Council

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: I am a business owner for over 10 years. I have also been on council the last 4 years.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: A Community Builder and Proven Leader... I am finishing my first term as Councillor. Appointed Committees: Audit, Housing and Homelessness, Central Alberta Economic Partnership, Westerner Exposition, Tourism Red Deer, Alberta Municipalities-Economic Strategy, and Mid-Sized City Mayors Caucus. I have earned the trust and respect of my colleagues on Council. Post Secondary Education: Business, Education, Administration and Corporate Communications I taught business and work experience at Lindsay Thurber and was Vice Principal at Hunting Hills. For 15+ years I was on the Senior Admin Team with Red Deer Public Schools ($125 million budget, 1,200 employees, serving 11,000 students and their families) as District Administrator, Corporate Secretary and Director of Community Relations, responsible for community engagement, communications, advocacy, board governance, crisis management and a number of special projects including the Foundation for RDPS I understand both administrative operations and elected leadership and their linkages. I am a business owner involved in commercial property and management. My skill set is strengthened by active community involvement, including: Red Deer College Board of Governors, AHS Health Advisory Council, Youth HQ, and the Red Deer Community Foundation. I am a Rotarian and a Friend of Optimists.

Christian Cométe: Decisive Leadership for Business Growth My military service required me to exercise decisive leadership under high-stakes pressure, prioritize safety, and lead diverse teams to achieve mission-critical goals. This experience provides the resilience and conviction necessary to tackle Red Deer’s toughest issues—from persistent public safety challenges to large-scale infrastructure decisions—without yielding to political pressure. Paired with this, my Business Development Perspective as an active Rotarian gives me a keen understanding of what entrepreneurs and investors demand. I know that attracting new business requires low taxes, streamlined processes, and a safe, well-maintained community. I will use my leadership skills to champion a results-oriented, business-first attitude at City Hall, ensuring we build a financially strong and safe city that businesses choose to call home.

Cassandra Curtis: •I completed a competitive public policy certificate program offered through the Maxbell Public Policy Training Institute (PPTI). Through the PPTI certificate program I received direct training and experience with policy advocacy and reform including the development of an active “ask” which was successful. •At PPTI I also learned how to engage with, and collaborate with higher levels of government to find and implement solutions. •I also have a Bachelor of Arts majoring in psychology (with distinction) from the University of Calgary. This is a competitive program that demands critical thinking and advanced analytical skills, robust research, and the ability to understand the limits of your own knowledge (metacognition). Metacognition is important in a city council role as it fosters intellectual curiosity and the openness to new information, rather than ignorance and egotism which leads to poor policy making and abuse of power. •For the last six years my career has been centered on collaborating with community corrections and correctional facilities, systematic navigation, and policy advocacy in the social sector. In this role, I have seen firsthand the systemic issues that are impacting community safety. I have succeeded in policy advocacy and closing gaps in the social sector and now aim to bring this skillset to the wider community as a city councillor. •I have committee and chair experience dating back to 2017. This includes: -chairing the High-Risk Youth Coalition (2017-2018) -operations team member of the Central Alberta Poverty Reduction Alliance (CAPRA) (2021-current). • In addition, in 2020 I founded a collaborative interagency in Central Alberta (Red Deer System Navigators) which now has over 330 members from the social sector, various institutions (medical, recovery, correctional) and government personnel from various levels of government, ministries, and departments. On average, 35-40 members meet monthly to discuss community themes, program and funding changes and how to support, navigate, and alleviate any respective barriers and gaps in services. -With the support of a skilled leadership team, whom I have onboarded, I plan the agenda based on community needs and themes. I chair monthly meetings both in-person or virtually. Through this I have developed leadership, asset mapping, government relations, and policy advocacy skills all of which are important skills to bring to the city council role. •I am an honouree for the 2024 Central Alberta’s 40 under 40. This nomination demonstrates my dedication to community and leadership.

Adam Goodwin: As a people and relationship-centered leader, my background demonstrates progressive development, including construction, operations, and leadership. I am as comfortable on the tools as I am in the boardroom. From dropping out of high school and working in the trades, getting more education as I moved forward, I now have an MBA that will bring a deep financial and operations acumen, a postgraduate diploma in neuroscience that I took to learn to be a better leader through understanding the brain, and a postgraduate in sustainability and energy transitions so I can find the value options hidden in the noise. I am currently the VP of Operations and Projects at a mid-sized company and the Chairman of the Board for Habitat for Humanity Red Deer.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: I’ve spent more than a decade working to connect Red Deer residents with what’s really going on at City Hall — serving on local boards, helping shape policy, and speaking up for accountability. That experience has given me a clear view of how decisions are made, where the process breaks down, and how transparency can be improved. At the same time, I’ve built and run a small business here in Red Deer for 15 years. Owning CGJ Tile has taught me to manage budgets carefully, deliver quality on deadline, and listen to the people you serve — the same principles taxpayers expect from City Hall. Because I live and work here with my wife and five kids, I see Red Deer from every angle — as a parent, a homeowner, a business owner, and a community volunteer. That perspective keeps me grounded. It means my decisions on council won’t be abstract; they’ll reflect real-world experience balancing limited resources, planning for growth, and protecting what matters to families and businesses.

Hans Huizing: As a teacher and school based administrator, I have worked with a variety of local and provincial organizations to promote and strengthen education practices and philosophies over the last 33 years. I am a community builder by being approachable and open minded, having clear and consistent communication avenues, and am able to create effective and efficient consensus among divergent interest groups. I believe that these skills will allow me to be an excellent councilor for the City of Red Deer.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: I have been a dedicated Red Deer City Councillor since April 2024, and a passionate community builder committed to making Red Deer a place where families thrive and opportunities abound. As a husband and father raising five children, and part-time executive coach, I bring a deep understanding of the challenges families and businesses face - rising costs, housing needs, and the importance of safe, connected neighbourhoods. Before joining council, I served as a board member for the Alberta Foster and Kinship Association and director for community associations in Highland Green and Riverside Meadows, showcasing my hands-on commitment to strengthening Red Deer. My volunteer work as a coach with Red Deer Pond Hockey and insightful commentary for outlets like the Red Deer Advocate have kept residents informed and engaged with City Hall. My leadership extends to uniting local leaders through summits and organizing initiatives like the student mock council meeting, fostering community pride and connection. Since taking office, I have been one strong voice on council, delivering results: voting against the 10.5% property tax increase to keep Red Deer affordable, doubling funding for community associations from $4,000 to $8,000 to empower grassroots builders, and joining the policing commission to enhance safety. As a member of the regional economic development board, I have supported transformative projects like the Connection Corridor highway and Capstone developments, while my advocacy to the provincial government keeps Red Deer’s priorities, like the hospital expansion, front and center.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: I bring over 10 years of experience in management, budgeting, strategic planning, logistics, and policy development. I've worked across all levels of government, which has given me a deep understanding of public service, accountability, and collaboration. My commitment to integrity and hard work has consistently helped me unite diverse groups around shared community goals. These skills and perspectives will enable me to lead effectively, make informed decisions, and foster strong partnerships that drive meaningful outcomes for the role.

Gail Parks: 10 years working for a Provincial Member of Parliament, (MPP) 10 years working for 2 different Federal Members of Parliament (MP), and 9 years as a Municipal Councillor. Serving the public was a requirement for 29 years, it is rewarding and life changing.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: Our number one issue in Red Deer is our financial situation. All other problems, such as safety, services, social, etc flow from the lack of ability to properly deal with the financial situations in our city. Over the past 4 years I have approached each budget with a swath of amendments, motions and proposals to cut down our expenses. Some have been accepted which has saved the tax payer over 2%, while most of the others were rejected which could have saved the taxpayer an additional 5%. As Chair of Audit Committee, I have been raising the red flags about our financial situation for the past 3 years. Most of my proposals and amendments were accepted a year later once administration took the time to break down my homework and spreadsheets. I will continue to push administration and council to work to lower expenses while we also advocating to other levels of government and searching for alternative routes to raise revenue other than putting the burden entirely on the tax payer.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: Smarter Spending, Sustainable Future Full and timely implementation and accountability for the Long-Term Financial Sustainability Plan (Roadmap) and the upcoming Community Services Master Plan (Compass). These will guide our service levels and spending decisions. Open for Business Support local economic growth through the new Economic Development Plan, driven by and for local businesses. It starts with a mindset of “YES”—removing barriers and making Red Deer a place where businesses want to invest, grow, and thrive. Welcoming and Safe Communities Everyone deserves to live, work, play, and thrive in Red Deer. That means prioritizing public safety—investing in policing, emergency services, and proactive solutions to social issues. Better Conversations We need to listen first, decide later. By involving residents, businesses, and Council early in the decision making process, we build trust and transparency. Better conversations lead to better outcomes. Team Red Deer Advocacy Red Deer benefits with a strong, united voice. We'll collaborate with other levels of government, partners, and industry to advocate for our city's priorities and needs, focusing on Red Deer made solutions for Red Deer challenges.

Christian Cométe: Red Deer's financial crisis is caused by poor revenue diversification and fiscal indiscipline, over-burdening property owners. My plan focuses on disciplined leadership and aggressive growth. I'll implement Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) and strict Capital Discipline to stop cost overruns. We must also Replenish Reserves immediately, as recommended by financial roadmaps, to safeguard against future crises. For long-term stability, we must aggressively Prioritize New Business Attraction (industrial/commercial) to expand the tax base. This means cutting Red Tape to make Red Deer the most business-friendly city in Central Alberta and maximizing returns from non-core assets.

Cassandra Curtis: Community safety. • Prioritizing emergency services; working with the on-the-ground experts to find solutions to staffing issues and overtime usage. • The lack of a permanent shelter (sober shelter beds) and housing is directly impacting emergency services ie. fires, medical issues, and crime. • Council needs to have more involvement in working alongside RCMP and community agencies to address community safety issues arising from our growing houselessness population. This collaboration will inform council so that solutions can be found and community needs can be advocated to other levels of government. Housing and diverse shelter options. • Sensitively building to meet market needs and demands to increase housing supply. Council needs to act as a liaison between residents and developers. • Advocating and working with levels of government to build transitional housing to support recovery initiatives and investments so those exiting recovery can be successful. Transitional housing will reduce the bottleneck for these services; right now our recovery community acts as both a long term treatment and transitional housing facility. • Appropriately zoning and collaborating with provincial government to build a permanent shelter with sober shelter beds with an onsite navigation centre. This will reduce foot traffic, ensure people in need get help when needed, and people are no longer seeking refuge in our parking lots and parks. Fiscal responsibility (i.e. Reserves are reserves and should not be funding current operations or projects) • Line by line budget review. • Prioritizing vital services and cutting waste. • Mapping out infrastructure and creating a timeline based on priority so that our city can continue to grow and critical infrastructure can ‘keep up’. • Reducing dollars spent on band-aids and addressing root causes. Accountability and Transparency in Municipal Governance • Residents need to feel as though their elected officials are listening and responsive to community needs. • Improvements in communications from the City of Red Deer are needed.

Adam Goodwin: Red Deer is facing numerous problems, and a common theme that underlies all of them is a need for strong leadership and accountability. I hope to bring leadership, communication, and processes to evaluate issues, as well as the humility to admit when something is not working, so we can identify the root cause and resolve it quickly. You can't improve the downtown core without examining the policing and the inevitable effects on property values for businesses, which lowers the tax burden for companies and pushes it onto the citizens of Red Deer. And that is just the tip of the iceberg that needs to be examined.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: The biggest issues affecting Red Deer in no particular order are budgeting and taxation, communication, homelessness, emergency services, and how we manage growth. Our budget is out of step. The recent KPMG report makes it clear we need to get back on track. That means true line-by-line accountability, listening to frontline workers to find efficiencies, and ensuring our limited resources go to strong core services first. Communication must improve. Too often residents only hear about projects after decisions are made, which creates frustration and division. I want to change that by communicating earlier and more openly. I’ve been sharing updates through reels on my Facebook page throughout this campaign, and I plan to keep using modern tools after being elected to keep residents informed in real time. Homelessness. While it’s not part of my original platform, it’s the issue residents raise with me most often. To address it, I’ve written a paper looking at what’s worked in other countries and exploring potential solutions — available at calvinforcouncil.com/letters. Emergency services. Council approved positions but never funded them, which has led to costly overtime and, at times, shutting down Station 2. Residents are clear: that cannot happen again. We must fully fund emergency services so Red Deer families know help is there when they need it. Finally, growth and development. As someone who works in construction, I see growth happening every day. I support development, but it must be done in a way that strengthens Red Deer. That means protecting our heritage communities from blanket rezoning and ensuring new growth adds to the city rather than undermining what makes it special.

Hans Huizing: Health: advocate for an urgent care centre in northeast Red Deer Home: develop tiny home communities to help address the unhoused and homeless populations of the city and allow for the services that are needed for these citizens; it adds a rung to the property ladder as well, to allow families to purchase their own home at a reasonable price - one idea with two different types of communities Zone In: create a tech incubator in the central business district that would see the city provide microloans and dedicated workspaces to new start up businesses to enhance the diversification of our local economy.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: Red Deer’s biggest challenges are affordability, community safety, and restoring financial discipline. Since joining Council, I’ve voted against tax hikes, called for better spending oversight, and pushed for a balanced approach that keeps core services strong while respecting taxpayers. I believe we can address our financial pressures without burdening families and businesses — by focusing on efficiency, economic growth, and smart partnerships with other levels of government. I also believe that Red Deer has a unique problem - an inability to realize our potential. Red Deer sits at the crossroads of Alberta - between urban ambition and rural roots - and we can become the most strategically important mid-sized city in Western Canada. That means focusing on what makes us unique: our location, our people, and our ability to innovate while staying grounded. We need to manage smarter, cut red tape, and support responsible growth that attracts business, builds housing, and creates opportunity - without losing the small-city character that makes Red Deer home. By embracing that balance, we can build a city that truly is, as I’ve said before, the most Albertan place.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: As someone who lives, works, and invests in downtown Red Deer, I've witnessed firsthand the pressing issues affecting our city. Homelessness and addiction continue to impact public safety and community well-being , especially in the downtown core. While crime rates have dropped by 20% compared to previous years, safety concerns remain a priority. The rising cost of living and increased rent prices are straining residents and small businesses . Housing growth in Red Deer still lags behind other mid-sized cities, making affordability a growing concern. Additionally, the city's use of reserve funds without adequate long-term preservation planning raises financial sustainability issues. Parking challenges downtown also affect business viability and discourage foot traffic. I would approach these issues by promoting collaborative strategies between government, community organizations, and local businesses , focusing on housing advocacy, addiction support services, responsible budgeting, and infrastructure improvements that support economic development and public safety.

Gail Parks: Crime, affordable housing, first responders, financial spending, and our own police force. Crime throughout our city is out of control, I believe a municipal police force working the streets downtown would make a considerable difference. We must over staff our fire stations to reduce overtime and to keep our officers and community safe. It is time to look at tiny houses, modular homes and any other type of housing that meets the needs of low income earners and the homeless as well. Future development could lead the way to this kind of diverse housing. We must have a budget that is line by line, and not a service plan. The culture of spending is not sustainable and taxpayers have a right to expect council's respect for their hard earned dollars.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: We are way above our scope as a city. This has added to our challenging financial situation as we often try to be the answer to everyone's problem. The city is in so many areas outside our jurisdiction that it worries me greatly. Our core services such as roads, utilities, safety, parks and rec are all the areas we should be involved in. When we expand that role we end up asking more of the taxpayer.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: The City of Red Deer delivers core services that directly impact our lives every day including: Utilities: water, wastewater, stormwater, landfill, and electricity Public Safety including policing, emergency services response and social issues Parks, Recreation, Community amenities, the Environment and related programming Planning, Licensing, and Inspections Roads, Snow and Ice, Transit Creating and enabling conditions and services that result in a thriving, vibrant city Strong, transparent governance Community development and direction—knowing who we are, building on our strengths, and addressing challenges. Prioritize primary, secondary and tertiary services in allocating resources. Stick to municipal responsibilities and hold other levels of government to account in meeting their responsibilities.

Christian Cométe: The core role of municipal government is efficiently delivering essential services (Public Safety, Infrastructure, Fiscal Management). I believe Red Deer currently does too many things, diverting resources and raising taxes. Implementing a ward system would restore focus by creating Local Accountability, forcing Councillors to prioritize core neighbourhood needs over "niche projects." My commitment is to fiscal discipline: advocate for Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) to fund the essentials first, exercise Fiscal Discipline on non-core projects, and Empower the Private Sector for initiatives outside the core mandate. My goal is to ensure City Hall excels at the basics.

Cassandra Curtis: • City council is also responsible for the fiscal management of the city’s operations and for directing city administration through bylaws and municipal policies. • Municipal governance (city administration) is responsible for operations in the community. • I am interested to read the City of Red Deer Community Master Plan final report to learn more about residents perspective on city services.

Adam Goodwin: Alberta municipal governments as defined by the Municipal Government Act (MGA) have very clear boundaries that include the following; Core Functions Local infrastructure (roads, bridges, water, sewer) Land use planning and zoning Waste management and recycling Police, fire, and emergency service, which needs work to ensure service at a proper rate Parks, recreation, and cultural facilities Economic development and business licensing, also in need of simplification and support Governance and accountability - heavy on the accountability will be my goal Transparency, public accountability, and annual financial reporting are mandatory, ensuring councils remain answerable to citizens. *This needs to be held higher than it is currently. Legislative Framework Municipal governments operate under Alberta’s MGA, which divides their responsibilities into: Planning and development Governance and administration Assessment and taxation Other relevant laws, like the Local Authorities Election Act and Emergency Management Act, guide election procedures and emergency response. Relationship with Other Governments Municipalities have considerable autonomy but operate within the legislative parameters set by the provincial government. They collaborate with provincial and federal bodies (which needs to be improved) on funding, shared services, and advocacy to address local priorities without duplicating higher-level responsibilities. Financial Management Municipalities are empowered to raise revenue through property and business taxes, grants, and service fees. Fiscal responsibility requires them to balance service delivery, infrastructure investment, and long-term planning while remaining sustainable and responsive to taxpayer needs. While admittedly, this is a text book style answer, I think Red Deer can improve by sticking to what we are supposed to do and stop trying to be everything for everyone. Get the right people doing the right things at the right time and the efficiencies will be found.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: The Municipal Government Act makes it clear that the role of a city is to provide good government, deliver essential services, and plan for the future. To me, that means keeping the basics strong — things like roads, utilities, police, fire, and parks — and making sure growth is managed responsibly. Right now, I believe the City is doing too much. Nothing shows that more clearly than the fact our taxes have gone up by double digits while core services are actually being reduced. When residents are paying more but getting less, that tells me City Hall has lost focus. My approach would be to bring us back to the fundamentals. Let’s get core services right first — the things people depend on every day — and then make thoughtful choices about what comes next.

Hans Huizing: To create a stable environment for families, allowing them to be financially viable in their own home, in neighbourhoods that are safe, serviced and meeting their needs. Ice rinks: lots; plowing the streets: not so much - it depends on what Council thinks the priorities are and I feel that many citizens are not feeling that they are being heard at the moment.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: Municipal government should focus on the basics: keeping our streets safe, our infrastructure reliable, and our taxes reasonable. Too often, cities take on responsibilities that belong to the province or federal government, stretching resources thin and driving up costs. We need to stay focused on core services and do them exceptionally well.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: Red Deer is not currently aligned with other cities of similar size in terms of meeting the needs of its citizens. While the City does important work, there are still gaps in areas like housing affordability, addiction support, infrastructure investment, and downtown revitalization. To better serve residents, the City must prioritize long-term planning, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that services and spending reflect the evolving needs of the community.

Gail Parks: The roll of municipal government is to provide services such as roads, bridges, water & sewer utilities, fire and police, facilities that house libraries, recreation centers, and Olympic size pools( a wish list item), public transit and financial stewardship. The City has done many things right but as always there is room for improvement.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: Way too high. We were the highest in Alberta last year. It still bothers me to this day.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: Compared to other similar Alberta cities, Red Deer’s property taxes are competitive and about average. Considering our financial sustainability goals—and the need to manage City finances, reserves, and debt—they’re likely just about right. That said, this will remain an important question as we implement the Long-Term Financial Sustainability Plan (Roadmap). Stronger community engagement will be essential to ensure we strike the right balance between service levels and affordability.

Christian Cométe: Red Deer's high property taxes are a symptom of poor fiscal discipline and stagnant revenue. I oppose large tax hikes; the focus must be on aggressive cost control and proactive revenue generation. I will implement Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) and strict Capital Project accountability to prove efficiency first. The long-term fix is broadening the tax base. This means prioritizing Commercial Growth by attracting large-scale businesses, cutting red tape, and ensuring user fees cover service costs. We must also intensify advocacy for senior government funding to shift non-core burdens.

Cassandra Curtis: • The city of Red Deer has some of the highest property taxes in Alberta. This is not sustainable for many and will impact our city’s growth (population and economy).

Adam Goodwin: Whether they are too high or not is a moot point at this stage. My goal is to keep them there for several years by diversifying income and making Red Deer more shovel-ready for big organizations and attractive to small and medium-sized companies by creating areas ready for development, cutting regulatory processes, and implementing a "ready for business" package that will help navigate the intricacies of multi-level authorizations. Property tax increases are the last lever we need to pull.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: Property taxes in Red Deer are significantly too high. We’ve just come through two massive increases back-to-back, and residents are feeling the impact. In fact, I warned as far back as 2023 that we were on track for a 42% increase over five years, so the double-digit hikes we’ve seen have unfortunately not been a surprise. The challenge is that the 10.5% increase we all talk about isn’t even the full story — the City has also been drawing down reserves, leaving us with fewer options to balance future budgets. That means the next council will inherit a difficult situation. I believe we need to get Red Deer back on track with disciplined, line-by-line budgeting, focusing on core services, and cutting waste. It won’t be fixed overnight, but if we stay committed, it will be worth it. Residents deserve to see their taxes respected and their money going to the services they rely on most.

Hans Huizing: Right now - too high.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: Property taxes are too high. Families and businesses are feeling the pinch of rising costs across the board. I’ve consistently voted against unnecessary increases and believe the City must do more with less — prioritizing needs over wants and putting Red Deer residents first.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: In my opinion, property taxes in Red Deer are high, but the value they provide is important. However, taxes should not force homeowners to work multiple jobs just to cover basic expenses. During COVID-19, the City offered zone-based tax relief, which was helpful—but going forward, we need to balance the budget responsibly to avoid further tax increases and ensure long-term affordability for residents.

Gail Parks: Taxes are too high, we must find a different revenue stream or spend less.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: In absolute terms we should never spend above inflation or population growth. We have been doing that for close to 10 years and that is why we are in the poor situation we are in.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: Again, meeting the needs of the Long Term Financial Sustainability Plan, taxes should increase by the rate of inflation and population growth, balanced with service reviews to meet our sustainability plan

Christian Cométe: Spending must increase by less than the combined rate of inflation and population growth to solve Red Deer's financial crisis. This fiscal restraint is essential for three reasons: Closing the Structural Deficit: It prevents locking in the existing deficit, which is crucial for replenishing critical financial reserves (like the Operating Reserve) and funding infrastructure backlogs highlighted by reports like the KPMG review. Forcing Efficiencies: A "below-zero" spending mindset compels Administration to adopt Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB). This forces them to prioritize core services (Public Safety, Infrastructure) and actively eliminate waste and duplication across all departments. Enhancing Economic Competitiveness: Fiscal discipline makes Red Deer more affordable and signals stability to the business community. This stability is key to attracting the new commercial and industrial investment necessary to grow the tax base and solve the revenue problem. In short, the City must tighten its belt while simultaneously working to aggressively increase its income, requiring decisive leadership to choose efficiency over the status quo.

Cassandra Curtis: • Spend less in absolute terms if at all possible. However, given tariffs and inflation, our economic situation in Canada may be severely impacted. If spending less in absolute terms is not possible, working hard to ensure increased spending is inline with the rate of inflation and population growth should be prioritized.

Adam Goodwin: We should never exceed the rate of inflation by any means. The most important objective is to find efficiencies in what the city does to offset any increase in spending that would have occurred. Hold spending while making things more efficient is exactly what any business would have to do. While the city is not a business, they must work towards business and operations excellence and cut waste relentlessly.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: When we talk about spending, I believe the right way to look at it is on a per person or per household basis. Red Deer is growing, and a growing city will naturally have a larger overall budget. That’s not a bad thing — growth helps share the cost of services and can ease some of the pressure. But if we don’t rein in spending on a per-household basis, we’ll continue down the same unsustainable path. The recent KPMG report shows Red Deer heading for much higher debt and significant tax increases if nothing changes. That’s why runaway spending has to stop. I’ve gone through the budget, and ideally I would like to see below inflation tax increases. But I also recognize the financial challenges created by past councils. Realistically, I will push to keep future increases limited to inflationary levels over the term — which is a far cry from the 6.5% annual hikes the KPMG report warns we’ll face if we stay the course.

Hans Huizing: Increase spending but by less than the rate of inflation and match population growth as the city is growing; we need to plan for this growth and not just let things happen. This is one of the reasons that we have had double digit increases in the past two years due to a lack of financial vision and planning.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: The City must show restraint. Spending should never grow faster than inflation or population. We need to restore fiscal balance by identifying efficiencies, re-evaluating priorities, and ensuring every dollar delivers value.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: Over the next four years, the City should avoid overspending and protect reserve funds, while increasing spending strategically—at or below the rate of inflation and population growth. Investments should focus on economic growth, job creation, infrastructure, affordable housing, hospital access, public transit, safety, education, sports, culture, and tourism to meet community needs responsibly.

Gail Parks: The City needs to find ways to spend less, working with what we have in order to reduce our debt. A tough challenge.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: We need to replenish our reserve accounts and stop pulling from them for items that aren't emergent needs. Our reserve account went from $30mil to negative $5mil in just 4 years. Without a reserve account we run a massive risk if there is an upcoming emergency. The issue isn't sending our positive variances into a reserve account, the issue is pulling that money from the reserve account for wants and not needs.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: Budgets and financial reporting need to reflect estimates, actual amounts and be adjusted based on results. Reserve Funds are a key part of the City’s finances. The Operating Reserve-Tax Supported (ORTS) and other Reserve Funds are below sustainable levels and must be built up for the purpose they are directed to. Progress is happening on this. There are clear policies on surplus funds going into reserves as well as the use of those funds that require Council approval. This is essential for the financial sustainability of your City

Christian Cométe: Saved municipal funds should not be returned via rebates but must first fix fundamental financial weaknesses. The priority is to Replenish Reserves immediately. Surpluses must be allocated to critical, underfunded accounts like the Operating and Capital Project Reserves, which act as essential municipal insurance. Once reserves are funded, subsequent savings should go into a Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve. This fund will reduce future tax hikes, providing a fiscally sustainable benefit to taxpayers. To ensure discipline, I mandate a strict Council policy on surplus allocation and public quarterly reporting.

Cassandra Curtis: • If money is left over it should be saved in reserves for emergency situations or reduce debt. Reserves are reserves and should not be regularly utilized to fund projects and operations.

Adam Goodwin: If there is money left over, it should be put away. Rebates back to people are often too small to move the needle and cost too much to administer. Surpluses will be subject to strict use guidelines if I am chosen and can get a bylaw through that mandates a deep-dive into any budget surplus or shortfall that exceeds 20% (or somewhere near there based on further research) because that indicates a gap in the forecasting and budgeting.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: This is a great question, and it hasn’t been more obvious than with the millions saved after the removal of the carbon tax. Where did those savings actually go? Residents deserve to know. Believe it or not, my answer isn’t simply “spend it” or “rebate it.” To me, it starts and ends with council communicating honestly with the people of Red Deer. Citizens can’t speak up if they don’t even know savings exist. Council should be saying: “We just saved X amount of dollars on this project — how would you like to see that addressed?” The answer should come from the people, because councillors are elected to represent their voice, not administration’s convenience. To get there, we need stronger policies and transparency. Right now, too often savings are quietly buried in reserves until the next budget cycle. Instead, council should be informed immediately when savings are found, and residents should be part of deciding whether that money goes toward paying down debt, reducing future taxes, or funding critical priorities.

Hans Huizing: There needs to be greater transparency with the budgeting process of the city. Town Halls about the needs of the city should become a common practice. If efficiencies are found, they need to be used to enhance the city in areas that may have been deficient but that may also include a type of rebate if there was actual financial planning in the first place.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: We need strong reserves to protect against emergencies, but reserves shouldn’t become a slush fund. Surpluses should first go toward rebuilding our financial stability - and once reserves are healthy, we will need to make sure all of the City’s long term liabilities are taken care of, we have a growing infrastructure deficit that will need to be addressed in the future.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: The City should invest leftover funds from the previous year into a reserve account, with full transparency to citizens. These funds should be preserved for future needs and the next generation, rather than spent immediately or returned through rebates. Responsible saving builds long-term stability.

Gail Parks: If there are unspent budget dollars, I think it should be placed in asset replacement accounts, as by law, it is important to fund future needs.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: Housing is a Provincial and Federal issue. Yes, we all understand the need for affordable housing and it is up to us to allow builders to get into areas and build without adding layers of red tape, but it is not up to us to try and solve the housing crisis. There are some subsidized programs, but we can not afford to continue to go any deeper into this issue.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: Affordability is defined as up to 30% of before tax income spent on housing, which is an increasing challenge for many. Part of affordability can be achieved through market conditions with planning, zoning and densification. Enhanced Building Codes/Energy Efficiency have also increased costs significantly. Housing, and potential subsidies are both a provincial and federal responsibility (not a municipal role) we need greater support that aligns with “Made in Red Deer Solutions. Expect increased housing, but let us do it OUR way. We also need to look at neighbouring communities, our competition, that have seen significant growth--why are we missing out? Improve processes within to grow Red Deer. We need a full business case review of the Land Bank and the City's role in development.

Christian Cométe: "Affordable housing" means costs under 30% of income. To fix Red Deer's 3,600-home deficit, a dual approach is required. The City's primary role is Market-Wide Cost Control. This means increasing density, cutting red tape (zoning), and ensuring Infrastructure First to accelerate supply and lower overall building costs. Concurrently, we need a Safety Net. The City must donate land to non-profits and aggressively seek federal/provincial funding for supportive housing and rental supplements to protect the most vulnerable.

Cassandra Curtis: • Housing subsidies and “social housing” are allocated by provincial dollars. • Council should work in collaboration with, and advocate to, other levels of government in respect to permanent supportive housing and transitional housing funding to support provincial recovery initiatives in our community to increase the success of these programs and investments. • Council will also need to appropriately zone locations to support these housing projects and initiatives. • Red Deer needs housing supply in general so that people can find homes, and so the hospital can be built and staffed. Our city also needs diverse housing options so that our housing stock supports market demands (ie. row housing, duplex, townhomes) as this will allow first time buyers an opportunity to enter the market.

Adam Goodwin: Affordable housing is an important issue, for sure. As the Chairman of the Board at Habitat for Humanity, Red Deer I put my money and my time where my mouth is. We as a community can build affordable housing that gets people into ownership and out of what can often be a predatory rental situation. The city can help. They made a bold move by selling a lot to HFH for half price and getting another build underway. The economics had to make sense as well though. This lot was empty for years and it was a win-win to make it happen. Finding situations like that are paramount to improving the housing situation. Careful analysis must be done, as rent subsidies can often backfire and lower the standards for all renters as it removes the pressure of landlords to keep rents low by artificially inflating the rate. Options for home ownership are the best to explore for many reasons. Reasons that start with the stability that makes a base for improved mental, physical and financial health.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: I believe the City’s role isn’t to get into direct housing subsidies — that model is unsustainable. Instead, we need to work alongside developers and make affordability a key priority from the start. Too often, the way we currently plan and design neighbourhoods drives prices up rather than keeping them manageable. I would like to see a test community built here in Red Deer to measure how much savings we can unlock simply by changing the way we design and plan new developments. If we can show that smarter planning keeps costs down, that’s a lesson we can scale across the city. At the same time, homelessness is a real challenge in our community. But the solutions require provincial infrastructure and resources, not endless municipal subsidies. What the City can do is advocate, partner, and make sure our local policies don’t make the problem worse. That’s why I’ve written about exploring ideas from other countries — you can read that paper on calvinforcouncil.com/letters. For me, affordable housing means creating conditions where families at every stage of life can find a place in Red Deer — whether that’s renting an apartment, buying a starter home, or downsizing later in life. That requires smart growth, better partnerships with developers, and provincial support for those who need it most.

Hans Huizing: Affordable housing is specifically about low income families putting a roof over their head. The city needs to be a part of this process. The focus right now seems to be on creating more rental units but rarely are they developed for families that are looking for affordable housing. The city should create a framework where all of the social service and community housing groups come together to develop truly affordable housing. I would also proposed a model where bylaws are created to allow for tiny home zoning as this does not exist yet in the city. We should model ourselves on other successful models like Housing First Regina or the tiny home community for veterans in Calgary.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: There are two different things that we are talking about when people say affordable housing - housing that people can afford, which is a different level for everyone and subsidized housing. Both need to be addressed differently. Housing that people can afford starts with reducing red tape and letting builders build. The City’s role is to make approvals faster and land use more flexible - not to take on roles that belong to the province or the private sector. Red Deer currently has a supply issue; we are not seeing nearly enough houses built for the number of people that are moving here. Some estimates say that currently, half as many houses as we need are being built. Subsidized housing is best left to other levels of government and the non-profit sector. The City’s role should be on building those relationships and advocating for more support for our community, rather than directly supporting and subsidizing housing.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: Affordable housing means that everyone—seniors on pension, people with disabilities, newcomers, and those on fixed incomes—can afford a safe place to live. It also includes fair property taxes and mortgage rates to support homeownership for young families and individuals. I believe the City should offer targeted subsidies for low-income renters, while also supporting job training and skill development to help residents achieve long-term stability.

Gail Parks: Build diverse types of housing that do not already exist in the City. Getting out of the road for development to grow their industry and involve the County as partners in shared subsidizing some form of housing. Lowering the price of land could be an incentive for builders.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: Union negotiations are part of the role of our administration. We supply mandates and set negotiation limits, but it is not our role to get involved in the union discussions. That is well beyond governance.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: There is a long history of union representation of the City's employees by four unions as well as exempt staff (management). The roles, responsibilities, skills, qualifications and market for employees is wide and diverse and they play an important and vital role in City operations. Human Resources costs are a significant part of the budget. Equity among the employee groups must be considered. Administration is given mandates within the budget process, for collective bargaining. While challenging, they generally meet those mandates with salaries and benefits reflecting market rates.

Christian Cométe: I view public sector unions as essential partners for stable, high-quality services. To ensure fiscal responsibility, the City must be disciplined and data-driven: Set a Firm Mandate: Council must establish non-negotiable financial limits, covering Total Compensation, before bargaining begins. Use Data: Base negotiations on benchmarking against peer cities to ensure competitiveness. Seek cost-neutral efficiencies in agreements. Ensure Strategy: Advocate for longer-term agreements (4-5 years) for budget certainty. The goal is a fair, informed, and fiscally responsible agreement.

Cassandra Curtis: • Certain benefits such as flex time, or hybrid schedules, could offer other bargaining opportunities. Part time positions to fill in gaps may also help to reduce costs. Schedules like this may be more desirable by workers who have children (reduces childcare costs) • Arbitration could cost more in the long-run. Communication is key.

Adam Goodwin: Public sector unions are important to the city's operations. They maintain a standard of conditions for the staff and are there to ensure proper levels of productivity from the front line staff. I think negotiations are about getting all the information and stakeholders to the table. Find everyone's needs and work toward the goal. We have to remember that we are at the table with each other, not against each other. As governance, we are not involved directly with the negotiations and should not be. We can make sure good processes are followed and audit to ensure training for all the key players.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: I respect the role public sector unions play in representing their members, and I also recognize that our frontline staff — from firefighters to road crews — are the people who deliver the services Red Deerians rely on every day. Listening to them is often the best way to improve efficiency and effectiveness. That’s why I want to modernize the way negotiations are handled: not just talking to representatives at the table, but finding ways to hear directly from frontline staff about what’s working, what isn’t, and what changes could make their jobs more manageable. At the same time, there has to be a balance. Workers deserve fair, inflationary increases that keep pace with the cost of living, and taxpayers deserve protection from being taxed beyond inflation. Red Deer cannot afford contracts that outpace our economic reality. My goal is to strike that balance — fairness to workers, accountability to taxpayers, and a negotiation process that is more open, practical, and connected to the realities on the ground.

Hans Huizing: As a former member of the bargaining unit of the ATA, negotiations are always a matter of give and take. Each side needs to give, each side needs to communicate their needs, wants and concerns clearly and respectfully. City workers are also citizens; as a councilor/negotiator, we need to understand that this is their livelihood but we also need to be cognizant that they are tax payers like other citizens.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: I deeply respect the work of our frontline staff who keep Red Deer running every day. The best ideas for efficiency and improvement often come from the people doing the work - and part of “doing the next simple thing” means listening to those voices. Good ideas on how to be more effective and more efficient are more likely to come from frontline staff than from high-priced consultants. But we need a culture that is willing to listen and willing to try new ideas. Council’s role is to set clear, responsible mandates that value workers while protecting taxpayers. Fiscal sustainability must be non-negotiable, but respect and collaboration should guide how we get there.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: Public sector unions play an important role in representing workers, but negotiations must be fair and fiscally responsible. I will work closely with Council, the Mayor, administration, and unions to ensure agreements are reasonable, transparent, and protect taxpayer dollars—so funds are managed wisely and directed toward community priorities.

Gail Parks: Union staff in the City are also taxpayers, working together to have open and transparent good faith negotiations. Do other municipalities compare with Red Deer.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: It is a combination of both, but I have told council and administration that if you have less revenue than expected you need to start by cutting expenses while trying to fix the revenue problem. You can't just keep trying to raise revenue without first cutting expenses, which is what the city has been trying to do for a number of years.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: The drop in reserves and rise in debt comes in part from extraordinary pandemic pressures and historic tax increases that did not keep pace with expenses. With the Financial Sustainability Plan (Roadmap) now in place, we must drive fiscal health through disciplined spending, improved forecasting, key performance indicators and smart long-term planning.

Christian Cométe: Red Deer's crisis stems from a structural deficit (spending growth > revenue growth), masked by draining reserves. The solution demands firm fiscal discipline: implement Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) and transparent Service Optimization to control costs. We must also stabilize finances by mandating Reserve Replenishment and prohibiting debt for operations. For revenue, ensure user fees cover costs and invest in Strategic Tax Base Growth (commercial/industrial attraction) to relieve pressure on homeowners.

Cassandra Curtis: • Given world events (world-wide pandemic shut down) impacting property and business tax revenue and profits, along with city owned facility profits. Ultimately, the revenue of the city was impacted. Meanwhile the GH Dawe was being re-built, city hall was being renovated. The combination of the high spending and low revenue contributed to the situation today; along with limited to no property tax raises. • Work needs to be done via line-by-line budget to reduce high spending. Core services need to be identified and prioritized. A timeline of needed infrastructure upgrades needs to be created and budgeted for so that the city can grow without issue. City budgets may not need to increase given previous years accounted for a “carbon tax” which we no longer have.

Adam Goodwin: This is both a revenue and a spending problem that can be helped by strong leadership, experienced financial, and operations reviews. Setting hard objectives and key results while implementing a standardized management system across the city leadership will start down the path to operational excellence. While this is a big issue, it will be in the top three to concurrently tackle in the early months of I am fortunate enough to gain the support of the people of Red Deer. My breakout of this issue is tied to so many factors that I could write a novel on it. The best approach is to set clear objectives and key results followed by monthly reviews of progress.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: The fact that Red Deer’s operating reserve has gone from a $40 million surplus in 2020 to a $5 million deficit in 2024 shows this is first and foremost a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Taxes have already gone up significantly, yet instead of strengthening reserves, that money has been spent. That’s why one of my core commitments is to Target Wasteful Spending. We need a true line-by-line review of the budget to identify where money is leaking out of City Hall. A big part of that is listening to our frontline staff — the people actually delivering services every day — because they know where inefficiencies are and how to fix them. Pairing their insight with stronger oversight means we can cut waste, stop costly overtime, and make services more effective. By focusing on spending within our means, eliminating waste, and restoring discipline, we can rebuild reserves, stabilize debt, and protect taxpayers from more runaway increases.

Hans Huizing: Considering the recent tax increases, I can only see this as a spending problem, but I also know that there is a provincial component to this issue. Many of the funds that the city relied on from the province were not made available yet the city continued to spend. It is either advocate clearly for these funds or find other areas that could be delayed or scraped to make up the difference.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: It’s primarily a spending problem. We can’t keep trying to raise revenue while expenses grow unchecked. I’ve voted for budgets that rein in costs and focus on essentials. Red Deer needs a disciplined financial plan that protects reserves and ends the cycle of short-term fixes.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: I believe this is both a revenue and spending problem, and it's unacceptable. I would immediately focus on increasing revenue through diverse economic streams, while implementing a carefully measured budget that meets community needs, controls overspending, and rebuilds reserve funds to ensure long-term financial stability and growth.

Gail Parks: This is a spending problem. Stop overspending, follow the budget.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: We have to get our overtime expenses under control. Compared to other cities across the province, we have the worst overtime expenses by millions of dollars. We understand the need of public safety and we have to come to a better conclusion with the union. Dynamic staffing was the best solution to solve the overtime crisis. Now that we have done good work to get that under control, I believe it is time to go back to the drawing board and find some common ground to elevate safety without going back to the old model of overtime spending. There is a middle ground solution in there, I just have not heard it yet.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: I am fully committed to resolve this issue through the regular negotiation processes rather than being a pivotal and divisive election issue. Emergency Services is responsible to ensure public safety, being both sustainable and providing service excellence. It should be informing to taxpayers...that having a full understanding of the many complex issues related to this matter, and that following extensive deliberations given diverse perspectives among members of Council, that I and my colleagues twice voted unanimously in favour having confidence with our Chiefs AND the current staffing model. We need to balance long term sustainability and appropriate safety standards. As an added note… the often referred to NFPA 1710 is an aspirational benchmark, not a mandated standard–it is informative, but met by few, if any, fire services in Canada. Red Deer Emergency Services meets or exceeds ALL required standards.

Christian Cométe: RDES's $3.2 million overtime cost stems from chronic understaffing, forcing reliance on expensive backfill instead of hiring permanent personnel. The "Dynamic Staffing" cut costs but sacrifices safety, creating conflict. The solution requires structural change: Shift to Permanent Staffing: Hiring full-time staff is cheaper and more sustainable than constant overtime. Data-Driven Deployment: Base any reductions on call volume and risk data to maintain safety standards. Collaborate: Establish a joint committee with the IAFF to rebuild trust and align budget decisions with public safety.

Cassandra Curtis: • I am hearing that RDES staff have been on leave and some have retired, and that there has been a shortage of staff for several years. Therefore those who are experiencing burnout, or are on leave, or are sick, mean that others are utilizing “overtime” to cover shifts. Dynamic staffing policy has now been implemented to reduce overtime costs but this has lead to station 2 shutdowns, or reduced staffing on station 2 trucks in service, and this in turn has increased burnout and safety issues for both the staff and the community. • I have had discussions with members about the possibility of other staffing models/schedules so that overtime and sick time will be reduced, staff will have better work/life balance, and those serving Red Deer feel safer and though they have the resources (manpower) needed to keep the community safe. Solutions need to be explored. This is a vital service.

Adam Goodwin: I have had the opportunity to speak with both current Council and Union Leaders, and I have formulated the following approach to address what I believe is a lack of listening and accountability within the city leadership. In my world of leading people, everything rises and falls on leadership, and I haven't seen the ownership yet. Shared Foundation: Both parties share common ground on fundamental facts, including Red Deer's call volume reality (over 8,000 calls annually), significant overtime costs ($3.2 million in 2024), and the need for sustainable solutions that maintain safety standards. The city has demonstrated a commitment to fire services, with a 73% staffing increase since 2007 (although all of those positions have yet to be filled due to bureaucratic issues and other challenges). Meanwhile, overtime costs have reached unsustainable levels compared to those of similar services. Keep in mind that the overtime numbers, which have been climbing for a decade, are the responsibility of city management, not the union or the employees. Evidence-Based Standards: NFPA 1710 and peer-reviewed research consistently support four-person minimum crew staffing based on fireground task analysis and safety outcomes. Studies show three-person crews experience 46% higher injury rates and significantly longer task completion times. However, the application of these standards must consider local risk factors, geography, and community service commitments. Dynamic staffing is an experiment that I would rather not see in my community. As an incident commander with ICS300 training, I can confirm that experiments like that go terribly wrong when they inevitably do go wrong. Safety and Equity Imperatives: Any overtime reduction program must include robust monitoring frameworks with clearly defined pause criteria to protect firefighter safety and maintain equitable service delivery across all neighborhoods. The brief establishes specific thresholds for near-miss incidents, fatigue assessments, and response time performance that would trigger immediate review. Collaborative Solutions: Bring key stakeholders to the table and consolidate all the information in one place. The union leaders I talked to have ideas and don't feel they have been heard. I can guarantee that there has never been an important decision that was made worse by sharing all the information.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: Overtime costs in Red Deer Emergency Services have been rising for years — this is not a new problem, and it is not a union problem. The real issue is staffing and budgeting. Council has already decided how many positions are needed, yet refuses to fund them. That lack of depth hits residents hard — nothing shows it more clearly than Station 2 being shut down. When positions aren’t funded, the only way to fill the gap is through costly overtime, which ends up costing taxpayers more in the end. It’s no different than in the private sector: if a business needs 10 people to run properly but only staffs 7, there will be constant overtime. It’s inefficient, it burns people out, and in this case, it directly impacts public safety. What makes it worse is when Council makes abrupt decisions without even talking to the union first, and then blames the union afterward. That’s irresponsible, and frankly, it’s a shame. What we’re doing right now is costing the City more. If we truly want to save money, how about we just hire the people we already know we need? That avoids overtime completely, it’s better for the community, and believe it or not, it’s actually less expensive.

Hans Huizing: Understaffing and overtime costs for RDES are connected in the escalating costs. If the funds had been planned out better and were used for more staff, there would actually be no deficit. Having certain members not available due to illness or injury results in someone else having to cover for them, and then the cycle continues, and even snowballs into an even greater problem.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: Public safety is non-negotiable, but we must make sure the cost is sustainable overtime. The current dynamic staffing policy in Red Deer is an example of top-down decision-making that has not listened to front-line staff. I believe the City needs to reset the relationship between Administration and Emergency Services. Rather than this policy, we need to find ways to ask the frontline staff for their ‘next simple thing’ to reduce overtime while maintaining staffing levels. From my conversation with them, there are changes to the system we can make to reach a shared goal of correct staffing and significantly reduce overtime.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: I’m committed to understanding the concerns of all parties—unions, administration, and elected officials—regarding rising overtime costs in Red Deer Emergency Services. I will work to find concrete solutions that ensure sufficient staffing, fully equipped emergency services, and a safe environment for both staff and the community, while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

Gail Parks: If we look to overstaffing in place of overtime, I believe we would save considerable dollars. It is safety first for me, take the politics out of this department, it is top heavy.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: I believe we made the right decision to close the OPS. It is one step of many that should start helping individuals on the road to recovery and hopefully also help business in our downtown and across the city to deal with less crime driven by addiction.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: I voted in favour of the closure of the OPS. The Public Hearing on this matter was challenging and heart-breaking given the lives affected directly and indirectly through addictions. While as citizens and a City, we see and face the consequences of addictions, the responsibility and mandate for action lies not with municipalities, but with the provincial and federal governments whose policies and funding need to address the causes and response to addictions, mental health, housing, criminal laws and justice issues. I believe this is an example where my priority for Better Conversations would have been productive throughout the OPS 'saga' in seeking trust and better solutions.

Christian Cométe: The Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) saga highlighted the conflict between harm reduction and a recovery-only approach, complicated by Council's lack of health jurisdiction. The central failure was the removal of the life-saving OPS before adequate recovery resources were fully operational. The lesson is that Council must lobby the Province (Recovery Alberta) to ensure a complete system exists: from harm reduction (staying alive) → detox → treatment → reintegration. A focus on recovery is critical but cannot substitute for immediate, life-saving public health services.

Cassandra Curtis: am pro recovery and believe everyone is capable of recovery. However, there is evidence to support harm reduction so that those who are not ready, or unfortunately relapse, do not die and/or overload our medical system. • That said, our OPS should have never been zoned where it was, and should not have been located across from a detox facility; other cities had OPS units right inside a hospital unit or near the hospital as it is a medical service. This would have prevented the physical proximity ‘triangle’ consisting of the intox shelter, OPS, and detox facility which is problematic. • Council created a motion to have the OPS removed (provincially funded); and the OPS was removed without having any form of replacement support in advance. Ultimately this is costing the municipality more in emergency services, police intervention, and has added more pressure to our RDES, hospital ,and medical clinics. I think council needs to have some insight as to “what is needed” before removing “what we have” especially when asking a provincially funded service to be removed that will in turn cost the municipality more.

Adam Goodwin: While overdose prevention sites do cut deaths, they must be treated as a last resort. They are a band aid to a big, and growing issue of drugs getting through and limited enforcement of crimes. If the community feels this type of service belongs, then we have to be more careful about the placement and keep it away from areas where families and children will be. Shutting down supervised consumption sites marks the first time an Alberta community has fully phased out a supervised consumption service, in line with calls from Red Deer city council and a broader provincial transition toward recovery-focused addiction support models. While it is a complex issue and requires further study and practical ideas to alleviate the problem from law enforcement and the community, I am in support of the recovery method and working with people to get them the help they need.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: I believed the Overdose Prevention Site needed to be shut down, but there are lessons to be learned from both its opening and its closure. The way it was first introduced left many residents and businesses feeling blindsided, and the unintended consequences were serious. At the same time, closing it without a clear plan has created new challenges — most visibly, open drug use in public spaces has risen. The lesson for Council is that these issues cannot be solved in isolation or by quick fixes. Addiction is a complex, long-term challenge, and we need to work closely with the province to get ahead of it. Too much time spent on the street only deepens addiction and creates serious issues for the broader community. Red Deer needs provincial infrastructure and support that addresses recovery, treatment, and housing together — not just short-term stopgaps. This is something I’ve written about more fully in my letter on homelessness, which you can read on my website at calvinforcouncil.com/letters. What the OPS saga showed us is that we need transparency, collaboration, and long-term planning that balances compassion with accountability.

Hans Huizing: Quit kicking the can down the road and actually make a decision. What is worse than a bad decision? No decision at all because there is no clarity or accountability or ability to move forward. This still needs to be addressed and the process will begin all over because of a lack of ability or a reluctance to make a decision will now be left to the next council.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: I supported removing the drug consumption site because it wasn’t working for Red Deer. It failed to help people move toward recovery. I believe in compassion that leads to change - not policies that trap people in cycles of addiction. The lesson is that we need recovery-focused models that restore lives and keep our streets safe. We have to do what is right, even when it is unpopular with some people.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: City Council should learn to balance public health with safety concerns, support evidence-based addiction services, and involve all stakeholders before making major decisions.

Gail Parks: It was time to close the OPS site. Council should make decisions that are best for Red Deer.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: We have tried to pick a location for the past 4 years and looked at over 120 sites across the city. We proposed 4 different sites and were refused by both the province and the community. It is back in the hands of the province where it belongs. Ultimately a site will be chosen and wherever it ends up, there will be a large portion of the public that disagrees with its placement.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: The homeless shelter is fully a provincial responsibility, with the City having influence and control over zoning and land use which impact location. The provincial government has taken too long to confirm a service provider and with that, the service plan that respects our businesses and residents. The federal government is also responsible given it’s soft-on-crime, bail and sentencing provisions and dealing with the drug crisis we are in. I expect clearer direction on next steps from government following the election. With that, we advocate and influence for what's best for Red Deer solutions and decisions. BTW...Better conversations would be valuable in finding a Red Deer solution for the Homeless Shelter

Christian Cométe: My vision for a permanent shelter is a Purpose-Built, Integrated Service Hub operating on a Housing-Focused Model. The facility must be custom-designed with dedicated areas for onsite wrap-around services (health, mental health, and addiction support). Its primary function is triage and transition, quickly moving people into stable housing and resources. The site must balance accessibility with neighborhood impact by locating outside the hyper-congested downtown core. To end the five-year stall, the City must shift from a passive role to an active facilitator and partner on land use with the Province.

Cassandra Curtis: • City council is to zone and permit the shelter and will advocate to the province as to what services (and respective funding) is needed; non profits (funded through various sources and foundations) along with recovery AB, Alberta Health Services and primary care services (all of which are provincially funded) will also play a large role in providing services. There have been two (city tax dollar funded) facilitation sessions that have taken place in the last 6 years, both of which with similar reports as to “what is needed”. To this day, our city still does not have an established site to build a permanent shelter. • To support recovery initiatives, we need sober shelter beds and transitional housing. Having these spaces will also reduce the ‘bottleneck’ occurring at the Red Deer Recovery Community treatment facility as this facility also acts as transitional housing given the gap in service. • Given my experience in the social sector, I have seen many complete recovery (abstinence based) treatment or mental health programs and there are no other options for housing other than returning to our intox shelter. This puts a person in crisis and triggering (dangerous) situation and does not support recovery or success. • I envision a shelter with sober beds, detox and intox beds, and (recovery/sober) transitional housing beds either onsite or within community (scatter sight). • This shelter will have a social sector navigation centre built inside so that foot traffic to access services in the city is reduced. The convenience of having these services offered internally (or a space for agencies to come onsite to work privately with a person) will also reduce the incidence of frostbite, and other medical situations due to the need to travel in harsh weather conditions.

Adam Goodwin: It's important to remember what the city is supposed to be doing and not try to be everything to everyone. There are duties required whether the city operates the shelter or not, and they must be kept separate from the obligations if we elect to operate it. The decision to operate one ties us to some pretty substantial commitments that we are not in a place to meet, and therefore would risk doing more harm than good. In my mind it is the primary responsibility of the province, however, there is less desire from the provincial government to fund such endeavors. Here is a breakout from my research that clearly shows the amount of work involved. 1) Duties that apply whether or not the City operates the shelter a) Land use & permitting (planning law). Process landâ€_x0090_use/zoning and development/occupancy approvals according to the Municipal Government Act (MGA), the City’s Land Use/Zoning Bylaw, and any Council-set processes (public notice/hearings where applicable). Red Deer has explicitly required a development permit for the temporary shelter site and related capacity changes; Council is the Development Authority for that use on that site. b) Building & fire safety (Safety Codes Act). Enforce Building/Fire Codes through accredited Safety Codes Officers; ensure inspections and compliance. Under the Safety Codes Act and the National Fire Code 2023 Alberta Edition, the owner/authorized agent must meet fire-code requirements; the City enforces. c) Public health coordination (Public Health Act). Work with Alberta Health Services (AHS) Environmental Public Health, which enforces housing/sanitation regulations and can issue health orders. Municipal bylaws must not conflict with the Public Health Act. d) Emergency management readiness (not shelter-specific, but relevant). Maintain a local emergency management agency, plan, training, exercises, and post-incident reviews under the Emergency Management Act and the Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation. These structures can be used during extreme-weather surges or other risks impacting shelter demand. e) Human rights compliance. Ensure that municipal decisions, programs, and permits do not discriminate in the provision of services/facilities; comply with the Alberta Human Rights Act (e.g., protected grounds include disability, gender identity/expression, etc.). (Shelter operators who receive provincial funding are also guided by provincial shelter expectations on inclusion.) 2) Duties if the City is the operator, landlord, or a funding counterparty a) Occupational health & safety (as employer/owner). Meet OHS Act duties (train workers, provide competent supervision, hazard controls, violence/harassment prevention, etc.). If the City owns/controls the facility, owner obligations also apply. b) Information governance & privacy (public bodies). As of June 11, 2025, Alberta replaced FOIP with the Access to Information Act (ATIA) and the Protection of Privacy Act (POPA). Municipalities must manage access requests under ATIA and protect personal information under POPA; health information should be held by an HIA custodian (e.g., AHS/regulated providers) where clinical services are involved. c) Procurement (if the City contracts operations or services). Follow the City’s procurement policy and applicable trade agreements when procuring shelter operations or support services, unless a valid exception applies. (City-specific policy citations would be added to a checklist for Council.) Alberta.ca d) Landlord/lease obligations (if City-owned facility). Ensure the premises meet building/fire code and public-health requirements; maintain safe conditions; cooperate with AHS and Fire on inspections/enforcement. 3) What the City is not legally required to do Operate or fund an emergency shelter: in Alberta, emergency shelter funding, standards and capacity planning are provincial responsibilities; municipalities may support/permit but are not statutorily obliged to run or finance shelters.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: The permanent homeless shelter has been stalled for over five years, and that alone tells us a hard lesson: what we are doing is not working. In a modern city like Red Deer, rough sleeping should not be the reality — yet it is. At the same time, the current shelter has too often been a dangerous place where crime is committed, showing that simply providing a roof is not the full answer. Ideally, we should be working toward a future where a shelter isn’t needed at all because real solutions address addiction, mental health, and housing together. This is ultimately a provincial responsibility, but it is delivered through municipalities. One of the biggest challenges is that provincial ideology too often shapes local decisions, leaving a gap between policy and what actually works on the ground. That gap has left Red Deer in limbo for far too long. The way forward is for the City to show leadership. Instead of waiting for the province to hand us the solution, Red Deer should develop a thoughtful, realistic plan of our own — built with community input, focused on safety and dignity, and grounded in the reality of what’s happening here. Then we can take that plan to the province, not just asking for help, but showing them a clear path forward that works for our city.

Hans Huizing: We need to model successful projects in other cities (Regina, Calgary, Houston, TX) to guide and inform the decision of what would work best for all community stakeholders. This is a shared responsibility between the citizens of Red Deer but also includes many provincial entities for funding, governance and support.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: The province is responsible for housing and shelter services, but the City has a role in facilitating community dialogue and zoning. Currently, we are waiting for the Province to share who will be the operator of the new permanent shelter, and then the City will work with the operator to find a suitable location. We have been waiting for an answer from the Province for over a year so this will be an advocacy issue for the new council that they will have to tackle right away. I support a provincial-led project that meets Red Deer’s needs and ensures safety and accountability.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: My vision is a safe, accessible, and permanent shelter that offers wraparound support services. The City must take a leadership role—working with the province, securing land, streamlining approvals, and engaging community partners—to ensure this long-overdue project moves forward without further delay

Gail Parks: I don't believe there should be a permanent shelter in Red Deer.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: I was hoping we would push harder to see the value in an open market and possibly sell it to a service provider if it made sense to do so. The MCC will offer better revenue to the city and allow utility upgrades to continue while staying at arms length from council. I think the MCC model is better than what we currently had, as we were at capacity as a department of the city.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: I supported the move to an Electrical MCC. Council had been working on this complex file for more than 2 years to evaluate and assess the options available with comprehensive and in-depth analysis for its business case. Electrical utilities are highly regulated assuring both Council and citizens quality services and competitive rates. We will be able to modernize our electrical utility and continue to provide dividends to the City. Currently, City Council sits as the Board of Directors for utilities. Recruitment of an MCC Board of Director with industry and professional skills will enhance strategic direction for utilities.We also retain the option to divest of the utility in the future, should a business case can be made.

Christian Cométe: Selling the Electric Utility to FortisAlberta is the definitive choice for Red Deer, guaranteeing financial security and consumer protection. The sale ensures Guaranteed Low Rates because Fortis falls under AUC regulation, unlike the current municipal utility. Crucially, the $200 million sale creates a trust fund that provides Stable, Higher Revenue of around $10 million annually—a risk-free income exceeding the current volatile dividend. Beyond revenue, the sale secures major Economic Investment, including potential corporate office jobs and an RDP training partnership, driving long-term growth.

Cassandra Curtis: • MCC will have associated costs to set up and manage; there is risk. However, the city maintains the assets. An MCC has potential for the municipality to earn profits back, or to be liable for costs if not successful. • I will be exploring this issue further and will be having more conversations with stakeholders to learn more.

Adam Goodwin: My take: This will create another level of bureaucracy and likely increase costs while reducing reliability and availability. All while making the ownership and accountability ambiguous, increasing administrative complexity, start-up costs, and the city’s ability to compete with large private providers. I want a plan to maintain the current configuration by implementing proper FMEA, replacement timelines, risk assessments, and efficiency improvements, taking all factors into account to ensure it is the most affordable solution with the greatest benefit. I have deconstructed the bulk of the plan and created a straightforward solution that keeps the ownership, increases reliability, and keeps the lights on. Here is the executive summary: Goal. Maintain the current City Department model and deliver better outcomes than the proposed municipally controlled corporation (MCC) by implementing a rigorous improvement toolkit, including FMEA, asset replacement timelines, quantitative risk analysis, and efficiency upgrades. All within existing bylaws and policies. Why this beats MCC (in the near term). Avoid start-up costs and churn. The MCC plan itself shows ~$4.1M in one-time setup costs, plus ~$3M in OM&A escalation by 2027; it also attributes ~2% (≈$1.1M) of a projected 11% increase in 2025 revenue requirements to the MCC structure. Keeping the department avoids those MCC-specific costs while we implement efficiency gains. Rates are set by the Council through the Electric Utility Bylaw 3273/2000 and Schedule “A” Distribution Tariff (Cost-of-Service). We use those levers to manage affordability and rate smoothing. Debt capacity remains governed by existing policy (MGA debt limit of 1.5 times revenue), which is a stable constraint we can work within while optimizing the utility’s capital plan. What this can deliver in 180 days. A system-wide FMEA and Asset Health Index; 2) a 5-year risk-based replacement plan; 3) rate & reliability KPIs with quarterly reporting; 4) procurement and operations efficiencies that self-fund improvements; 5) a City policy-compliant governance pack (no structural change needed) Warning!! It gets longer and a little boring from here... Clash Analysis (overlaps, contradictions, gaps) Overlaps to watch: Rate authority. Keep Council as the distribution rate setter via Bylaw 3273/2000; avoid parallel MCC rate mechanisms that could confuse accountability Financing signals. Work within MGA 1.5× revenue debt limit and City debt policy to stage capex (no new structure required) Contradictions avoided by staying as a department: Start-up/transition costs and OM&A uplift associated with an MCC (we avoid approximately $4.1M in one-time and MCC-specific revenue requirement adders). Gaps to close now: Systematic FMEA & asset health have not been formalized City-wide. Procurement cycle time and inventory turns lack explicit targets (policy is in place; metrics aren’t) Reliability KPIs not yet tied to rate filings/Bylaw schedules as thresholds. Cyber & data controls for OT/IT integration need a standard (NIST-like) cadence. Equity & affordability lens: Keep rate smoothing under Council; align with existing tariff and budget practices to minimize bill shock. 3–10-year second-order effects if we do nothing: Rising failure rates on aging feeders; more SAIDI/SAIFI, OT spend up, customer trust down; pressure to restructure later on worse terms. Supply-chain volatility; longer restoration times without strategic spares. Data/cyber incidents; reputational risk and insurance cost increases.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: This decision represents one of the biggest generational changes Red Deer could face, and unfortunately the process has been completely bungled. At this time, I am against moving forward with a municipally controlled corporation (MCC) because both council and the community were only ever presented with a narrow slice of the options. The scope that Administration was told to study was far too limited, leaving us with all of the risk but little of the potential benefit. A decision of this scale should have waited six months to become an election issue, giving residents the chance to provide a clear mandate on the direction we take. What I wanted to see was three scenarios laid out side by side: what happens if we keep things as they are, what happens if we move to a municipal corporation, and what happens if we sell it privately. My biggest curiosity is the potential sale, where residents could see immediate value in the hundreds of millions of dollars. But just as important, we haven’t even seen a proper case for simply maintaining the status quo — and without that, we cannot honestly say whether an MCC is in the best interest of residents. For me, this comes down to accountability and trust. Until all the options are clearly on the table and residents are included in the decision, I cannot support moving forward with an MCC.

Hans Huizing: Nope. This is pouring money into ancient infrastructure. The money will need to be spent but not in a way that is exactly the way it was before without any benefit to the average tax payer. The money spent on the electrical grid needs to have considerations for adding wind and solar power as well that remains in the hands of the citizens that paid for it while seeking for a partner to make this project viable and reasonable financially.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: I did not support moving utilities into a municipally controlled corporation. In the process, we failed to fully explore what divesting the utility would look like or what a partnership with private industry would look like. I felt like there was significant voices in our community that we had not listened to in this process, and the private sector could have much to offer us in terms of efficiency and savings to rate payers. But council did not have that conversation.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: I believe the City should carefully assess the costs and benefits before shifting utilities to a municipally controlled corporation. My preference is to keep utilities in-house, as it’s more cost-effective and ensures direct accountability to residents.

Gail Parks: If it is arms length from the City it could be good for our residents. The City must have a safety net if this does not work well.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: I would support a referendum. I would be interested to hear what the residents think. I have heard pros and cons to a ward system and ultimately I believe we need to hear what the voter thinks and go from there.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: Red Deer had a plebiscite in 2013 with 71.8% of the population voting “No” to a ward system. Lethbridge's plebisite results were close with 56% in favour. I believe Red Deer is best governed through an ‘at large’ system where decisions are made in the overall interests of the entire City rather than what might turn out to be good or bad for a particular ‘ward’. I don’t believe interests are different strictly based on geography. Citizens should consider many factors when voting who will best represent overall perspectives and needs of our entire City.

Christian Cométe: I strongly support a referendum on a ward system for Red Deer. Wards ensure direct accountability, fixing the current at-large system where responsibility for neighbourhood issues is diluted. A dedicated ward Councillor would be strictly answerable to their area, aligning with my platform. The Lethbridge lesson is clear: voters must decide fundamental democratic changes. A ward system also lowers campaign costs, helping local, grassroots candidates win. The benefits of localized representation and clearer accountability justify letting citizens vote on this crucial change.

Cassandra Curtis: • I think it could be beneficial to have council members assigned to specific wards/areas in the city so. However, I do not think it is beneficial to have localized elections as some of the areas of the city may be over-represented by potential candidates while others have a limited number of candidates running which would limit choice of representation. A localized election only allows for voters to vote for candidates residing in their area. I think it is important to have a strong city council and this can be impacted by a localized election; Having limited choice of representation in some areas, while other areas have several strong candidates competing, may negatively impact or discourage quality candidates from running especially in areas where there is a lot of competition.

Adam Goodwin: While on the surface, I am fairly agnostic to this one. It would make campaigning easier since we wouldn't have to get in front of tens of thousands of people, but that's not what it's about. It's about what is best for the people of Red Deer, so I did a bit more research on the pros and cons. After looking into it, I don't see a huge difference one way or the other, so I would have to go with the people if there were a referendum. What a ward system can improve (pros) Geographic accountability & clarity for residents. Each voter has “their” councilor, which can make casework and street-level issues feel more responsive and reduce the “represent everybody, represent nobody” problem common to at-large councils. Better descriptive representation for place-based communities. When neighborhoods (or ethnic communities that are geographically concentrated) can elect one of their own, councils often look more like the city’s map. Over decades of research, district elections have been frequently associated with improved racial/ethnic representation, particularly in areas where groups are clustered. Lower barrier to entry for new candidates. Campaigning in a 10–20k-person ward is cheaper than running citywide, which can broaden the candidate pool and reduce the advantage of name recognition. More even attention to all parts of the city. Wards help ensure peripheral or lower-turnout areas don’t get chronically outvoted by denser cores in at-large races. (General governance primers.) What a ward system can worsen (cons) Parochialism & “ward-boss” politics. Members may prioritize narrowly local preferences and trade votes (logrolling) rather than citywide solutions. One measurable symptom: new research links switches from at-large to districts with less housing construction, consistent with councilors giving more leverage to place-based opposition. Mixed results on equity depending on local geography. If underrepresented groups are dispersed rather than concentrated, drawing fair districts is harder, and representation gains may not materialize (the literature is mixed and context-dependent). Potential gender representation trade-off. Some comparative work finds that at-large systems elect more women than single-member districts, so a shift to wards can reduce gender diversity unless mitigations are designed. University of Houston Redistricting politics & ongoing admin cost. Wards require periodic boundary reviews to maintain equal populations. If map-drawing isn’t arms-length, you risk gerrymandering or perceived unfairness. (Primers discuss these governance risks.)

Calvin Goulet-Jones: Wards are not part of my platform, but I’m certainly open to the conversation. Red Deer has grown significantly in recent years, and it’s clear that certain parts of the city feel overlooked under the current at-large system. If the conversation moves forward, I believe residents should have the chance to weigh in through a proper process, possibly even a referendum. One model I would like to see considered is four wards with two councillors each. That structure gives people representation closer to home, while still allowing them to approach more than one councillor if they have concerns. I would not support eight individual wards — I think that risks narrowing perspectives too much for a city the size of Red Deer. Four wards of two councillors each would strike the right balance between local accountability and city-wide collaboration.

Hans Huizing: I would advocate for holding a referendum at the next municipal election about a ward system. There are not enough councilors that live in the north of the city and this area has been underrepresented for a long, long time. We do not need to have eight wards but we could have 2 counsellors from the north, 2 from the south, and 4 that would represent all areas. There should be a committee to discuss this and at least one town hall in each quadrant of the city to discuss the need or want of such a proposal.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: I would like to see a ward system that divides the city into quadrants and each quadrant has 2 councillors. Each ward would have a piece of downtown as city hall would be where all the four quadrants meet. Councillors would be required to have their permanent residence within the area they represent. This will lead to better representation of neighbourhoods and give councillors more skin in the game for the people they represent.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: Yes, I would support holding a referendum on introducing a ward system in Red Deer. It’s important to give residents a direct voice in how they are represented, and a ward system could improve accountability and ensure diverse areas of the city have fair representation.

Gail Parks: I fully support a ward system and I am open to holding a referendum. The election has shown how widespread our City is and how hard it is to reach all households. We are not able, as a single person, to reach all residents. A ward system would allow councillors to have a relationship with their voters, while still being available to the City as a whole.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.

Councillor

8 To Be Elected

Kraymer Barnstable: I am not affiliated with any parties, but in my platform I do state that I stand with conservative values. That does not mean I support every decision from either our Provincial or Federal conservatives, but I do hold traditional conservative values.

Gabriel Beck: No response.

Brandon Bouchard: No response.

Tristin Brisbois: No response.

S.H. (Buck) Buchanan: No response.

Bruce Buruma: I have been politically active in Conservative politics given my business and economic priorities. With that, I have built relationships that have helped advance Red Deer’s advocacy efforts. Related to this question...I am hesitant about municipal party politics that have been proposed and are being 'tested' in Edmonton and Calgary. Municipal politics is very local and ito a degree, less ideological.

Christian Cométe: I am running as an Independent candidate, but I am a long-time member of the Conservative Party of Canada. My conservative values shape my commitment to City Council: Fiscal Prudence: I prioritize taxpayer accountability, efficient spending, and focusing on core municipal services. Economic Growth: I will push to reduce red tape to encourage private investment and job creation. Strong Governance: I demand transparency, which is why I champion the move to a ward system for greater accountability.

Cassandra Curtis: I am honest when I say I do not affiliate with any one political party. I have voted differently in every election in my adult lifetime as I vote based on party leader, party priorities/platform, and based on current events. I consider myself a ‘socially progressive, fiscally conservative” candidate. I believe in, and value: -Hard work - Investing in things that matter and cutting waste which is often done by eliminating beurocracy and simplifying processes. -Being fiscally responsible and not spending reserves to fund projects and operations. - Having a vision for the future and being proactive rather than leading with reactivity. -Advocate and collaborate to find and implement solutions. This means consulting and collaborating with community experts and other levels of government when necessary. -Listening to residents and restoring trust through transparency. Being responsive. - Having a critical mind and being intellectually curious. -Humility. I don't have all the answers. -Keeping the community needs at the forefront. -public safety - safe working conditions - Social programs that help people move forward rather than get stuck in perpetual cycles. Poor policy and systemic failures has lead to long term issues across municipalities. There are some simple, cost effective, solutions that go a long way. -Justice and Social Justice -personal autonomy

Adam Goodwin: Categorically no. I created a video on the importance of non-partisanship to gather the best ideas, not hindered by prevailing ideologies. If you visit my website and take a look around, you will quickly see what I am about and what I stand for on the key issues. Strong financial controls, a safe city, and not leaving people behind in the housing and financial mix, to name a few. If you need a particular party name to sum up what a person stands for, then there isn't much value in the person's intelligence or articulation; it is what the party wants. There are many people who would quietly like the current federal party to change course, for instance, but they can't speak up because they are part of that team. This world is already polarized enough, and we are paying the price in terms of quality of life and well-being for it. If a candidate isn't articulating their stance well enough on any issue, then the people should require more of them or not support them. It's too easy to have a party rule and the other voices not get heard. We will align on many issues, disagree on a few, and that is the key to good governance.

Calvin Goulet-Jones: I would describe myself as conservative-minded, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has followed me on social media over the past decade. I’ve consistently pushed for fiscal responsibility and strong accountability. That said, it’s important to remember that the vast majority of municipal decisions are not about ideology — they’re about listening to residents and delivering on their priorities. Municipal government is the closest level of government to the people, and our responsibility is to represent those who elect us. There is no party to answer to, only the people of Red Deer. For me, that also means improving communication so residents know what’s happening at City Hall and can respond meaningfully. My focus will always be on making sure the community’s voice drives the decisions we make, not a party line.

Hans Huizing: No. I am proudly independent because I want to answer to the citizens I represent, not a party, party leader or ideology. I would vehemently oppose any type of party system at the local level.

Kevin Klerks: No response.

Anthony Klywak: No response.

Chad Krahn: Both federally and provincially, I am a conservative.

Ashley Jason MacDonald: No response.

Greg Martin: No response.

Zainab Mohamoud: I am a public servant and not affiliated with any provincial or federal political parties. I work with all levels of government, and my top priority is serving the community without bias—treating everyone with respect and dignity, regardless of their political affiliation.

Gail Parks: In my working life as an aide to my bosses, they were all Conservatives, they are more aligned to my personal beliefs.

Don Robinson: No response.

Thomas Sypkes: No response.

Jaelene Tweedle: No response.

Haley Wile: No response.

Dianne Wyntjes: No response.

Calvin Yzerman: No response.