Calgary’s mayoral election campaigns picked up speed this week, with candidates making pledges and promises they say they plan to keep. Here’s what the leading contenders had to say, in no particular order. Jeff Davison, independent Davison said he would pull the plug on the city’s plan to buy 120 electric passenger buses, while taking shots at two of his rivals in the mayor’s race, Jyoti Gondek and Sonya Sharp. The buses come with the high price tag of $325 million, split as $100 million coming from Calgary taxpayers; $123 million from the Canada Infrastructure Bank, and; $220 million from the Zero Emission Transit Fund. “Calgarians can’t afford to gamble on unreliable, overpriced electric buses,” says Davison. “It’s time to put common sense back in the driver’s seat. Just like Gondek, Sharp was supportive of the electric bus program and under her and her Communities First party's leadership, Calgarians would be stuck with this boondoggle for years to come. What a costly disaster that would be for our city." The numbers don’t add up, says Davison. “Across North America, electric transit buses run between $750,000 and $1 million each, before adding tens of thousands more for charging infrastructure. By contrast, natural gas buses pay back quickly through fuel savings and produce significantly fewer emissions than diesel.” “Previous councils had already invested in a state-of-the-art natural gas fleet and refueling station to deliver cleaner, cost-effective service for decades to come. Instead, the current plan mothballs a $500 million fueling facility, scraps a $250 million natural gas fleet, and locks Calgary into an expensive federal loan pushed through by the former Trudeau government.” .Sonya Sharp, Communities First party On Wednesday, Sharp called for the closure of the Sheldon Chumir Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) in the Beltline and a “de-concentration” of services being delivered by the Drop-in Centre downtown in the interests of community safety. SCS comes under the purview of the Alberta government. “If elected as mayor next month, I will formally ask the premier and her government to close the SCS at the Chumir at their earliest possible convenience. We’ve been going around in circles on this issue for years, and all the while the negative impacts on the surrounding communities and businesses persist,” said Sharp. “It needs to change now. This is a growing residential neighbourhood and the operation of the SCS is having an intolerable negative impact on the community.” Sharp said she’s heard concerns about how safe consumption services will be offered if the Chumir site closes, “but the city can’t avoid its job based on worries about the province not doing theirs." “What happens in that building has nothing to do with us as a municipality. But outside of the building, the issues about safety, cleanliness, and the use of public space are definitely our job.” “And that means formally saying, this isn’t working, and it needs to go. We’re here to support them with what they want to do next, whether that be finding appropriate sites, policing and city services, community liaison and consultation, and permitting,” said Sharp. .Jeromy Farkas, independent Farkas released Open by Default: A vision for City Council transparency, which he describes as a comprehensive plan to make Calgary the most transparent local government in Canada by ending unnecessary secrecy, strengthening accountability, and restoring public trust. “Calgarians learned that city council quietly approved a 36% increase to the top end of the city manager’s pay range done behind closed doors, through three secret motions, without public debate or explanation,” he said. “When Calgarians have to read about pay hikes and pensions in leaked documents instead of hearing it directly from their leaders, something is badly broken. Transparency is how trust is built and kept and Calgarians deserve leaders who show their work in the light of day, not behind closed doors.” “We are running the most transparent campaign in Canada,” said Farkas. “By showing Calgarians exactly who is supporting us, we are proving that politics doesn’t need to be hidden in backrooms, it can be open, honest, and accountable.” “By 2029, Calgary will be home to two million people. Meeting the challenges of growth requires confidence in how decisions are made. “Without transparency, even good choices are tainted by suspicion. With transparency, we can build trust, strengthen democracy, and focus on solutions.” .Mayor Jyoti Gondek, independent The mayor attended a ground-breaking ceremony for the Boro Block in the southwest community of Haysboro. The project includes 196 new affordable homes, with 40 of them being barrier-free for better accessibility and a daycare for 60 children. “By offering surplus city land at book value instead of market value, we’ve unlocked over $25 million in investment across five sites, ensuring more Calgarians have access to safe, stable, and affordable housing,” reads a statement from the mayor’s office. “Thoughtfully planned with an underground parkade, a daycare, and direct transit access to jobs, services, and opportunity. Affordable housing is about dignity, stability, and belonging. It is part of the City’s Housing Strategy, which includes 98 actions to address the housing crisis and ensure every Calgarian has an affordable place to call home.” “Together with Liberty Housing, and our government and community partners, we are building homes, building community, and building Calgary’s future." "This milestone is possible because of collaboration and thank you to our construction crews, work begins next month.”
