From the beginning, I’ve said that we must embrace and cultivate the aspects of Calgary we love, while being unafraid to challenge the parts of this city that can be better. We all agree that Calgary is a city of promise, but it is a promise for which we must be relentless in our pursuit. Today we will start the important work of building Calgary for the future together. I am excited to lead this work as your Ward 8 City Councillor.
Throughout this campaign, I asked this very question. I asked it of myself when I decided to run for Ward 8 City Councillor, and I asked it of the thousands of Ward 8 residents I’ve met over the course of this journey. I listened and heard how much you love our city, and I also heard your concerns about the increasing uncertainty we face as the world changes around us.
Months ago, I called my team to let them know that I was going to publicly disclose my donors. I wanted to do it early and often throughout the campaign, even though disclosure isn’t legally required until after the election.
The pandemic has shown us the value of greenspaces in Calgary. Stuck inside, many of us found relief and refuge along the Elbow and Bow rivers, and in places like Nose Hill, the Weaselhead, and Griffith Woods. There is growing consensus that parks, greenspaces, and natural areas provide significant benefits to our mental and physical health, climate resiliency, and sense of community. We need to ensure that as Calgary grows, these areas remain accessible and continue to thrive as healthy ecosystems.
Community safety is paramount for Ward 8 and Calgary’s economic recovery. As a community leader in Ward 8, I have led successful initiatives to create safer communities in collaboration with the Calgary Board of Education, The City of Calgary and Calgary Police Service.
When we create welcoming, safe, and beautiful streets with dedicated pathways for walking or wheeling, we also create more opportunities for people to connect with their neighbours and local businesses at a human scale. Calgary’s Main Streets Program is key to making inner-city neighbourhoods more livable and setting a strong foundation for local businesses to continue to thrive.
The City of Calgary has identified 24 main streets for revitalization across Calgary. Many of these are in Ward 8 neighbourhoods and are in various states of progress.
37 Street SW main street improvements currently under construction. (Source: City of Calgary)
The Greater Downtown is Calgary’s business hub and gathering place for our arts and culture. It includes the Ward 8 neighbourhoods of Beltline and Downtown West in addition to Ward 7 neighbourhoods of the Downtown, China Town, Eau Claire and East Village. Despite making up only 0.7% of Calgary’s total land area, the Greater Downtown is home to 23% of the jobs and generates 14% of the city’s tax revenue.
The Green Line LRT project will transform how Calgarians move around this city, better integrate rapid transit directly within communities, and will be a critical tool for equity and sustainability. It will connect communities from the far southeast in Seton, through Ward 8 in the Beltline and Downtown, all the way up Centre Street North, past the Airport and to 160 Avenue North. Historically, Calgary has too often prioritized large highway projects, like the ring road, over good public transit. Now the Green Line, the largest infrastructure investment in our city’s history, is our chance to finally play catch-up.
This campaign has been a humbling experience. To the hundreds of campaign volunteers, thank you for showing up day-in and day-out. To my supporters, thank you for your encouragement and your trust. As you all hopefully take some much needed rest, lean into a food coma, and get prepared for the final push, I wanted to say two things I'm thankful for.
Thank you all for the ongoing support. This is a generational election for Calgary, and I cannot express my joy at how we have all come together.
Thank you for being engaged. No matter what, people are paying attention about the things they care about. People are fighting for what they believe in. If anything else, that makes every step, every door knocked, every call made, and every email sent worth every moment.
If you haven't yet cast your ballot, advance polls are open until Sunday October 10, 3 PM.
Thanks so much— and take care this weekend.
Courtney
Over half of Ward 8 residents rent, and one-third of those renters spend 30% or more of their income on shelter. Rental housing in Calgary, and particularly in Ward 8, needs to be maintained as safe, high-quality, and affordable for residents.
There are two interrelated ways of maintaining a housing stock that is accessible to a range of income levels: expanding the supply of housing, and legislative means such as protections or below market programs.