With over 50% of Albertans living in Calgary and Edmonton, there is no doubt that the economic, social, and environmental resilience and prosperity of each region is vital to the future success of Alberta.
At the helm of each of these cities are two brand new mayors. With neither mayor new to policy nor politics, Mayors Amarjeet Sohi and Jyoti Gondek were elected as the mayors of Edmonton and Calgary, respectively, in historic elections on October 18, 2021.
Within a few short months, each has made considerable waves to tackle some of the most pressing challenges each city faces. For Calgary, it’s the revitalization of downtown, affordable housing, and the energy transition, among others. For Edmonton, it’s improving the safety of the city, affordable housing, and seizing the hydrogen opportunity.
So, we wanted to sit down with the mayors of Alberta’s two largest cities to discuss what is keeping them up at night; what their top priorities are for the citizens of Calgary, Edmonton, and the rest of Alberta; and the importance of working together to skill our provincial talent base, attract business development, and invest the necessary resources in all our communities to thrive.
Learn more about Mayor Gondek: https://www.calgary.ca/citycouncil/mayor.html
Learn more about Mayor Sohi: https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/city_organization/the-mayor
In this episode, Mayor Gondek refers to “mill rates,” or property taxes. To learn more about mill rates, visit: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/millrate.asp
In this episode:
Mayor Jyoti Gondek
- Journey to the Mayor’s Office
- Focusing on economic, social, and environmental resilience
- Revitalizing downtown and energy transformation
- Challenges facing Calgary
- Opportunity for collaboration between Edmonton and Calgary
- Vision behind climate emergency declaration
- Calgary’s proposed event centre
- Calgary-Banff rail project
- Mayor Gondek’s “magic wand” issue
Mayor Sohi
- Journey to the Mayor’s Office
- Outlook for the economy in 2022
- Opportunity in hydrogen, petrochemicals, health innovation, artificial intelligence
- Impact of the ICE District to Edmonton
- Houselessness, safety, and other challenges facing Edmontonians
- Potential for an Alberta economic corridor/megaregion
- Mayor Sohi’s “magic wand” issue
About The Brief
In this series, co-hosts Scott Crockatt and Brittany Brander explore the big challenges we face as Albertans; celebrate stories of growth, innovation, and prosperity; and discover bold ideas to make life better for Albertans.
Check us out on social media
Twitter: @BizCouncilAB
Facebook: @BizCouncilAB
LinkedIn: @businesscouncilofalberta
YouTube: Business Council of Alberta
