I’m excited to share that Paul Karchut, host of Daybreak Alberta on CBC Radio Calgary, will be moderating the OC/DC Mayoral Forum on Housing Affordability & Neighbourhood Growth on Tuesday, October 7 at the New Central Library.
Paul is one of the most trusted voices in Calgary journalism. Every morning he helps Albertans make sense of what’s going on in our province, and I can’t think of anyone better to guide this important conversation. Paul will be recording the discussion and airing highlights on Daybreak Alberta the following weekend, so even if you can’t attend the night of, there’s still a chance to hear directly from the candidates.
Housing affordability and neighbourhood growth are shaping up to be the defining issues of this election. Calgarians are asking tough questions: How do we make housing more affordable? What does respectful density look like in established communities? Can we fix the permitting process so good projects actually get built? And what role should design play in making our neighbourhoods livable and welcoming?
We’ll be putting those questions directly to Jeromy Farkas, Jyoti Gondek, Sonya Sharp, and Brian Thiessen in a structured, balanced format. Here’s how the evening will unfold:
Each candidate will open with a short statement and a one-on-one exchange with Paul.
We’ll move into a group conversation with 12 key questions, with answers and responses distributed fairly across all four participants.
Then we’ll open the floor to audience questions.
Finally, each candidate will close with their vision for Calgary’s future.
To make sure Calgarians get the full picture, we’re also inviting candidates to submit written responses to all 12 questions. After the event, we’ll share those through OCDC’s mailing list so voters can dig deeper into each candidate’s ideas.
Event details:
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 | 5:30–7:30 PM
Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall, New Central Library
Free to attend, but registration is required
I hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a lively and important evening. This is a chance to hear directly from the people who want to lead Calgary—and to be part of a civic conversation that will shape our city’s future.