Less than a fortnight remains before Calgarians head to the polls on October 20 for the municipal election. Five mayoral candidates gathered for a debate on Wednesday evening at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Organized by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Creative Calgary, the Calgary Downtown Association, and Calgary Construction Association, the event featured Brian Thiessen, Jeff Davison, Jeromy Farkas, Sonya Sharp, and incumbent Jyoti Gondek as the participants. These candidates were considered the top contenders among the nine mayoral hopefuls running.
The debate centered on various issues including public safety, infrastructure, housing, and challenges faced by small businesses. Moderated by Deborah Yedlin, the president of the chamber, the candidates engaged in discussions and disagreements regarding these topics.
Addressing concerns about public safety, Sonya Sharp proposed a plan to recruit 500 additional police officers and establish a 24/7 downtown police station. She emphasized the importance of a secure city for attracting residents and visitors. Jeromy Farkas also proposed the construction of a significant downtown police station but stressed that public safety goes beyond law enforcement and requires investments in upstream support systems.
During the debate, Sonya Sharp challenged Farkas on his safety plan compared to his previous mayoral campaign, leading to a heated exchange between the two candidates. Incumbent Jyoti Gondek outlined her approach of an integrated response model involving various officers and outreach teams collaborating to address criminal activities and crises in the city.
Jeff Davison criticized Gondek for the city’s public safety situation, advocating for a multi-level government solution to address policing, bail reform, and mental health support. Brian Thiessen proposed a housing-first strategy to tackle homelessness and related issues by implementing strict bylaws on drug consumption.
The candidates also discussed infrastructure challenges, with Thiessen suggesting a public dashboard for project transparency and an independent water utility. Davison emphasized the need for innovative infrastructure approaches as the city grows rapidly. Gondek attributed Calgary’s infrastructure issues to past budget cuts but highlighted recent reinvestments in core services like transit.
Jeromy Farkas stressed the importance of local procurement practices, while Sonya Sharp focused on enhancing oversight on infrastructure projects. The debate concluded with a heckler interrupting Sharp’s final statement, leading to a brief exchange between the candidates.
The Calgary municipal election is scheduled for October 20.