Mayoral candidates squared off yesterday at a forum geared specifically around development in Calgary.
Of the 15 candidates for mayor, eight were on the panel, which spoke to a room full of those in the housing industry.
With the issue of urban sprawl on the table, many of the candidates talked about building up as well as out.
“It’s been framed as an either/or argument,” said Jon Lord. “We can have it all if we start working on creativity.”
Jay Westman, chairman of Jayman Master Built, said the relationship between builders and the current city council has been tumultuous.
“For 55 years, the city has been building new homes and co-operating, we never had an issue, and all the sudden in the last five, now we have an issue that we’re having this huge discussion about,” he said.
Following the panel discussion, candidate Barb Higgins said the next council needs to rebuild its relationship with developers in the city.
“We know that we have to move towards a sustainable model, we know that and the developers know that. We can’t create this good cop, bad cop thing,” she said.
