Calgary Minute: Issue 336

Calgary Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Calgary politics

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• Voter turnout in Calgary’s 2025 municipal election fell to 39%, down from 46% in 2021 and 58% in 2017, but still well above the 2013 figure of 30%. Of 896,042 eligible voters, 349,815 cast ballots, with roughly 10% voting during the advance period. Confusion over the introduction of municipal political parties and competing issues, such as the teachers’ strike, may have been factors in lower engagement, though pollster Janet Brown noted that interest likely rose in the final days as the Mayoral race tightened. 
  
  
• Jyoti Gondek’s Mayoral re-election bid ended in defeat, placing third behind Jeromy Farkas and Sonya Sharp. It marked the first time in 45 years that a Calgary Mayor lost a campaign for re-election. Gondek attributed her loss to voter fatigue, polarization, and frustration over affordability and political divisiveness. She also criticized recent provincial election rule changes, saying they discouraged voter participation through delays and confusion at polling stations. Her term was fraught with controversy, a recall attempt, and constant criticism, leaving her little political momentum. Despite the loss, Gondek defended her record, saying she stood by her values and made tough decisions for the city. Her campaign team described the result as disappointing but expressed pride in her leadership and optimism. Gondek said she does not plan to pursue higher office but will continue contributing to Calgary’s growth and future outside of elected politics.
  
  
• Calgary’s Returning Officer has approved a recount of votes in the razor-thin Mayoral race after Sonya Sharp formally requested one. The recount will begin today at 9:30 am, with all ballots from every voting station to be rechecked. Sharp, who finished just 581 votes behind Mayor-elect Jeromy Farkas, said the move is meant to strengthen public trust and ensure transparency in the election process. Sharp referenced a recent Edmonton race where a recount flipped the result due to administrative errors. 
  
  
• Calgary will begin constructing a new 22-kilometre water feeder main more than a year after a major rupture disrupted service for much of the city. The North Calgary Water Servicing Project includes pump stations, reservoir expansions, and new connections at the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant, designed to supply up to 410 million litres of water per day once fully completed. The new system is expected to provide greater reliability and redundancy, ensuring water delivery continues during repairs or emergencies. Construction is expected to finish by 2029, with early work starting near the Bearspaw plant and Rocky Ridge. The project follows the June 2024 failure of another main serving southern Calgary, which forced weeks of restrictions and exposed oversight gaps in the City’s inspection program. 
  
  
• Calgary’s aerospace and defence industry is growing with the launch of the Xpand Canada Commercialization Centre, led by Calgary-based ConvergX and backed by a $2.7-million investment from Boeing Canada. The hub will help accelerate the commercialization of proven technologies in aerospace, defence, and security by linking innovators with military and industrial partners. The investment follows Ottawa’s decision to procure 14 Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft for Canada’s Armed Forces. Boeing estimates the initiative will support about 660 jobs and generate $81 million annually in western Canada over the next decade. The project comes amid major federal defence spending increases and growing aerospace investment in Alberta, including new facilities by de Havilland, Lufthansa Technik, and CAE-WestJet. Calgary Economic Development says Xpand will strengthen local diversification by helping advanced technology firms scale and compete globally.

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