Article content

Jason Scott Friesen calls himself controversial and says he knows the odds are against him as an unknown, but he’s still running for mayor.

Friesen, who is the first known candidate to declare his candidacy for mayor, said he wants to reverse some of the decisions made by the current council and shift priorities at city hall.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 'Controversial' candidate for Saskatoon mayor offers new direction Back to video

His ideas include scrapping the downtown bike lanes, the proposed bus rapid transit-style system, the city’s organic waste program and the time limit for backyard fires.

He also wants to turn the landfill into a ski hill and introduce a permit system so establishments can allow smoking on outdoor patios.

“Absolutely, there’s no doubt about it,” Friesen, 39, said in an interview on Tuesday. “I’m a very controversial guy.”

Friesen, a courier driver for Loomis Express, said he realizes the odds are stacked against an unknown in the mayoral race.

Friesen said he considered running for Maxime Bernier’s People’s Party of Canada in the last federal election, but decided against it to focus on the mayoral bid.