A fifth Calgary city councillor is seeking re-election this fall.
Ward 14 Coun. Peter Demong filed his nomination papers with Elections Calgary on Wednesday. If re-elected in eight months, it would be his fourth term on council.
The south Calgary councillor says he has some unfinished business.
“For the last three years I’ve been pushing the extended producer responsibility program that I’ve been advocating to the province for,” Demong told Global News. “That program alone, once implemented, could be the equivalent of five to 10 per cent property tax decrease.”
Demong also pointed to the zero-based policy review that was shelved at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is a program that could have absolutely tens of millions of dollars of savings,” Demong said. “And again, we had one report come, one policy review. And I don’t want to see this drop by the wayside either.”
A Demong sits on the city’s planning and urban development, and intergovernmental affairs committees. He is vice-chair of the utilities and corporate services committee and is one of two Calgary council representatives on the board of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA).
Demong won a third term in 2017 with 90 per cent of the vote and only one opponent.
A small business owner until 2015, Demong said he believes the city can turn around its economic forces.
“With the people that live here and the attitude of most Calgarians that I know and have met, I have every belief Calgary will come out of this economic downturn,” Demong said.
“In what way, shape or form? What is that going to look like? Well, that’s going to depend on other levels of government and it’s going to depend on what we can do to attract business to this city and what the downtown can become.”
It’s all part of an evolution of the city, Demong said.
“The city of Calgary and Alberta has evolved from day one, from being a totally agrarian, to being an energy powerhouse, to being a tourism hotspot,” he said Thursday.
“We have evolved our economy every step of the way and the next few years will determine the next few decades of economic output for the city of Calgary.”
Demong said the immediate future will “be a very difficult time for all of us.”
“I think it’s important to have a few experienced, calm, balanced voices on council. And that’s what I’d like to bring to the table.”
Nenshi near decision
Demong joins fellow Councillors Chahal, Chu, Colley-Urquhart and Davison as incumbents running for re-election in their wards.
Wards 3, 8, 10, 11 and 12 will have no incumbents running in them this fall.
Councillors Farkas and Gondek have announced their run for the mayor’s chair.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi told The Morning News on Global News Radio 770 CHQR that he still hasn’t made his mind up on whether he’ll run for a fourth term.
“I have been enjoying watching some of the other campaigns and what they’re up to and I’m getting my head back into political strategy,” Nenshi said Friday.
“I really do need to make that decision, but I will tell you it’s coming quick.”
Calgarians cast their ballots on Oct. 18.
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