Saint Andrews, N.B., Mayor Kate Akagi dies over weekend, officials give condolences

Deputy Mayor Kate Akagi. (Courtesy of the Town of Saint Andrews)

Kate Akagi, acting mayor of Saint Andrews, N.B., reportedly passed away over the weekend. She was the second female and first Indigenous mayor for the Town of Saint Andrews.

During an emergency meeting Sunday, council voted to postpone meetings this week with the news of Akagi’s passing, and a special council meeting is set to take place Monday at 6:30 p.m.

Colleagues and friends have taken to social media to share their memories and condolences.

John Williamson, MP for Saint John, wrote: “Kate was a tireless champion for our town who spent countless hours volunteering to improve our community.”

Akagi was inducted into the Order of New Brunswick in 2023.

She was a member of the Peskotomuhkati Nation, a founding First Nation in New Brunswick alongside the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik.

She volunteered for Charlotte County Dial-A-Ride and collected bags for the local food bank.

In an announcement for her induction, the province highlighted her, “outstanding commitment to education, her advocacy for First Nations and her extraordinary community engagement.”

Denny Cogswell, mayor of Fundy Shores, N.B., also posted to Facebook.

The Town of Saint Andrews does not have details of her passing but say a formal statement will come out later this afternoon.

“She impacted many lives,” they wrote in an email to CTV.

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