Nathaniel Schmidt

Yes

Interview Response:

Nathaniel believes the Calgary Climate Strategy implementation was lacking. Decisions lack consistency, e.g., the procurement decision for electric vehicles was overridden by individual departments. Planning should include maintaining tree coverage in existing communities. The City needs a consistent, unified approach to decision-making impacting climate goals.

Miguel Cortines

Yes

Interview Response:

Miguel would encourage the adoption of electric vehicles and the use of hydrogen as a fuel source. We need to get the Green Line built and adopt clean technologies for buses. Overall, he supports the Climate Strategy.

Survey Response:

I always have believed that Energy and Environment are together and in harmony. We are blessed to live in a province that has abundant natural resources, and also blessed for having amazing technologies that have been developed here to improve our environment. Hydrogen is becoming an important source of energy that is being developed in Alberta. Electric vehicles. More charging stations for EV’s. We need to build the Green Line and the c-Train from the airport to downtown. More transportation options around the city that travel long distances making easy to connect neighbourhoods to work centres, so people can be motivated to use public transit instead of driving.

Kent Hehr:

Yes

Interview Response:

Sustainability is good policy and good economics. Calgary needs to encourage quality transit, liveable and walkable communities, bike lanes and intermodal transit. We need to encourage a public bike program like Montreal. The City's solar panel program should be greatly expanded. We need to work towards a zero-emission bus fleet and deploy the most feasible modern technology. Land-use policies should be efficient, effective, and climate-friendly, as they constitute 90% of the council's work. We also need to be mindful of the urban canopy.

Survey Response:

Climate action is an important element of Calgary's development, and Kent supports continuing with the implementation of Calgary's Pathways to 2050 climate strategy, including maintaining and expanding Calgary's urban tree canopy, transitioning city services to zero-emission vehicles, and providing incentives for upgrading homes to be more energy efficient. Kent also plans to address sustainability through further policies, focused primarily on transportation infrastructure. Currently, Calgarians rely heavily on personal vehicles for transport. While individuals may choose personally to transition to low or no-emission vehicles, the city should encourage sustainable behaviour by providing reliable and effective transit that can effectively replace personal vehicle transport. Kent's transit plan includes expanding the C-train free fare zone, incentivizing transit use with gamification, and ensuring last-kilometre mobility to and from transit stations to ensure Calgarians can rely on transit to get around. By providing alternatives and encouraging Calgarians to make sustainable decisions, the city can work towards a more sustainable future.

Josie Kirkpatrick

Yes

Survey Response:

I am still learning the details surrounding Calgary’s Climate Strategy. Addressing climate resilience and energy efficiency in our city’s housing infrastructure is an important aspect of our collective future. Fostering a balance and informed approach is essential. I am open to collaborating with you to understand more about the specifics of Calgary’s Climate Strategy, its goals, implementation plans, and expected outcomes. It is important to evaluate how these initiatives can align with the city’s broader priorities, and ensure they effectively address the resilience and sustainability of our infrastructure. I look forward to an engaging, educational and constructive dialogue while gaining further insight into these concerns.

Additional Response:

I will start with emissions and then speak on housing and infrastructure. I believe that if we want a reduction in emissions, we need to focus on where we locate our mass residential developments and densification. Our focus and implementation of densification should commence in the areas within walking distance of the LRT lines first and foremost. We also need a speed train from downtown to the airport, like most cities, and long-term planning of underground subway systems.

If we want people to leave their cars at home in -30 degree temperatures, we need heated LRT stations and bus stops that are functional, easily accessible and sensible. Resolve the comfort issue and it will become more attractive. People need to feel safe and at ease. If the LRT platforms were not a free-for-all, people had to pay to gain access, and there was a regular presence of peace officers and or security, people would be more inclined to use public transit because they would feel safe. As far as emissions are concerned, safety first and the reduction of emissions will follow.

I believe that the way to ensure that housing and infrastructure are climate resilient and energy efficient is by the use of alternative generations of energy, like solar and water power, while further recycling the water and not wasting it. Also the pressure on our current infrastructure due to the Blanket Rezoning's fast paced, unlimited, unscrutinized free for all approach to densification and development is going to be huge and effect everyone. Our sewer systems and roads should be upgraded and prioritized to properly manage and have the least amount of disruption to our ecosystems, environments, residents and businesses.