Latest news with #JeromyFarkas
Calgary Herald
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
It's time to reinvest in policing and restore public safety in Calgary
A decade ago, Calgary was one of the safest major cities in Canada. Today, too many Calgarians are asking: What happened to our sense of security? Article content One of the answers lies in the quiet erosion of police funding. Over the past 10 years, councils and commissions have been defunding the police. Calgary's 'cop-to-pop' ratio has not kept up with the city's growth. Article content Article content In fact, the last council, which included mayoral candidates Jyoti Gondek and Jeromy Farkas, oversaw the closure of the Victoria Park police station. We haven't seen a new station since one opened in Saddle Ridge in 2010. Article content Article content According to 2023 Statistics Canada data, Calgary is among the country's least protected major cities, with 153.1 officers per 100,000 residents. The national average is 178.2. In 2024, the ratio slipped further to 147.7. Article content Article content Recently, the City of Calgary warned Calgarians of an increase in residential break and enters. More than 20 cars have been reported as stolen due to the break and enters in the past few weeks. Article content Every Calgarian deserves to feel safe in their community. City council has a duty to deliver on that promise by investing in police, fire, bylaw and peace officer services. It starts by making protective services a priority once more. The solution lies in rebuilding a strong, well-resourced and accountable police service. Public safety depends on a police service that reflects the scale and needs of our city. To reach the national average, Calgary must add an estimated 487 officers to the force. Article content Article content We know the city budget is tight. We also know there is an opportunity to focus on realigning spending by scrutinizing every line of the budget. We need to start budgeting with clarity and purpose. Article content That means asking: What would this pay for in protective services? More officers? More firefighters? A new station? Article content Budgets reflect priorities, and public safety is a priority for many Calgarians. Given the scale of the challenge, reaching this goal will likely take two full four-year budget cycles. Article content While council is legally prohibited from directing the police chief or commission on operational matters, a necessary safeguard to prevent political interference in policing, it still holds significant influence. Council appoints members to the Calgary police commission and controls the service's budget. That influence must be used wisely.
Global News
09-07-2025
- Business
- Global News
Salary range for Calgary's top city bureaucrat sees 36% top-end increase
The range of how much the City of Calgary pays its top bureaucrat is seeing a significant change, and could reach nearly half a million dollars in the future. According to 2025 compensation disclosure documents published on the city's website, the salary range for the city's chief administrative officer is now between $391,666 on the low end and $475,000 on the top end. That equates to a nearly 48-per cent increase on the low end and almost 36 per cent on the top end, compared with the previous salary range from 2019 to 2024, which had a base of $265,000 and a top end of $350,000. But the most recent salary range, adjusted during a July 30, 2024, city council meeting, was between $380,000 and $410,000, according to a spokesperson for the City of Calgary. The jump in the 2025 salary range was approved by city council during a meeting in April, with debate taking place behind closed doors, which is typical for personnel matters. Story continues below advertisement The move by city council to change the salary range in 2025 isn't sitting well with Jeromy Farkas, a former city council who is running for mayor, who is calling for more transparency around how the decision is made. 'This is public money and council is accountable for that money to the public,' Farkas told Global News. 'So there's a lot of questions around the process, but I think we can leave aside the individual here.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy However, David Duckworth's salary is expected to remain unchanged in 2025. Public financial statements show Duckworth was paid $406,000 last year, but reached $460,000 total compensation when benefits are included. It's a $60,000 increase over 2023; city financial statements from that year show a base salary of $346,000 with benefits bringing the total compensation to $399,000. But Farkas feels the city and council should proactively release the information around compensation, and not just 'buried deep on a city hall website,' noting the record of April's decision are 'vague and confusing.' Fellow mayoral candidate and Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp plans to bring forward a motion on the matter to a city committee meeting on July 22. 'It should be transparent, there's accountability here to show citizens what they're paying for on the top bureaucrat,' she told Global News. Story continues below advertisement The motion calls for the public release of the total compensation of the chief administrative officer, including 'base salary, taxable benefits, pension contributions, and any performance-based adjustments.' It also calls for a 'plain-language summary' of council's annual performance review of the chief administrative officer, including 'any rationale provided for compensation adjustments,' but only if it does not compromise privacy rules. 'Obviously personnel issues should always remain confidential,' Sharp noted. 'But what we're saying in this notice of motion, I would like to see things that can be disclosed publicly.' However, Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek is accusing Sharp of 'politicking' with her motion. Gondek noted the chief administrative officer's salary and pay range is released in annual compensation disclosures as well as the yearly city financial statements, a practice undertaken since 2015. 'The information is public, nothing is being hidden from Calgarians,' Gondek said Tuesday. 'If we need to explain the process better, that's one thing, but claiming we're hiding things from the public is simply not a fact.' The mayor said the change to the chief administrative officer's salary range was recommended by a third party as part of an overall formal performance management system for the role and a structured review and compensation framework. 'We had a third party help us understand how to do this, what the comparators are in other cities, how much we should be paying, and how often we should do reviews,' Gondek said. Story continues below advertisement 'That salary band is reflective of what (chief administrative officers) are being paid across this nation, and it's reflective of the size of our city.' Calgary's chief administrative officer oversees the city's executive leadership team on all city departments, and is an employee of Calgary city council and not directly employed by the City of Calgary. Duckworth has served in the role since Aug. 30, 2019.
Calgary Herald
04-07-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
White: Eau Claire back in the game with athletic club
Many Calgarians, back in early 2021, were sad to hear the downtown's Eau Claire YMCA was closing after 33 years. I am happy to report the site will reopen in early July as the Eau Claire Athletic Club. The mega makeover retains the pool, gym, running track and two squash courts, but also includes designated spaces for several golf simulators, separate Pilates, yoga, spin and dance studios and a state-of-the art weight room. There is even a Nordic spa. There are also office spaces for private healthcare service providers to rent. Article content And yes, it is family friendly! Kids will love the pool, gym, programs for all ages and they even have their own virtual games room. There will also be daily childminding services. Article content Article content The interior décor is elegant with its four-storey tall water feature in the middle of the central staircase as the highlight. On the main floor is a members and guests-only restaurant, bar and lounge, as well as a small public café accessible from the new Eau Claire Plaza. The pool is spectacular with its huge window onto Eau Claire Plaza. Article content Toggle full screen modePrevious Gallery Image Next Gallery ImageToggle gallery captions Article content Article content In its heyday, the late 1990s, the Y had 10,500 members. But over the years that number dwindled to 1,300 while the cost of operating the building increased dramatically, as did the cost for repairs and upgrades to a 30-plus-year-old building. It became too much for the YMCA to manage. Article content Some city council members thought the City of Calgary should buy the building and convert it into a public recreation centre, but a motion by Coun. Jeromy Farkas to do so was defeated. I expect administration told them it was not cost effective to upgrade and operate the building as a public recreation centre based on the revenue that would be generated by the fees the city could charge. Article content Article content The building was put up for sale and Telsec bought in late in 2021. They explored various options — from converting it into a hotel to tearing it down and building a residential tower. But in the end, they decided to refurbish it and create a luxury private recreation centre. Article content Kudos to Telsec for retaining the building — as its human scale and timeless brick façade will create a people-friendly edge to the new Eau Claire Plaza. I was invited by Kris Van Grieken, president of Telsec, to tour the old Y building when they were contemplating what to do with it and again for a preview tour. I am amazed at how they have kept the building's bones the same, while transforming it into an upscale 21st century athletic club. It is an impressive and expensive makeover. Article content Who is Telsec? Article content Telsec, originally established in 1976 by Dick Van Grieken, remains a family-owned, Calgary-based business. It initially focused on providing small office spaces with administrative support, effectively acting as a precursor to modern co-working spaces with their 'fully equipped offices for less than the cost of a secretary' tagline.
Global News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Calgary community explores restrictive covenants as citywide rezoning hits campaign trail
The majority of candidates vying to be Calgary's next mayor are vowing to repeal citywide rezoning, as another neighbourhood explores restrictive covenants as an option to block development spurred by the policy. A restrictive covenant is a legally binding agreement on a property title that limits how a property is used or developed, even after it is sold to a new owner. Restrictive covenants are frequently used by municipalities, developers, and landowners to ensure land is developed in a manner that maintains or enhances the value of neighbouring properties, according to Alberta Municipalities. 1:54 Glenora restrictive covenant creates headache for Edmonton homeowner Former city councillor Jeromy Farkas, running for mayor a second time, unveiled his housing platform Wednesday. Story continues below advertisement The 25-point plan includes the creation of a renter support office, the streamlined approval for family-oriented housing, protection for park space and prioritizes transit-oriented development. The first policy point is to 'repeal and replace blanket rezoning,' with a more targeted community strategy that 'supports gentle density' while building a more affordable homes. 'It's very clear that this blanket rezoning, all-size-fits-all approach hasn't worked. It hasn't been able to build the homes at the scale or the speed or the price point that's needed,' Farkas told Global News. 'We think that we can get more homes built more cost effectively and faster with that targeted approach.' Farkas becomes the latest mayoral candidate to promise scrapping the citywide rezoning policy along with Communities First candidate and Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp and former city councillor Jeff Davison. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We have to rebuild trust with the public and we've got to repeal that bylaw,' Davison told Global News. 'We've got to work with all stakeholders to say, 'What's the plan? What do we want as a housing initiative going forward for Calgary and what works for Calgarians?'' Farkas' promise to repeal citywide rezoning prompted a response from Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott, who is not running for re-election. 'Seeing prominent candidates and parties retreat to policies of exclusionary zoning, discrimination, and economic segregation under the guise of 'progress' and 'compassion' is painful,' Walcott wrote on social media. Story continues below advertisement 'Have some courage, it might just inspire people.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Have some courage, it might just inspire people." Calgary city council voted in favour of a bylaw to change the city's default residential zoning last year, which amended the land-use bylaw to allow a variety of housing types including single-detached, semi-detached, duplexes and rowhouses on a single property. The move followed a record public hearing at city hall in which the majority of speakers opposed the policy change. 1:50 Fight over Calgary zoning changes heads to court Experts suggest it's those frustrated Calgarians that candidates against citywide rezoning are trying to tap into. 'Those folks are motivated, they're going to donate, they're going to volunteer, they are going to come out and vote, and it may be that in some places, this is an issue that really gets voters out,' said Lori Williams, an associate professor of policy studies at Mount-Royal University. Story continues below advertisement 'It's also tricky when you're a mayoral candidate, because you've got to appeal to people throughout the city.' That frustration is coming to a head in the southwest community of Lakeview, where a group of residents is pushing to have neighbours sign restrictive covenants on their properties. According to Keith Marlowe with the Lakeview Restrictive Covenant Initiative, the effort was spurred by city council's decision and three recent developments in the area. 'I think that's what is getting people's backs up. The community was very strong that they didn't want upzoning and that was seemingly ignored for whatever reason by city council,' Marlowe said. Marlowe said the restrictive covenant would remain on a property's title for 75 years. 'We're all voluntarily agreeing to put certain restrictions on our own ability to develop our property in the hopes that it helps our neighbours as well,' he said. When asked about Lakeview's push for restrictive covenants on Tuesday, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said property owners can do what they want with their own properties. 'Anytime there's an individual that's interested in doing something with their private property, it's something that's up to that individual,' Gondek said. 'Individuals are able to do what they choose with their properties as long as it abides with any given bylaw and within the rules of the law.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Individuals are able to do what they choose with their properties as long as it abides with any given bylaw and within the rules of the law." Story continues below advertisement 2:22 Calgary's city-wide rezoning proposal: what does RC-G look like? According to the city, citywide rezoning has 'significantly increased the diversity and supply of housing options in Calgary.' City data shows 271 applications were submitted for new homes in established communities in the first quarter of 2025, a 59-per cent increase over the same time period last year. Thirty-one per cent of those applications were rowhouses and townhomes, a 163-per cent increase from the same quarter in 2024. A city briefing note into the matter also suggests citywide rezoning enabled nearly half or 45 per cent of all new low-density housing development permits in established neighbourhoods. Calgary's next municipal election is on Oct. 20.
CBC
26-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Jeromy Farkas back for a second run at mayor's chair
A former city councillor will try again to become mayor of Calgary. Jeromy Farkas ran for the job in the 2021 municipal election but finished second to another councillor, Jyoti Gondek, who became Calgary's current mayor. Farkas was the Ward 11 councillor from 2017 to 2021. This time, he said Calgary needs to be a city that works for everyone. "I'm running for mayor to get Calgary moving again," said Farkas. "We need pragmatic leadership that can actually address the big problems that Calgary is facing: jobs, housing, safety, trust. And right now, we're seeing leadership that's stuck in the weeds." From his vantage point, Farkas said council is out of touch with many Calgarians and is wasting time and money while picking petty fights among its members. During his term on council, he focused on financial responsibility. But looking back, Farkas said, he made mistakes — for example, when he refused to support parental leave for council members. "I've learned that leadership means owning your mistakes." Since that election, Farkas has worked as the CEO of the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation. He said the job has given him the chance to learn how to build bridges between diverse groups, ultimately saving the park from being flooded by a proposed upstream dam on the Bow River. "I've helped bring together ranchers and environmentalists, the business and the grassroots, conservatives and progressives — to be able to fight for and protect what matters most," he said. Farkas will run as an independent. He doesn't approve of the provincial government's decision to allow political parties to contest local elections in Calgary and Edmonton as a pilot project. "I think that we need practical solutions, and this idea that somehow city hall parties are the answer, I think that's completely bogus," said Farkas. "Look right now at the chaos in Ottawa or down south of the border. There's literally nobody out there who reasonably thinks that, 'Gee whiz, we need more party politics at city hall.'" Several candidates have already announced they, too, will run for mayor. Mayor Gondek announced late last year she will seek re-election in 2025. Another former councillor, Jeff Davison, who also ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2021's race, will try again this year. As well, a former chair of the Calgary Police Commission, Brian Thiessen, is seeking the top job. Election nominations will remain open until Sept. 22. Calgarians will go to the polls on Oct. 20 to elect a new city council and local school trustees.
