The Calgary municipal election on October 20 will be one of the most important, if not the most important, in the history of the city is an understatement. For starters, there will be six, possibly seven, open seats on council, opening the door to electing a council that puts common sense ahead of ideology when making decisions that directly affect Calgarians’ lives. The six councillors not running this year all voted, as a group, for bylaws that made no sense (bag bylaw) and one that went against the demands of Calgarians in the largest public hearing on record (blanket upzoning). There were others. Declaring a climate emergency, which is the territory of the federal government. Killing an agreement for a new entertainment facility for the Calgary Flames, as well as other local teams, plus being a venue that would attract world-class entertainers who couldn’t perform in the Saddledome, but could in Edmonton's Roger’s Place. That agreement was replaced by a second one that is not as beneficial to the city financially. The bottom line, of course, is councillors are elected by Calgarians and, to make another understatement, not all voters know all about the councillor they are selecting, which is understandable, to a degree. People are busy and researching candidates in each ward can be a daunting and time-consuming task. .Not so this year. The group that recently took their lawsuit against the city for implementation of the blanket upzoning bylaw for adjudication by the Alberta Court of Appeal, is canvassing all declared candidates to collect their thoughts and visions on the future of Calgary. On Tuesday, the group, Calgarians for Thoughtful Growth, sent a short, focused survey on blanket upzoning and city planning to the candidates, covering topics including: the future of blanket upzoning; the preservation of neighbourhood character; infrastructure and community services; the protection of the mature tree canopy; the importance of public consultation, and; the city’s use of DC zoning to override private restrictive covenants. In a press release, the group said, “The questionnaire is part of a voter education initiative to ensure Calgarians know how candidates will approach issues of planning, development, and public engagement. The survey and outreach campaign are separate from the legal challenge currently before the Court. No funds raised for the legal appeal are being used for this voluntary initiative.” “This survey serves a dual purpose.” said Robert Lehodey, KC, part of the team leading the lawsuit against the city. “It gives voters the upzoning and planning answers they need to make an informed choice, and it gives us the accountability tool that the voters can use later. Successful candidates should expect that we will hold them to their commitments on planning, consultation, and community protection.” .The appeal filed by the group challenges the legality and fairness of the city’s omnibus upzoning process, which rezoned 311,570 properties without direct consultation, said Peter Collins, one of the applicants. “The bylaw failed to account for the unique character and infrastructure of individual neighbourhoods and eliminated the opportunity for neighbours to raise site-specific concerns through a hearing process,” said Collins. “This questionnaire will inform voters concerning the candidates' position on blanket upzoning and planning reform, including whether they support changes to maintain fair processes, protect neighbourhood-specific considerations, and restore the public input that was removed by the blanket upzoning.” The initiative gives Calgarians an opportunity to make their voices heard and their votes will directly influence how neighbourhoods evolve, who shapes that change, and whether community perspectives are respected in the process, said Patricia McCunn-Miller, a group member and applicant. “What’s at stake is more than just zoning, it’s the defining character of our established neighbourhoods: the green spaces between homes; the mature tree canopy; adequate infrastructure, and; the setbacks and scale that make our communities livable,” said McCunn-Miller. “Blanket upzoning hands the reins to private developers, not residents, and it risks transforming neighbourhoods without any say from the people who live there.” .Calgarians for Thoughtful Growth will seek to verify all candidate responses before publication to ensure they are authentic and reflect the position of the candidate, said Lehodey, adding the results will be published in advance of the election to help voters make informed decisions. Candidates who do not respond will be noted as such in the published results. “We’re urging every Calgarian to ask candidates where they stand because the consequences of blanket upzoning aren’t abstract,” said Lehodey. “They are already showing up in your city, in your neighbourhood and on your street.” The survey will save voters precious time and provide needed information, so plan now to vote on October 20, and take six people with you. Voters are required to be registered. You can check to see if you are registered or register if not, at no charge, by going to the permanent electors register.
