Charles May (Canadian politician)

Charles May (June 30, 1858 – March 1, 1932) was Canadian contractor and politician. He served on the Edmonton City Council and later as Mayor of Edmonton from 1905 to 1906.

A native of what later became the province of Ontario, May moved to Manitoba soon after completing education in his hometown. In Manitoba, he briefly took to farming, before entering into the construction industry, which he established prominence in. After doing work for the railway, he moved to Winnipeg where he joined a contracting firm and become involved in the construction of many buildings. After moving west and living briefly in Carberry, Manitoba, May came to Edmonton in 1902.

In Edmonton he rose to become one of the city's most prominent contractors, constructing many of the city's landmark buildings, as well as houses for its prominent residents. Long interested in municipal affairs, he entered civic politics with his election to the Edmonton Town Council in 1903. After an aldermanic term that saw the inclusion of Alberta as a province in Canada, in 1905 he was elected as mayor of the newly incorporated city; during his term he oversaw many improvements and advances to the city. Retiring after one term in office and returning to his contracting firm, he eventually left Edmonton in 1922 for Vancouver, where he lived for 10 years leading up to his death in 1932. An active community man, May also founded and oversaw many local organizations. A Liberal in politics, he is remembered as a progressive mayor whose policies helped the accelerate development of city of Edmonton.