Mayoral Platform Responses
To promote greater transparency and gain clarity on key issues affecting community associations, the Federation has distributed a short survey to all mayoral candidates for the upcoming 2025 municipal election. Our goal is to help our members understand each candidate’s platforms, so that you can make the decisions that best support your community. Disclaimer: This survey was distributed to all mayoral candidates participating in the 2025 municipal election. The responses provided by the candidates have been reproduced exactly as submitted, without any alterations or editing on our part. Therefore, the views and positions expressed in each response are solely those of the individual mayoral candidate. The Federation is non-partisan and does not support any candidate. We are sharing these responses for educational and informational purposes only. Click the links or scroll down to see the Mayoral Candidates responses to our survey questions: Brian Thiessen, The Calgary Party Grant Prior, Independent Jaeger Gustafson, Independent Jeff Davison, Independent Jeromy Farkas, Independent Jyoti Gondek, Independent Larry R. Heather, Independent Sarah Elder, Independent Sonya Sharp, Communities First Brian Thiessen, The Calgary Party Website: thecalgaryparty.ca This candidate did not respond to our survey. ↑ Back to Top Grant Prior, Independent Website: grantprior.ca How will you strengthen the role of community associations in city planning and development decisions? We are all in this together. The city needs feedback from its constituents. Like anyone, we all have blind spots and can’t know everything about every community. So we need feedback. What steps will you take to ensure equitable engagement of all Calgarians — including marginalized or underrepresented groups — in civic decision-making? Make a place at the table, and welcome them. I was brought up to help those who need it. I will never punch down. How will you ensure that the voices of community volunteers — who provide tens of thousands of hours annually — are valued and supported by City administration? Be their voices, if they let me. Talk about them when I’m in public, work with them any chance I get. Give them the props they deserve for making this City great. Any maybe some Tim’s gift cards!! 🙂 What is your vision for how neighbourhoods should evolve over the next decade, and how will you balance citywide growth goals with preserving and enhancing local character and wellbeing? That’s tough, we need houses. We have to get our kids and grandkids into homes, for a safe an equitable future. We can push for growth but with community input, we can stem taking all the character away. I won’t lie and say there won’t be sacrifices to be made. But from one parent to another, that’s kind a what parenting is. (Sacrifice) How will you support the revitalization and redevelopment of aging community infrastructure — such as community halls, parks, and recreational facilities — to enhance neighbourhood wellbeing and meet the evolving needs of Calgarians? I’m all for helping those who have helped and sacrificed so much for us. I will make helping aging communities and people a priority. Fixing or replacing third spaces and making sure grandma can get her swim on! ↑ Back to Top Jaegar Gustafson, Independent Website: mayorgus.ca This candidate did not respond to our survey. ↑ Back to Top Jeff Davison, Independent Website: jeffdavisonyyc.com This candidate did not respond to our survey. ↑ Back to Top Jeromy Farkas, Independent Website: jeromy.ca How will you strengthen the role of community associations in city planning and development decisions? Community associations make this city work. As someone who has been a volunteer, non-profit CEO, a community association executive and a life long supporter of community associations I recognize their importance and also understand the barriers to success some associations have in dealing with the city. Everyday as mayor, I will work to empower our social sector and our neighbourhood organizations. Through policies like the creation of tax receipts for donations to community organizations, inviting nonprofits to piggyback on City purchasing, and the appointment of a dedicated councillor to advocate for nonprofits and neighbourhood groups. As mayor, I will strengthen our community associations across the city and better enable them to do their vital work. My full volunteer leadership plan is at https://www.jeromy.ca/policy-brief/stronger-together/. What steps will you take to ensure equitable engagement of all Calgarians — including marginalized or underrepresented groups — in civic decision-making? Everyone deserves a voice at the table. I will foster greater formal partnerships with the Federation of Calgary Communities and the Nonprofit Chamber, creating channels for consultation, joint planning, and policy input. This allows a consistent voice in policy making. I will condemn discrimination against vulnerable communities by investing in community-led education, and actively championing broad representation across City boards and commissions. I also pledge to host regular town halls with interpretation services and direct connections to city departments. I will also establish a Mayor’s Settlement Services Roundtable, which will help coordinate, track and ensure lived experience informs civic policy. This embeds settlement services as a core part of municipal planning, funding, and coordination between city departments. How will you ensure that the voices of community volunteers — who provide tens of thousands of hours annually — are valued and supported by City administration? I will ensure that the voices of community volunteers are valued and supported through codifying formal partnerships, continued presence and engagement, and the tangible actions laid out in my volunteer leadership plan: https://www.jeromy.ca/policy-brief/stronger-together/ Calgary’s volunteers are the heart of our city, contributing tens of thousands of hours each year to everything from rink flooding and park maintenance to festival organizing and community safety. As mayor, I will ensure their voices are heard and their efforts respected by cutting red tape, waiving unnecessary City fees that impede those doing public good, and establishing dedicated channels to support and streamline their work. I will also ensure that community volunteers have a seat at the table in planning decisions that affect them, including more formal recognition of outstanding service–especially from youth and seniors.
ActivateYYC Wins Prestigious Mayor’s Urban Design Award
ActivateYYC, a leading force in Calgary’s placemaking and tactical urbanism scene, has been honoured with a prestigious Mayor’s Urban Design Award (MUDA) for Community Initiatives. The MUDA awards celebrate the exceptional work of urban designers, architects, landscape architects, planners, and artists who elevate Calgary’s urban landscape. This award recognizes the program’s commitment to community engagement and its transformative ability to drive positive change through grassroots initiatives. “This award isn’t as much about us, as it is about the hundreds of community volunteers and neighbourhood leaders who have visions for small, modest projects, that have enabled huge impacts and neighbourhood change,” says Adam Schwartz, Community Activator, “ActivateYYC is thrilled to be recognized for being a great platform and inspiration for such projects, and will continue on this mission for years to come.” By empowering citizens to shape their neighborhoods, ActivateYYC has fostered a vibrant community of placemakers. Through microgrants and technical support, ActivateYYC has inspired numerous projects across Calgary neighbourhoods, from vibrant murals and painted pavement to pop-up parks and interactive installations. ActivateYYC’s success lies in its collaborative approach, involving residents, businesses, and local organizations to tailor projects to specific community needs and aspirations. Some projects you might recognize are: Under the Rainbow: A vibrant mural that revitalized a once-neglected underpass in Sunnyside. Flyover Park: A pioneering initiative that transformed an underutilized space into a popular community gathering place. Dark and Dingy Underpass: A community-led effort to brighten and beautify a dark and dreary underpass in Ramsay. Shawnee Evergreen Community Association Chair Project: A project that brought together neighbors to create a welcoming park space through the installation of colorful Adirondack chairs. Paint the Pavement: A program that empowers schools to create vibrant and safe pedestrian crossings. Beyond supporting community-led projects, ActivateYYC has also implemented its own placemaking initiatives, such as Placemaking Expos and the SweetLights project. To further strengthen the community of placemakers, ActivateYYC has launched a Placemaking Workshop, equipping participants with the tools and knowledge to implement their own low-cost public realm improvements. ActivateYYC’s belief in the power of community has sparked a movement of creativity, innovation and positive change. As Calgary continues to evolve, ActivateYYC will continue to help us shape a vibrant, equitable and sustainable future.