Who met with us?

Chima Akuchie (Independent)

Erin Averbukh (Independent)

Devin Elkin (Independent)

Landon Johnston (Independent)

Ryan Stutt (The Calgary Party)

Who completed our survey?

Sunjiv Raval (Independent)

Who did not meet with us or complete our survey?

Keener Hachey (A Better Calgary Party)

Chima Akuchie

Interview Response

Yes

Chima said that he had recently talked with members of Calgary Futures about how the city should be supporting careers. He thinks that most of the jobs that young people are able to access do not provide them with enough income to pay for anything. He believes that the city should invest in careers, not just jobs–”it is not just about spending, it’s about spending right.” He did not have a specific strategy for how he would seek to achieve this at this point.

Survey Response

Yes

I would expand apprenticeships and entry-level city jobs so young people can learn on the job, partner with private businesses and nonprofits for more pathways, and recruit fairly from equity-seeking groups while keeping hiring based on skills and merit. That way, we give youth experience, protect city roles, and prepare them for lasting careers without wasting taxpayer dollars.

Erin Averbukh

Interview Response

Yes

Erin has seen how difficult it is for young people to get jobs. Her kids applied for many jobs but did not receive call backs for them. She sees opportunity for younger people to take the jobs that pay lower wages and for people who have families to support to take the higher paying jobs. She feels that there are too many people in Calgary who do not make enough money and the gap between the well off and less fortunate is large. She believes that the City has many opportunities to help people have a better life.

As it relates positions with the City of Calgary, she knows that the City has recently hired new people. She does not think that it is reasonable to hire people for higher paying jobs while contracting out entry level positions. As such, she has been looking to see what salaries the new hires have been paid but has, thus far, been unable to find this information.

Devin Elkin

Interview Response

Yes

Devin noted that there is a lot to this question but, at its core, the City is lacking the basic understanding of why we are here [in Calgary], have kids here, and choose to live here. The City saves money by contracting out entry level positions. He does not feel that this is the right option. He said that Calgary city councilors need to stop saying that we need to do something about this issue and start doing something.

He did not feel that we are at the point at which we can create a specific strategy to address this issue. However, he believes that he has the connections needed to ensure that this is a priority. If elected, he plans to identify this as a need and to create a group that commonly identifies this as a need.

Landon Johnston

Interview Response

Yes

Landon seemed to be unconvinced that eliminating the contracting out of entry level positions was something that the City should do. He stated that, in Canada, we have rules about hiring and people cannot be discriminated against in the hiring process. If people are being discriminated against or cannot get hired on the basis that they are a member of a protected category, he said that he would be their loudest advocate. However, he believes that the City should hire based on merit and would suggest removing equity from their hiring mandate–people should not be hired for jobs that they do not have the skills for. The City is not a job bank and the government should not hire people just so they have a job, particularly one with a pension. Specifically, as it pertains to contracting out positions versus having individuals employed by the City, he would like the City to do whatever is less costly.

Instead, Landon would like to advocate for more programs for youth so they can get really good jobs. Namely, he thinks that it would be of value to “tap into” high schools and middle schools, providing students with a taste of various industries, including but not limited to, the trades, nursing, the army. The government could also set up programs that lower barriers to receive job training by, for example, making trade school free. He added that we need people back to work and will create a workforce when opportunity is there.

Sunjiv Raval

Survey Response

Yes

It can be internship or even volunteering for the youths or students to know what job looks like and know about it if they like pursue the job

Ryan Stutt

Interview Response

Yes

Ryan feels that, “The City shouldn’t be contracting out entry-level positions. It just shouldn’t.” He stated that this issue was likely more than he would be able to amend as an individual councillor. However, he was open to bringing the issue up to his fellow council members and “to have those uncomfortable conversations” that would be required to address this issue. He believes that, for this, and other problems concerning budget cutting for necessary services (such as the fire department), we can’t have the city we want if we don’t spend money on the things we need.

Chima Akuchie

Interview Response

Chima said that he works on harm reduction strategies among those with disabilities. He believes that improving community-based, preventative mental health strategies is something that needs to be done, particularly with the number of immigrants coming in. He noted that he has been new to Canada himself. It is difficult to come into a new community as an immigrant because, for example, individuals may not speak English. It is important for them to be able to access help from someone when they are in need (e.g., someone who speaks the same language). He believes that communities can help people gain access to mental health support.

Survey Response

I will focus on expanding preventative mental health services that are community-based and practical. My priorities would be: Accessibility: Ensure programs are easy to access and delivered close to where people live, especially in underserved communities. Cultural fit: Work with faith groups, cultural associations, and local leaders so supports reflect the community and not just a one-size-fits-all model. Accountability: Fund only evidence-based initiatives that show measurable outcomes for residents. Partnerships: Involve community representatives and frontline workers in leadership teams so real experiences guide strategy, not just theory. Mental health is tied to safety, productivity, and family well-being. Supporting early, community-based solutions prevents bigger problems and reduces costs down the road.

Erin Averbukh

Interview Response

Erin believes preventative mental health interventions should start with the youth. She thinks that there is a rise in mental health concerns among young people, which needs to be addressed. Her strategy to address this would be to support community centres and enable them to run programs that support mental health. She sees an absence of community centres with programs like open gym times where young people can get together and have fun (e.g., play games, practice sports for fun, have dances). In previous generations, unstructured hangouts in community spaces were more common. She wants to help the City support and encourage communities to create open community spaces and run programs that foster a sense of community and support mental health. For instance, she would like to see community spaces with an open door policy–a place where people could go to socialize. She believes that greater human connection can help alleviate some of the discomfort and mental health concerns that people are experiencing. She thinks the City could do more to support their community centres and there are funding opportunities available for this. She would like to see input from various cultural groups on this as well. ”You can’t put a square peg in a round hole,” she added: what works for some people won't always work for others.

Devin Elkin

Interview Response

Devin said that part of being a good leader is knowing what you are good at and what you are not good at. He is not a subject matter expert in the area of mental health. He wants to have conversations with those who are experts in the area. He wants to initiate these conversations with municipal, provincial, and federal ministers and to ensure that the “right people” [people who can enact change] are in the room for these conversations.

Landon Johnston

Interview Response

Landon seemed uncertain that there was a need for culturally specific, community-based preventative mental health services. He said that the City spent 4 years determining that indigenous individuals should be involved in business when they could have just brought them in and saved the time and money. He questioned why individuals from various cultural community groups cannot be involved right now (e.g., are they not applying?) and why, for instance, a white person could not run a preventative health care program if they had the appropriate training. He is a fan of the melting pot, not the mosaic. He said that he does not see skin colour and that politicians shouldn’t see skin colour. In line with this belief, he does not understand why we should want to have different programs for different cultures. He reiterated that no one should be treated unfairly–people should be treated equally. If someone comes to him saying they are being treated unfairly, he will be the loudest voice for them.

Sunjiv Raval

Survey Response

Yes

First to get all the communities to allocate a representative who is professional or willing to get train for this task and also open up for public who may have this qualifications and knows the language or experience in the nativity.

Ryan Stutt

Interview Response

Ryan felt that this was an important issue. He stressed that he would not assume he knew what strategy would best address our city’s outstanding mental health concerns. He stated that he planned to work with communities and make sure that there is appropriate representation (e.g., representation from various cultural groups). He wants to listen to the people who are “on the ground doing the work” and put their suggestions into action. He wanted to make it clear that he doesn’t assume to know what is needed.

Chima Akuchie

Interview Response

Yes

The City of Calgary has a budget surplus. The City gives money as grants and loans to fix their homes, but not everyone has access to this money. He wonders why we can’t use this surplus for people who are in crisis. He does not understand why The CIty has elected to run a surplus budget instead. He thinks that people should have access to these funds and information on how to access it. For existing funding as well, he would like to see greater information sharing regarding how to access available funding.

Chima thinks that The City spends money organizing town halls to discuss housing developments. However, they do not listen to the opinions of the attendees. He says that the common man needs to be heard.

He wanted to clarify that he supports affordable housing. He noted that a lot of the houses being built are not affordable–we need to build, but we also need to make it affordable. For example, he feels insurance has become too expensive and is in favour of putting a cap on insurance costs.

Chima states that he is not opposed to rezoning but is opposed to blanket rezoning. He believes that land should be rezoned for not-for-profits. This would remove disputes between the community and not-for-profits. And he is in favour of removing red tape to build faster. As it relates to blanket rezoning, however, he does not believe that areas that are facing major development possess the infrastructure needed to support them. For example, Legacy is already dense; further density would create traffic issues on the exits. Instead, he believes that rezoning needs to be “balanced,” more should be built in areas where infrastructure is already in place (e.g., access to transit). Additionally, he believes that we need to “build out instead of in,” by which he means that we need more services and satellite towns spread around the city.

Survey Response

I believe in targeted support for renters in crisis, but it must be managed responsibly so it actually reaches those who need it most. I will work with nonprofits, churches, and housing providers who already support vulnerable Calgarians, making the system easier to navigate. I will push for quicker processing of rent supports during emergencies so families aren’t left waiting. I will advocate for partnerships with the province and federal government so the city isn’t carrying the burden alone. At the same time, the long-term fix is to increase supply where infrastructure is ready so rents come down naturally while protecting established communities from blanket rezoning.

Affordable housing land must be released responsibly, not through blanket rezoning. I’ll prioritize using serviced land first, zone higher density only near transit and services, and work with nonprofits and builders to deliver homes efficiently. That way we grow supply where it makes sense without raising taxes or straining infrastructure.

Erin Averbukh

Interview Response

Erin did not claim to know much about rent supports, although she was aware that they did exist. She thought that one possibility to support renters would be a pilot project to test whether rent control was effective. She thought, if it could help people be stabilized in homes, it would be worth trying.

Erin feels that there needs to be socio-economic blending within the city: we have to have affordable housing mixed with higher cost housing. Additionally, there should be regulations to prevent developers from inflating the cost of housing.

Erin thinks low income and greater density needs to be appropriately located to suit the needs of those living there. She does not think that more low income development should occur where the infrastructure (i.e., c-trains) is lacking to support it. People should not be forced to take multiple buses and have an extended commute to get to their job just because they do not have the funds for a vehicle. She would “never claim to know everything,” but wonders why the City does not annex land by c-train stations (e.g., the area by Chinook) to build affordable housing. Why doesn’t the City look at what land is available and prioritize affordable housing in areas that are close to rapid transit and schools? She feels hopeful that the new councilors will be able to see the affordable housing issue with new eyes and come up with new ideas. She feels that this is an important issue because kids are not going to have the same advantage that previous generations did because the price of housing has risen but incomes have not risen proportionately.

Devin Elkin

Interview Response

Devin said that if we are serious about supporting renters and making housing affordable, we need to take action. For example, the City could and should require landlords to have business licenses. He felt that this should be the first thing to happen. Additionally, rent controls could be implemented easily. Additionally, he believes that better coordination among services are needed.

Devin stated that the elephant in the room is that all three levels of government need to come to an understanding of what it means to have affordable housing.

With regard to strategy, Devin focused on supporting the development of mixed price housing (i.e., both market and non-market units within the same building). He believed that there should be subsidies to encourage or mandate developers to build affordable units within the building. He does not believe that developers will be willing to build affordable units on their own accord so we need to motivate them to do so in order to meet our affordable housing needs.

He believes that we need more education and better conversations around our goals. He wants to initiate better conversations. He felt that affordable housing developers may have experienced pushback from the communities because they did not have the necessary conversations first.

With this issue as well, he feels that the City needs to take the issue seriously and act on it instead of just talking about the need. The City has a lot of land to build housing if they want to.

Landon Johnston

Interview Response

Landon feels that there is too much red tape around rent support. A lot of people are left on the desk. He has witnessed this. Waiting too long is too late for renters in crisis. This is a big issue for seniors. People have been talking to him about this while he has been canvasing. The funding is available but people cannot access it and the process is too stressful. The stress from navigating this process can negatively impact people’s mental health. “When I see something like this,” he said, “I don’t give up.” Adding that this was particularly true when it impacts taxpayers. Landon says he is a “big fan of cutting down the red tape” and wants to increase efficiency.

As it relates to building affordable housing, Landon would like them to be built and maintained responsibly. He is not always a fan of affordable housing because they can be “trouble”. He does not feel that Calgary Housing is doing the best job managing their affordable housing units. Affordable housing should be built in responsible places or maintained appropriately. And, he feels, neighbors should have a voice, people should have a voice, and we have to go by what the majority wants.

He believes that the government has not made it affordable to build housing. To make housing affordable, the City has to get out of the way of planning. Affordability starts with the government getting out of the way and zoning responsibly. He is concerned that, if affordable housing is built in neighbourhoods that are opposed to it, people living in the neighbourhood will move out of the city. He reiterated that, in order to make progress on building affordable housing, the government needs to get out of the way because, right now, Calgary has some of the worst processes in all of Canada. However, he thinks that, to build faster, we will have to work with the provincial and federal governments.

Sunjiv Raval

Survey Response

Yes

It can be done with builders, federal, provincial and city officials to get basic need style housing off the market grid or example program like rent to own.

It can be done with builders, federal, provincial and city officials allocation and our PM shows priority we can take that advantage.

Ryan Stutt

Interview Response

Yes

Ryan wants to try to make the process easier for renters. He mentioned that he would like to streamline the process or create a concierge service to help people navigate the process. He believes that people who have this type of stress should not be forced to navigate the hurdles of the existing system.

Ryan said that housing affordability is a key issue for him. Of the topics we brought to him, this was the most important to him. This issue is of utmost importance because so many people are on the brink of losing their homes. Furthermore, fixing housing does a lot for a wide variety of issues. He would like to see our City Council get the province on board with their goals. Additionally, he wants to help developers build more to increase the supply of housing and to ensure that there is a variety of housing types on the market. By doing so, we could lessen the cost of rent.
It was Ryan’s opinion that the problem of land rezoning should, in theory, be an easy fix—it is a critical issue and seems like it could be an easy fix. He added that he wanted to keep blanket rezoning because it will help build more homes. However, he thinks that The City should have educated the public more about why blanket rezoning is necessary. His focus would be on educating Calgarians on why we need blanket rezoning and to listen to citizens about their concerns about development in their neighbourhoods. He hopes that, with education and listening, developers and community members can reach solutions that are agreeable for both parties or they can at least feel that their concerns were heard.

Chima Akuchie

Interview Response

Uncertain

If elected, Chima plans to independently review the current plans and look at whether it works with the communities. He would like a plan in place that is permanent, one that won't have to be replaced in a number of years. He recognizes that it will take time to look into the current plan. He said that he is willing to work with the Calgary Alliance for the Common Good if he feels that the City’s Climate Strategy is something that he agrees will work for communities.

Survey Response

I support making Calgary’s housing and infrastructure more resilient, but we need to do it in a way that respects taxpayers and avoids costly overreach.

• • • Practical Upgrades: Focus on modernizing aging infrastructure like water mains including asbestos cement pipes so our communities are safe and resilient before we spend on new projects. 
    • Energy Efficiency: Encourage builders to adopt cost-effective, proven efficiency measures in new housing without driving up prices for families. 
    • Balanced Approach: Use incentives and partnerships with private industry rather than heavy-handed mandates that raise construction costs or taxes. 
    • Targeted Investments: Prioritize upgrades in areas most at risk from flooding, extreme weather, or aging infrastructure, so dollars go where they’re needed most. 

I believe climate resilience should be achieved through practical, cost-conscious steps that protect Calgarians today and tomorrow, not through blanket policies that burden families.

Erin Averbukh

Interview Response

Yes

Erin does not think that the money allocated to addressing climate change is well budgeted. She thinks that it would be better spent extending rapid transit to Seton.

With respect to building in a manner that is energy efficient and climate resilient, she thinks that we can build better than we are now. For example, she suggested insurance companies work with builders or people could be incentivized to choose better materials. There needs to be a benefit for the buyer such as, for example, saving money in the long run even if the materials cost more upfront. Developers need to promote products and the City needs to support this.

Devin Elkin

Interview Response

Uncertain

Devin said that he was uncertain whether he would work with us on this because he is unsure about the Calgary Climate Strategy document. However, he indicated that he was willing to work with us on environmental issues. He believes that this document needs to be revised. Consistent with the need outlined in the Climate Strategy document, he does believe that houses need to be climate resilient. He thinks that we need to put responsibility on developers to build things that are longer lasting. However, he thinks that the Climate document needs to be more specific. We need to look at weather patterns within each community and plan accordingly. Additionally, he noted that the document refers to the climate emergency. He believes that a climate emergency was declared so that Calgary could obtain necessary funds, but he does not believe that the phrase accurately captures our current state.

Devin added that we have to be aware of our footprint and that we have a responsibility to ensure that we are good stewards of the land. For example, he wants to ensure that the City continues to look for additional markets so we can recycle whatever we are able to.

Landon Johnston

Interview Response

Uncertain

Landon said his willingness to work on this issue depends on what reality we are living in. For instance, gas from shipping solar is worse than the energy saved by using solar.

As it pertains to climate resilience, he would ban vinyl siding–it costs us in insurance. We should build according to our climate and build responsibly. For example, he loves living roofs and would like to look into how we can do that in Calgary–they help regulate heat and, if we planted indigenous plants and flowers, could benefit pollinators. He would like to see more front yard gardens and back alley gardens. He has started back alley gardening in his neighbourhood (spruce up your back alley).

Landon feels that a lot of the environmental decisions that the City has made have not been sustainable. He would like to implement programs that are going to have real actions (e.g., making sure small businesses recycle, replacing old furnaces with higher efficiency ones, working to improve transit). He says that we need to be stewards of the land and does not think that the City has gone the right way with this.

Sunjiv Raval

Survey Response

Yes

This will be based with Council, Builders and residents how we can do better with minimum cost or no cost to reduce carbon foot.

Ryan Stutt

Interview Response

Yes

Ryan said that we absolutely have to work to address climate change. “It needs to be a priority.” He wants the City to work with the provincial and federal government to implement a plan. He said that we are in a climate emergency and we need to act on it to keep people safe. He wants to ask Council why more has not been done already.

Chima Akuchie

Interview Response

Yes

Chima said that he will support anything that involves Indigenous rights not being taken away. He added that there has been a lot of talking and now it is time to take action. He would like to know why they were promised this if this promise was not fulfilled. If elected, he would bring this up to council and ask why this has not been done. He feels that it would be good for the elders and the community to have a space where they could meet.

Survey Response

I recently spoke with members of your group who visited me, and I agree this project has been delayed far too long. My focus will be on cutting red tape at City Hall, and ensuring Indigenous leadership guides the process while the City plays a supporting role. Calgary made a promise it’s time to deliver in a respectful and practical way.

Erin Averbukh

Interview Response

Yes

Erin was unsure why Fort Calgary was renamed The Confluence and feels that Calgarians may have been upset that this change was made without public consultation. She thinks the City may not have given the land because they were worried that some Calgarians would be upset that they were not consulted on this decision either. She does not think that people have been told why the land has been transformed from Fort Calgary to The Confluence. One of her major platforms is transparency. The City needs to explain why things are being changed. People need to be informed about why decisions are being made. They deserve an answer.

She believes that there is a narrative shift happening in terms of truth and reconciliation. For instance, friends of hers who are Indigenous have told her to remove the land acknowledgement from her website because it does not represent all Calgarians. She believes that people who are not Indigenous are getting frustrated that they are also not being acknowledged or brought into the discussion. She feels that we do a lot for truth and reconciliation but clarified that she could be wrong about that. However, she wants to be a non-partisan councilor–if a group comes to her saying they want something to go to council, she will present it, regardless of her position.

Devin Elkin

Interview Response

Yes

Devin was unsure why this was not acted on if a commitment had been made and was interested to know more about the details of this commitment. He reiterated that City Council needs to stop performatively saying that they will do things. He said that, if elected, he would ask why this had not been acted upon if a commitment was made.

Landon Johnston

Interview Response

Uncertain

Landon says he “has his own take on truth and reconciliation.” (He has a First Nations Status Card.) He thinks that people have a lot of resentment and fatigue with our current truth and reconciliation efforts. He has been talking to First Nations people about reconciliation. The main thing he has heard is that people want to be treated equally.

Before voting to give land to Indigenous people, he would talk to elders and people about how the land should be allocated. He wondered if maybe the land was not given for this project because the current Council members felt that they were forced to make this choice–maybe they didn’t believe in the choice being made. This is not reconciliation. Reconciliation is talking, forgiving, and finding common ground–it is not high level people making decisions. The people he has talked to tell him that they think that our current truth and reconciliation efforts have gone too far and people are feeling left out. We need to find common ground and we don’t find common ground when things are forced upon us.

However, as it relates to the land that was committed to Indigenous Gathering Board, he clarified that, if they were promised the land and a contract was signed, the land should be given. Going back on their promise will only foster resentment. It is an issue to not follow through on a promise. If a promise was made and broken, he would fight to correct that injustice. That said, if it had not been agreed upon, he would not have voted to give this land to the Indigenous Gathering Board without first hearing that it is what his constituents wanted. He does not want to make decisions without first talking to his constituents if elected.

Sunjiv Raval

Survey Response

Yes

It can only be done when indigenous band and government work together both communities to benefit equally

Ryan Stutt

Interview Response

Yes

Ryan said he would love to know the reason why, if it has been agreed to twice, this has not been done already. He seemed concerned that this could be allowed to happen. His strategy is to make it an issue—to be vocal and ask why this has not been done yet.

Chima Akuchie

Interview Response

Yes

Erin Averbukh

Interview Response

Yes

Devin Elkin

Interview Response

Yes

Devin said that you can never have enough conversations.

Landon Johnston

Interview Response

No

Landon said that he will not meet with groups. However, he will meet with individuals from the ward to discuss any issues that are important to them. So, people from the ward could meet with him to discuss these issues. Although he is not aligned with a lot of our efforts, he said that he appreciates that we are "trying to do something." In other words, he likes when people make a stand for what they believe in.

Sunjiv Raval

Survey Response

Yes

Yes even now I like to learn and talk to the residents to get the first issues and problems they are facing and sometime also the answers how to fix them economically

Ryan Stutt

Interview Response

Yes