CALGARY- A reign of purple has once again washed over the city, as Mayor Naheed Nenshi swept to victory on Monday night.
Nenshi was first elected as mayor in 2010, and his popularity has continued to rise ever since—especially in the wake of the June flood that devastated parts of the city.
“The secret of our success in this community is very simple. We’ve learned a basic truth that evades so many in this broken world,” he said, in a victory speech to a cheering crowd of supporters. “We’re all in it together. Our neighbour’s pain is our pain, our neighbour’s success is our success.”
A contentious issue during the campaign was the cost of new communities and growth subsidies. Currently, the city pays about $4,800 for every single new home, which Nenshi promised to put an end to if re-elected.
“One thing is very clear as we look at the results. Calgarians have spoken loud and clear about the kind of community they want,” he said. “A community of great livable, walkable neighbourhoods everywhere. Not a community of never ending sprawl, not a community of subsidized development, but a community about more choices.
“This election is about great places to live.”
WATCH: Mayor Nenshi on News Hour Final
There were eight other candidates vying for the mayor’s chair, though city employee Bruce Jackman was declared ineligible on Monday. Nenshi’s closest rival was Jon Lord, a former MLA and alderman.
Speaking after Nenshi was declared, Lord called his own campaign a ‘tremendous success.’
“I did not have high expectations when I started five weeks ago, with no organization, no campaign funds, no time to plan or anything,” he said. “I really didn’t know how far we would get, but I just knew it was really important that we do this and get the message out there that 30 per cent tax increases and all the other things that are going wrong in Calgary are just unacceptable.”
WATCH: Jon Lord reacts after campaign loss
Click here to see the results of the Ward races.
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