Before serving as mayor, Chalifoux was a city alderman and the assistant principal of St. Albert Catholic High School.
[1] In 1998, he defeated three-term incumbent Anita Ratchinsky in an election whose major issue was the alignment of the proposed West Regional Road.
[citation needed] During Chalifoux's time as mayor, the road remained St. Albert's most contentious political issue.
[citation needed] City Council approved Chalifoux's preferred alignment, by this time named Ray Gibbon Drive.
In the 2001 election, Chalifoux was defeated by former mayor Dr. Richard Plain, who favoured the same alignment as Ratchinsky and proposed a plebiscite on the subject.