes of his nearest competitor on that first ballot. Ruff went on to win the seat in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
“I am honoured to join Doug Ford and the Ontario PC team in the next provincial election, while taking the place of MPP Bill Walker, who has been a great friend over the years and has done a tremendous job serving his community,” said Rick Byers. “I am grateful to have his support.”
Byers ran three times, federally and provincially for the Conservatives and Progressive Conservatives, in Oakville between 2000 and 2007 but was not successful.
According to the media release, Byers currently volunteers as the Vice Chair of the South East Grey Community Health Centre, is Treasurer of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 333 Flesherton Markdale, and is active at Christ Church Markdale. In the past, he was a member of the Multi-Municipality Long-Term Care Working Group to save Grey Gables. He is also a Board Member of the True Patriot Love Foundation.
According to his campaign press release from 2019, Byers retired from a successful 32-year career in infrastructure, finance, accounting and government with Finance Minister Michael Wilson.
His final career role was as Executive Vice President of Borealis Infrastructure, the infrastructure division of the OMERS Pension Plan, who are owners and managers of major global infrastructure projects, including Life Labs, Teranet, and Bruce Power.
