A group of sitting Calgary city councillors are launching a new municipal political party ahead of the next general election, seeking to “restore confidence” in city hall.
Under the banner Communities First, the party launched on Tuesday with Couns. Sonya Sharp, Terry Wong, Dan McLean and Andre Chabot, as well as former Ward 8 Alderman John Mar also joining the slate.
“I’m really excited because people are looking for an alternative,” McLean told reporters. “We all think mainly alike and so we are putting that forth to the public and hopefully the public will agree it’s time for change.”
In a news release Tuesday, the party revealed six “shared values” including being responsible and accountable to citizens, running an efficient and effective city, getting back to basics, and smart and respectful growth.
The party said it plans to keep taxes and fees affordable through transparent budgeting and oversight of city administration, prioritize engagement, and encourage higher densities through redevelopment “that respects community character.”
“Communication with the public is severely lacking right now,” Chabot said in a statement.
“City hall’s engagement process is not about listening and responding to citizens’ concerns; it’s about telling them what we’re doing. That’s completely backwards.”
While the party intends to register as a municipal party in the next election, Sharp said the party will function differently from provincial and federal parties.
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She said Communities First would not serve as a “farm team” for parties at both the provincial and federal levels.
“When we talk about municipal politics and government, people just want you to do your job,” Sharp told reporters.
“If you ask the average person, they’re not looking for municipal parties to be under a banner, they want just want their potholes filled, their roads fixed, taxes low, and to just be sensible.”
Despite only five candidates announced Tuesday, Sharp said there are three more expected to be announced in the new year as the party plans to run candidates in all 14 wards and for mayor.
Each of the candidates in Tuesday’s announcement expressed concerns with parties at the municipal level, with Chabot’s statement saying the move is “by necessity rather than desire,” and Mar’s statement indicating he is “not a believer” in municipal political parties.
Wong, who has also been critical of changes to provincial legislation to allow parties in Calgary and Edmonton, said there are more advantages to running under a party banner — including increased spending and advertising over independent candidates.
“Under a party system, money can be raised and advertising can also be put out there,” Wong said. “In the party system, candidates will have a double whammy of opportunity.”
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek recently announced her intention to run for re-election as an independent, joining former councillor and mayoral candidate Jeff Davison and former Calgary Police Commission chair Brian Thiessen in the mayoral race.
With the campaign beginning to take shape on council, Gondek said it’s council’s responsibility to balance governing and campaigning over the next year of their term.
“It is still our responsibility to make sure we’re making responsible decisions on behalf of Calgarians and that we are not so distracted by campaigns that we’re not doing the good work we were elected to do,” Gondek told reporters.
Communities First joins Thiessen’s Calgary Party and A Better Calgary Party as the only parties who have launched so far.
A Better Calgary Party, also a centre-right party, told Global News there are concerns over vote splitting amongst conservatives and is urging collaboration.
“What we have to do instead of creating disunity between different parties on the right, we have to work together, that’s the only way we’re going to do this,” said John Williams, A Better Calgary Party’s vice-president of fundraising.
The next municipal election is on Oct. 20, 2025.
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