 | Saturday, February 06, 2021
By Scott Dippel
Reading this online? Sign up to get this delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. | | Firing back | | |  | Only one of these men is officially in the running to be mayor of Calgary in November. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press and Mike Symington/CBC) | | | For a guy who has not announced whether or not he will be a candidate in this fall's municipal election, sometimes Naheed Nenshi sure sounds like he could be running.
The mayor continues to play a coy game. Every time a reporter asks him when he will announce if he will run again this fall, Nenshi replies, "Soonish?"
But let's look at another exhibit.
During this week's discussion of lowering the default residential speed limit — which council supported by a 10-4 vote — there were several references to Coun. Jeromy Farkas and his position on the issue. Well, few specifically referred to Farkas by name. But they were talking about him. That's because Farkas staked his opposition to the 40 km/h limit by saying council wanted to "make the entire city a playground zone" by lowering the unposted speed limit.
In the council meeting, Coun. Ward Sutherland talked about not wanting to take the issue to a plebiscite because of the amount of misinformation floating around about the change. He cited people who angrily called his office and really believed that Crowchild Trail would soon have a speed limit similar to a 30 km/h playground zone.
Coun. Shane Keating's take on making "the entire city a playground zone" can be found here.
But Nenshi's response to reporters this week about Farkas had a bit more of an election campaign style edge.
He said, "Playground zones, last I checked, are 30 kilometres an hour and we're looking at 40 kilometres an hour. And we're looking only at side streets — cul de sacs and closes and things — not the entire city. So, if someone says that, then you have to ask if they're being truthful in everything else they say. Particularly, hmmmm, if they're seeking higher office."
Indeed, Farkas has announced he is running for mayor this fall. Nenshi has not.
Read more | | |  | | | The other plebiscite | Much of the media focus on this week's council meeting was on plebiscites for the October municipal election.
Council said yes to a fluoride question, and no to a vote on lowering speed limits. But council did support in principle another plebiscite question — one that the mayor acknowledged might be a bit "mischievous."
If a clear question can be drafted, Calgarians may be asked if they support the city pushing the provincial government for a new fiscal framework.
Most on council dream of a world where the city could be less reliant on property taxes and inconsistent grants from the province.
Sure, it's a vague matter and it remains to be seen if most voters will care. But it seems the only reason this plebiscite might be held is because the Kenney government wants to add a referendum question on equalization to this fall's local ballot.
Mayor Nenshi points out that, over the years, Calgary taxpayers have sent billions of dollars more to the provincial government than they ever see in provincial services. It's similar to the province's line that Alberta sends billions of dollars more to Ottawa than it gets back. So the plebiscite idea appears to be a shot across the bow of the UCP government from a council that isn't happy about provincial issues being tacked onto the municipal ballot across Alberta.
"If you really want to talk about equalization in this country, you can talk about provinces, but the real equalization problem in this country and particularly in this province is from cities to everywhere else," said Nenshi. "If you're going to call equalization into question, then you should look at your own house in addition to looking at other people's houses."
The city's communication strategy on this plebiscite question should be an interesting read. | | | | |  | This week the city heard about plans to convert the Holiday Inn on Macleod Trail to affordable housing units. (City of Calgary) | Hotel conversions | The hotel industry has been knocked flat by the pandemic.
The Calgary Planning Commission heard this week about plans to convert two more hotels in the city to affordable housing.
The Calgary Dream Centre wants to convert the Holiday Inn on Macleod Trail at 42 Ave. S.E. to 145 units for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Dream Centre says the move could save the City of Calgary $5 million a year in emergency services.
The building dates back to 1975, but the Dream Centre describes it as being in "impeccable shape."
The group intends to seek money under the federal Rapid Housing Initiative for the conversion, which includes plans for a restaurant and a thrift shop on site.
Meanwhile in the northeast, Silvera for Seniors has a plan for the Lakeview Signature Inn, which is on 39 Ave. N.E., just east of Barlow Trail.
The four-storey hotel will be converted into an affordable (below market rates) seniors supportive living residence with 120 units. Silvera is also seeking money through the Rapid Housing Initiative.
City officials say there are six to eight underutilized or aging hotels currently up for sale in Calgary. | | | | | | Election '21 update | As of noon on Friday, there are now four registered candidates for mayor.
Ian Chiang has met all the requirements to run and this week his name was posted on the city's website. He joins Jeromy Farkas, Brad Field, and Jyoti Gondek in seeking the mayor's chair.
The number of councillor candidates now stands at 31 in total, with at least one candidate declared in each ward.
Several current members of council have yet to clarify if they will seek re-election, but as everyone knows, there's still more than seven months to get that paperwork to the city's election office by the September 20 deadline. | | | 5 more municipal stories you shouldn't miss | | | | What you said: | Thanks so much to everyone who has already reached out with questions or kind words like these ones:
I enjoyed reading the "Council Matters" newsletter. Great information regarding our local municipal government. -Sandi Clermont | | | | Share this newsletter | | or subscribe if this was
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