Airdrie Minute: Issue 80

Airdrie Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Airdrie politics

📅 This Week In Airdrie: 📅

• Airdrie residents will have another opportunity to hear from their mayoral candidates at a forum on October 10th. The event will take place from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Kingdom City Church, with doors opening at 3:30 pm. It will also be streamed online. Hosted by an experienced TV presenter, the forum will feature a mix of thoughtful and challenging questions aimed at revealing each candidate’s leadership approach and vision for the city’s next four years. Each participant will also deliver a brief three-minute “shotgun” speech to outline their key priorities.
  
  
• Five of Airdrie’s six Mayoral candidates shared their economic visions during a virtual forum hosted by the Airdrie Regional Chamber of Commerce on September 29th. The discussion, moderated by Alberta Chamber of Commerce COO Jason Leslie, focused on transparency, business engagement, and long-term economic growth. Candidates Dylan Harty and Vern Raincock emphasized improving communication and accessibility between City Hall and local businesses, while Tina Petrow and Dave Douglass highlighted the need for stronger listening and support for small business owners. Heather Spearman pointed to her track record of transparency as a Councillor and advocated for leveraging organizations like the Chamber of Commerce. Several candidates agreed that Airdrie must shift focus from residential expansion toward commercial and industrial development to strengthen revenues. Ideas included attracting Calgary-based companies, preparing more serviced land for business use, and promoting Airdrie’s location advantages near the Calgary airport and major highways.
  
  
• As Mayor Peter Brown prepares to step down on October 21st after 15 years on Council, he reflected proudly on his time serving the community. Brown expressed deep gratitude to City staff, first responders, and residents, crediting their hard work and support for Airdrie’s success. He highlighted major accomplishments during his tenure, including Genesis Place, the Northeast Regional Park, the Inspire project, the 40th Avenue overpass, and a new wastewater line connecting Airdrie to Calgary. Brown noted that managing rapid population growth while maintaining low taxes was one of the city’s biggest challenges. He emphasized that his leadership was always focused on collaboration and community, not personal recognition. Looking ahead, Brown is optimistic about Airdrie’s future and plans to take time to explore his next steps. He hopes residents remember him as an approachable and dedicated leader who cared deeply about the city and its people.
  
  
• Alberta’s Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration, Joseph Schow, spoke in Airdrie on October 2nd at a luncheon hosted by the Airdrie Regional Chamber of Commerce. Addressing local business leaders, Schow outlined Alberta’s strategy for sustainable economic growth through job creation, workforce development, and trade expansion. He emphasized the importance of immigration to the province’s economy but noted that Alberta needs more control over immigration policy to ensure services and programs keep pace with population growth. Schow also highlighted Alberta’s efforts to strengthen relationships with US partners and reduce interprovincial trade barriers through initiatives like the Labour Mobility Act. He discussed programs such as the Alberta Export Expansion Program and the Alberta manufacturing productivity grant, which aim to support exporters and improve business competitiveness. Looking ahead, Schow said Alberta’s future growth will be driven by innovation in sectors like aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and technology.
  
  
• A groundbreaking ceremony on October 1st marked the start of construction for a new Kindergarten-to-Grade 9 school in Airdrie’s South Windsong community. Attended by Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides, MLAs Peter Guthrie and Angela Pitt, RVS Board Chair Fiona Gilbert, and other officials, the school will have a capacity of 905 students and is expected to open in fall 2027. This project is part of seven new schools approved for Rocky View Schools to accommodate the city’s 21% population growth and a 2,500-student enrollment increase since 2020. The new school aims to reduce class sizes, support student learning, and provide modern, efficient facilities. The South Windsong school is located on Airdrie’s southwest edge, near the Windsong community.
   

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Advance voting begins today!

There are 13 days of advance voting, running from October 6th to 17th with both early morning and late-night options. 

You can find all of the times, locations, and additional voter information online:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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