As part of our 2025 Calgary Municipal Election work, the Calgary Alliance for the Common Good invited candidates from each ward to meet with community members. Together, we asked questions that reflect the priorities of our members: good jobs, mental health, affordable housing, the environment, and truth and reconciliation.
On this page, you’ll find a summary of the responses from Ward 1 candidates. Click on each question below to view more details or scroll down to see all responses.
- Ward 1 - Who Engaged with CACG?
- Ward 1 - Good Jobs
- Ward 1 - Mental Health
- Ward 1 - Affordable Housing
- Ward 1 - Environment
- Ward 1 - Truth and Reconciliation
- Ward 1 - Let's Collaborate for the Common Good
Ward 1 - Who Engaged with CACG?
Who are the candidates?
Who took the time to meet with our team of community members?
Who didn't meet with us but filled out a survey?
Candidates that met with us:
Joey Nowak (The Calgary Party)
Ali Oonwala (Independent)
Candidates that completed our survey but did not meet with us:
None
Candidates that did not meet with us or complete our survey:
Matthew Fritz (Independent)
Cathy (Angel) Jacobs (A Better Calgary Party)
Dan Olesen (Independent)
Kim Tyers (Communities First Party)
Ward 1 - Good Jobs
Will you work with us to develop a job strategy that limits contracting out of entry-level positions at the city and provides employment opportunities for youth and equity-seeking groups so that they can earn a fair living wage, develop workplace skills and gain job experience?
Ali Oonwala
Yes
More organization of jobs that give back to the community, less outsourcing jobs.
Joey Nowak
Yes
The city plays a role in doing a deeper dive into the balance. Not neccesarily limiting all contracting out but seeing where there may be pathways for youth to advance in their careers. Youth need more supports and encouragement to create their own jobs and become entrepreneurs leveraging technology and AI.
Ward 1 - Mental Health
Will you work with us to further develop and fund a community-based, preventative mental health strategy? What will you prioritize in developing this strategy?
Ali Oonwala
Yes
Take away the stigma surrounding mental health, help people talk to each other and professionals, fix the issues with the waiting list and referral system by using a hybrid system, have well trained individuals working on a personal level.
Joey Nowak
Yes
Allowing mental health to be not just a provincial jurisdiction but a municipal one as well. Accessibility and removing the stigma are big focuses, the former especially regarding indigenous individuals, and recognizing that there is no one size fits all for mental health.
Ward 1 - Affordable Housing
Will you work with us to address the affordable housing crisis and implement Calgary’s Housing Strategy? How will you work with us to expand and better coordinate rent supports for renters in crisis? How will you ensure that sufficient land is made available for affordable housing and is zoned appropriately before being released?
Ali Oonwala
Yes
Creating and implementing social assistance programs that are monitored and properly used by people who need them is the goal.
Joey Nowak
Yes
Ward 1 - Environment
Will you work with us to implement the Calgary Climate Strategy and ensure that housing and infrastructure in our city are climate resilient and energy efficient? How will you achieve this?
Ali Oonwala
Yes
By protecting parks and green spaces, and keeping an eye on building materials
Joey Nowak
Yes
Think through materials used in transit and the building of new housing, improving transit safety, efficiency, and reach, supporting grass roots communities and encouraging community stewardship. Protecting and growing trees, improving sidewalks, and creating walkable neighborhoods to cut down on carbon emissions.
Ward 1 - Truth and Reconciliation
Will you work with the Indigenous led, Indigenous Gathering Place Board to advance the creation of an indigenous led, indigenous gathering place in Calgary? How will you work to advance this and overcome the current roadblocks that have delayed this project?
Ali Oonwala
Yes
It starts with acknowledgment on a regular basis, and working with indigenous leaders to make sure that projects are followed through on.
Joey Nowak
Yes
Joey believes we need to work at the speed of trust, and that this cannot be rushed. Supporting its creation for urban indigenous people is key.
Ward 1 - Let's Collaborate for the Common Good
Will you meet with us within three months of being elected to identify how we will work together to address the issues identified?
Ali Oonwala
Yes but would actually like to meet with CACG within one month of being elected.
Joey Nowak
Yes. Ms. Nowak believes that she aligns with many of the CACG values and believes the work we do is making Calgary a better place.