Farkas back in the fracas; joins Calgary mayor's race

Jeromy Farkas, former City of Calgary Ward11 councillor (2017 to 2021) and mayoral candidate (2021) is taking a second run for the mayor’s chair in Calgary’s civic election on October 20 this year. Farkas lost his bid for mayor in 2021, placing second to Jyoti Gondek. 

In an interview with Western Standard, Farkas, born and raised in Calgary, says one reason for running again is what he sees as the current state of affairs at city hall 

“Calgary’s facing a lot of change but a lot of opportunity too and I look at city hall and see them out of touch and a waste of time, picking petty fights and I’m running for mayor to help Calgary move forward,” he said. 

Farkas says he is neither a right-leaning nor left-leaning candidate. 

“I’m running to provide a financial and socially responsible direction, for the city. I’m running as a pragmatic candidate and I don’t really fit deeply into one political label,” he said. “I’ve worked with conservatives and worked with progressives alike to get things done and this campaign is about Calgary, not about ideological leanings,” 

“It’s about who has the best ideas to get things done for our city and that’s why I’m running as an independent.” 

He says the biggest issues facing Calgarians are jobs, housing, safety and the future. 

“We need to build a city that’s affordable and we need to keep our eyes on the prize, which is, in the next decade Calgary will more than double in size to three million people with hopes and dreams just like the ones I had as a kid.  

“So we need a plan to address that growth, to be able to keep Calgary affordable and right now I’m looking at a city council that’s been stuck. Our infrastructure has been not able to keep up, Calgary families are falling behind and our neighbourhoods don’t feel as safe as they once were."

“So I’m hoping to be able to bring Calgarians together, to take the best ideas, to get the best people for the best results and get this done for our city.” 

“We're going to be working hard over the next six or seven months for change. We are an underdog campaign. In my lifetime a sitting mayor has never been defeated, but we have what it takes. We’re building an incredibly strong campaign that will reach out, take the best that the city has to offer  and make that appeal to both conservatives and progressives."

Farkas joins Jeff Davison Brian Thiessen and sitting Mayor Jyoti Gondek running for mayor this year.