Calgary Municipal Politics

[Surrealplaces]

I need to research the candidates more. Right now I'm leaning to Thiessen. Mainly because I'm not leaning to anyone else. I need to hear more from Farkas. I know he's mellowed out since he was on council, but need to know where he stands on things like the Green Line, bike lanes, inner city development.

 

[MichaelS]

He has very detailed policies on his website:

Jeromy Farkas for Mayor - Our Path Forward for Calgary

www.jeromy.ca

 

[CalgaryTiger]

I need to research the candidates more. Right now I'm leaning to Thiessen. Mainly because I'm not leaning to anyone else. I need to hear more from Farkas. I know he's mellowed out since he was on council, but need to know where he stands on things like the Green Line, bike lanes, inner city development.

Personally, it are the points below that will probably have me marking a "X' next to Farkas in October. I honestly cannot believe I'm writing this but Jeromy has more clearly than anyone said what he wants to do. Should make him accountable. He use to be a huge stick in the mud at council but in the years since, I've heard him on the radio with Nenshi, seen his charity and heard him openly acknowledge his mistakes of the past.

From Jeromy's "Moving Forward" policy brief.

Commit to Vision Zero and launch a citywide Collision Review Capital Funding Program to identify and upgrade high-risk areas. This fund would target a redesign of those intersectionsresponsible for Calgary’s worst collisions and injuries within the next ten years with protected turns, better lighting, bollards, and other improvements for all road users

Support investments to enhance service, including tactical transit lanes, queue jumps, bus signal priority, and enhanced frequency to make services fast, frequent, and efficient.

Complete Phase 1 of the Green Line and advance conversations with community, industry, and province on future phases, and support strengthening the Bus Rapid Transit route that serves the north leg of the Green Line to get people moving now while they are waiting for light rail to get to them.

Support the Calgary Airport-to-Downtown-Banff Rail project as a way to improve access to northeast employment centres, reduce highway pressure, and connect global logistics to tourism and business.

No other candidate is as thorough in explaining their vision.

 

[MarLoopy]

Personally, it are the points below that will probably have me marking a "X' next to Farkas in October. I honestly cannot believe I'm writing this but Jeromy has more clearly than anyone said what he wants to do. Should make him accountable. He use to be a huge stick in the mud at council but in the years since, I've heard him on the radio with Nenshi, seen his charity and heard him openly acknowledge his mistakes of the past.

From Jeromy's "Moving Forward" policy brief.

Commit to Vision Zero and launch a citywide Collision Review Capital Funding Program to identify and upgrade high-risk areas. This fund would target a redesign of those intersectionsresponsible for Calgary’s worst collisions and injuries within the next ten years with protected turns, better lighting, bollards, and other improvements for all road users

Support investments to enhance service, including tactical transit lanes, queue jumps, bus signal priority, and enhanced frequency to make services fast, frequent, and efficient.

Complete Phase 1 of the Green Line and advance conversations with community, industry, and province on future phases, and support strengthening the Bus Rapid Transit route that serves the north leg of the Green Line to get people moving now while they are waiting for light rail to get to them.

Support the Calgary Airport-to-Downtown-Banff Rail project as a way to improve access to northeast employment centres, reduce highway pressure, and connect global logistics to tourism and business.

No other candidate is as thorough in explaining their vision.

While I agree with much of what you are saying, the fact that Jeremy has come out and said that he would repeal blanket rezoning is kind of a deal breaker for me.

 

[trtcttc]

I'm doubtful on how much of this he can get done, and I'm unfamiliar with his previous years on council. However, having heard some of his post-council work, he seems like someone that isn't extremely ideological. With municipal politics turning into the provincial/fed left vs right and some municipal candidates basically taking party line positions (Davison and his bike lane "freeze"), I'd want an independent mayor that thinks for the city rather than provincial politics.

 

[trtcttc]

Here is the forum hosted by The Sprawl:

 

[CalgaryTiger]

While I personally am in favour of Blanket Rezoning, repealing it (if that happens, which I'm skeptical of) isn't a deal breaker for me because it wasn't like it moved the needle that much. It is a one step up the development ladder that outed a lot of people as NIMBY's but didn't end up changing much. Removing something so contentious while championing other reforms is fine by me.

Saying all this, my vote isn't locked up, I'm willing to be swayed, which I think most are.

 

[MarLoopy]

While I personally am in favour of Blanket Rezoning, repealing it (if that happens, which I'm skeptical of) isn't a deal breaker for me because it wasn't like it moved the needle that much. It is a one step up the development ladder that outed a lot of people as NIMBY's but didn't end up changing much. Removing something so contentious while championing other reforms is fine by me.

Saying all this, my vote isn't locked up, I'm willing to be swayed, which I think most are.

I am begging to be swayed... that's the problem this time around.

 

[Albertasaurus]

Thanks for sharing the forum, very interesting and has changed my view of Farkas somewhat for the better. Also Davison seems to be channelling Pierre Poilievre with the "flip Flop Farkas" label. Any idea why the Mayor didn't show up at the forum? Seems like a lost opportunity.

 

[O-tac]

My ward has had signs up for this UCP sock puppet since at least early August. If I hear 'common sense' and council should be 'run like a business' one more time I'll puke. He has literally no policies and cites a list of 'top concerns' by residents that he has supposedly surveyed with zero stats to support it. On the plus side, by personally attacking Evan Spencer's heir apparent he has helped me decide who to vote for instead of him.

Policies - I Like Mike Jamieson

We need to take back the Calgary Board of Education

ilikemike.ca

Bio - I Like Mike Jamieson

We need to take back the Calgary Board of Education

ilikemike.ca

Bonus: He supported Leslyn Lewis against Erin O'Toole. Here's a quote of his anti government (except UCP) beliefs:

The best way to look at this is, we as taxpayers are the shareholders and we are electing Mike Jamieson to be our Board Member for the Corporation of the City of Calgary. We need to elect Councillors with both life and business experience. We need to elect Councillors that understand the municipal level of government and its very limited focus and jurisdiction.

 

[O-tac]

He has very detailed policies on his website:

Jeromy Farkas for Mayor - Our Path Forward for Calgary

www.jeromy.ca

How does he figure Calgary will reach 3 million people in the next 10 years?

 

[MichaelS]

While I agree with much of what you are saying, the fact that Jeremy has come out and said that he would repeal blanket rezoning is kind of a deal breaker for me.

I believe he is more nuanced than that. Repeale & REPLACE, the fulll policy can be viewed with this link. Essentially, not a one size fits all approach, taking into account things like infrastructure (not all areas of the city are equal):

Jeromy for Mayor 2025 - Policy Brief - Housing.pdf

drive.google.com

 

[MichaelS]

How does he figure Calgary will reach 3 million people in the next 10 years?

It might be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much, when you look at our current growth rates. Our current Premiere says she expects Alberta to be 10 million people by 2050, if that is the case, Calgary will be taking the lions share of that growth. I'd rather have a mayor that anticipates rapid growth, than one that buries their head in the sand and tells people things will be fine, we don't need to see any change in your community.

 

[darwink]

City proper:

How does he figure Calgary will reach 3 million people in the next 10 years?

To guess, I imagine it is the population projection from previous years for the CMA. City proper projections from the province updated this year is significantly slower, at least for the medium case. Also, in the next decade can be 15 years, not 10.

 

[darwink]

It might be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much, when you look at our current growth rates. Our current Premiere says she expects Alberta to be 10 million people by 2050, if that is the case, Calgary will be taking the lions share of that growth. I'd rather have a mayor that anticipates rapid growth, than one that buries their head in the sand and tells people things will be fine, we don't need to see any change in your community.

Formal estimates have been revised down after a few years of more robust projections. the High case is now 7.8 million for 2050, 6.8 million for medium case, 6 million for low case.