Living in and commuting through Ward 8, I see every day how important transportation is to our lives. Many of us rely on transit to get downtown, cycle or walk to local schools and businesses, or drive across the city for work and family commitments. That’s part of how our city has been built. But what we want in return is to feel like we have safe, reliable ways of getting around, and that our communities receive the reinvestment in the transportation options that we deserve.

Transportation is not about choosing one mode over another – it’s about having a choice to pick the best mode that works for you. Whether you’re catching a train, riding your bike, walking your kids to school, or driving to work, you should feel confident in how you get there. Right now, too many of those choices fall short.

The Challenges We Face

• Our transit service lags behind. The CTrain is a major success, but bus service is inconsistent and unreliable. If you can’t count on a bus to arrive every 15 minutes, it becomes a last resort rather than a preferred choice.
  
• Community streets feeling unsafe. Collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists remain too common. Mistakes happen, but they should not mean life-altering injuries or death.
  
• Cycling connections that are missing. Ward 8 has the greatest opportunity of any ward to be a cycling hub, but safe links between neighbourhoods, schools, and transit hubs are incomplete.
  
• Roads falling behind on maintenance. For many Calgarians, driving remains a necessity. Roads must be well maintained, cleared of snow, and designed to move traffic safely.
  
• Communities taking on more density. As Ward 8 grows, the pressure on every transportation option – walking, cycling, transit, and driving – will increase. Without reinvestment, congestion and safety risks will only worsen.
  
  

My Approach: Safe, Reliable Choices

Transportation should be about balance. We need to give Calgarians multiple ways to move around their city, and make each of those ways safer, more reliable, and better connected.

1. Public Transit that Works

Calgary has one of the best light rail systems in North America, but we haven’t matched that success with bus service. To make transit a true first choice, we must:

• Fund the Primary Transit Network immediately in Ward 8. To build stronger transit, we must focus funding on areas of high need and high use. Ward 8 communities need guaranteed buses every 15 minutes or better, 16 hours a day. Predictability and frequency is what makes transit usable and this starts in areas where it is used the most.
  
• Improve connections to transit hubs. Living close to the C-Train or bus rapid transit makes taking transit easy, but some Calgarians are just out of reach of these services. Utilizing smaller shuttle buses in neighbourhoods close to transit hubs and amenities with high frequency schedules running on short loops can affordably and easily connect more Calgarians to effective transit and the places they want to go.
  
• Match service to growth. As inner-city communities take on more density, bus routes and frequencies must grow alongside them. Growth should come with services, which is why we must create policy that sets targets for transit frequency and route availability as part of development plans to ensure Ward 8 neighbourhoods grow with the services they need.
  
• Collaborate with Calgary Transit staff and riders. Frontline insights are crucial to improving service reliability and communication. We can create better outcomes by including those who understand the work best.
  
• Extend the CTrain Free Fare Zone. The downtown free fare zone has been a huge success, but for some communities close to downtown, it is just out of reach. By extending this zone to include Sunalta, Kensington, and Franklin CTrain stations, we can easily and affordably open up transit to the communities that need it most.
  
  

With strong transit options, residents can move more freely, congestion eases, and neighbourhood streets feel calmer.

2. Finish the Green Line

The Green Line project is supposed to provide a critical north-south connection through our city, serving new riders in the southeast, and adding capacity to an already busy transit corridor along Centre Street North. 

Unfortunately, it has been caught in the middle of a game of political football. Multiple provincial governments and city councils alike have disrupted the project, leading to huge cost increases driven by uncertainty in funding and delays in construction.

At long last shovels are in the ground to build the first part of the southeast portion of the Green Line, but there are still big questions to be answered. Here is where I stand:

• We must build a Green Line that connects North and South together. The vision is one continuous ride from North Pointe to Seton, and I support that vision. A connected Green Line means a connected Calgary.
  
• We must strengthen our transit network to support Green Line’s success. This means making it easier and faster to connect from other LRT and bus lines, running adequate service to and from stations, and accessing transit by all modes: Walking, cycling, and driving.
  
  

The Green Line is about more than tracks and trains – it’s about shaping how Calgary grows for the next generation. We can’t afford more delays, and we can’t afford to build it poorly.

3. Safer Roads for Everyone

Nobody should feel unsafe walking in their own neighbourhood. Road design in Calgary has been focused on moving cars quickly, but we know that safer streets for everyone actually make communities stronger.

That means:

• Design for safety in every project. Whenever roads are rebuilt, incorporate features that protect pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.
  
• Traffic calming grants for Ward 8 Neighbourhoods. Families deserve streets where cars move slowly enough to keep children and seniors safe. That’s why we are proposing a community grant program directed towards neighbourhoods over certain density levels to provide temporary traffic-calming devices like bump-outs and speed bumps. With the city as a partner, community associations and residents choose where to install the infrastructure and become eligible for permanent infrastructure sooner.
  
• Invest in the 5A Network. Safe sidewalks, pathways, and safe crossings shouldn’t be an afterthought and need to take people where they want to go. Prioritizing connectivity between existing pathways to create a complete network where it already exists encourages more people to be active in their neighbourhoods and creates the foundation for a bigger network across the city.

Safer road design benefits drivers too. Slower speeds and predictable patterns reduce stress, improve flow, and prevent accidents.

4. Cycling Connections That Count

Cycling is more than recreation – it’s transportation. For kids, it’s often the only independent way to get around. For adults, it’s a healthy and affordable option. And for local businesses, it’s good economics – cyclists make more frequent stops and support neighbourhood shops.

Ward 8 has the most potential to be a cycling hub in Calgary. I will prioritize:

• Building safe cycling connections. Safe cycling routes between transit hubs, schools, community centres, and amenities saves lives and helps people of all abilities and ages travel safely and stay healthy.
  
• Creating routes designed with children in mind. The best part of being a kid is the freedom to get around safely. Encouraging cycling with our youth makes them healthier and builds independence. Families should feel safe letting kids ride to school or the park.
  
• Standardize bike lane design. Calgary doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to designing bike lanes. We can look to other cities that have had success and use what is proven to work. Standardized design creates consistency with cost and construction but also helps direct where bike lanes are built to ensure we get them built quickly, affordably, and without conflict.
  
  

5. Roads that Deliver

Driving is and will remain a vital part of life in Calgary. Many of us depend on our vehicles, and many more pass through Ward 8 every day. That means our roads must be maintained to a high standard and designed for reliability.

• Fix the basics. Fixing potholes and clearing snow make traveling easier and safer. As we add more people to existing neighbourhoods, we must ensure our roads are up to the task. Slowing the rate of outward growth with new communities will keep more money in our budget to maintain and manage the roads we use the most.
  
• Smarter design. Major construction projects and new developments that increase traffic in communities must integrate features that improve flow, reduce bottlenecks, and increase safety for all users.
  
  

Driving should always be a choice that feels reliable and safe. Our transportation system works best when driving is one of several good options available to Calgarians.

My Commitment

Transportation is about people. It’s about the parent who wants their child to cross the street safely. It’s about the senior who needs a reliable bus to get to the grocery store. It’s about the commuter who depends on their car to get across the city. Every Calgarian deserves safe, reliable choices.

As your Councillor, I will:

• Advocate for immediate funding and implementation of the Primary Transit Network.
  
• Ensure the work on Green Line progresses and benefits residents of Ward 8.
  
• Push for traffic calming and safety improvements in every Ward 8 neighbourhood.
  
• Expand the 5A Network and safe cycling connections across Ward 8.
  
• Support the redevelopment of transit hubs into vibrant, mixed-use spaces that improve safety and community life.
  
• Maintain and improve our road network so driving remains a reliable, safe choice.
  
  

Ward 8 is at the heart of Calgary. As our communities take on more density and serve as a crossroads for the entire city, we need reinvestment in our transportation options. With thoughtful leadership, we can build a city where every mode of transportation is safe, reliable, and connected.

Let’s keep Calgary moving – together.