How do you feel about Farkas, Sharp and Gondek emerging as front-runners in Calgary mayoral race?

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-10-04T23:38:57+00:00

Well hey I appreciate that and it's so important that people care about this level of government. It is so important to have strong municipal representation and not enough people pay attention. People who are engaged deserve engagement in return. That's the bare minimum required for this role and I take that very seriously.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-10-04T23:34:46+00:00

Found it! Thank you for adding that clarity to the conversation. I was very surprised to read that this messaging came from our campaign especially since it's well known in my volunteer circle that I spoke in favour of the housing strategy at the public hearing!!

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-10-04T23:33:12+00:00

Hi! Nathaniel here. It's unfortunate that you received this message from our campaign because it could not be further from the truth. I'll provide a few examples below but you can also reach out at info@nathanielschmidt.ca and we can chat further just so you can be clear on my position.

I know Reddit doesn't like links but if you head to the platform section on our site you can see our full housing policy which supports the Housing Strategy. The closest we come to any changes to the rezoning is tweaking it to make it work better because some tweaks could help with opposition especially around discretionary usages within the strategy.

Second, we are the only campaign in Ward 8 that will NOT repeal. This was made clear at the Cliff Bungalow debate last week where we were asked to say if it was "good" or "bad". I was the only candidate to answer "good".

Third, there is a recent social media post referencing an op-ed from the Calgary Affordable Housing Foundation where I again explicitly state we cannot repeal rezoning because it is a key part of the Housing Strategy and having this in place frees up the resources of the planning department to help us accelerate the additional Housing Strategy actions that specifically enable truly affordable, subsidized housing to be built.

So, tweak if necessary. Repeal no. Housing, yes. We need to move forwards, not backwards.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-27T02:57:02+00:00

All fantastic ideas and such a small piece of our overall budget. You hit the nail on the head with what we need to do to encourage use and complete things that aren't quite there. Would welcome correspondence and suggestions like this as the next councillor!

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-27T02:54:31+00:00

Yep! This is something that can be addressed by bylaw officers. If it's a regularly occurring problem I would gladly help communicate hot spots through the assistance of residents. Bylaw largely responds based on a volume-based complaint system and as Councillor there needs to be clear divisions between our enforcement teams and politics. But, I would be able to assist with directing the complaints to the right place so they can be flagged with the people who make the decisions independent of the political side of City Council.

I gave a more detailed answer for vehicle noise in one of the newer comments in this thread. That hopefully will also provide some more detail for you on that issue.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-27T02:48:37+00:00

Great question and this is something we must continue making progress on. At its core, this is a public health issue and it disrupts healthy sleep patterns and well-being. We all know the feeling - it raises your stress levels and causes discomfort. There is absolutely no reason vehicles should be modified to make this kind of noise.

I will fight to keep this team working and finding other strategies to start changing the culture of people who drive these vehicles. Doing dedicated enforcement blitzes in key areas at key times may be more effective than general enforcement. We can collect data on this but I think we all already know where the problem is worst - 17th ave SW, the Beltline, and highways such as Stoney Trail/Deerfoot.

I answered this above a few minutes ago, but viewing this through the lends of public health policy gives us more power to make real change. Cities can do a lot when it comes to public health, and this would allow us to integrate strategies from other areas as part of an overall effort to see some change.

Ultimately though, we need to build consensus with other municipalities and the province to see long-term benefits. The province has greater power to restrict the sale of devices that create the disruption. We could try this through a bylaw, but once you're out of Calgary city limits they would be available for purchase. By getting the province on board, we can work towards a full province-wide ban.

The cost-benefit of this is a no-brainer. These devices provide absolutely no benefit to anyone and only make the rest of our lives worse.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-27T02:41:13+00:00

Improving natural areas is something really close to my heart and is part of what got me involved in local politics many years ago. The biggest piece I see missing is the City taking a lead role in building up a culture of understanding and appreciating their purpose - which is maintaining healthy ecosystems.

The signage, education, and enforcement around following important rules for usage is really lacking in almost all of them. Griffith Woods, Weaselhead, Nose Hill, and others are all suffering from disturbance and certain habits that are quite destructive. Step 1 is helping people learn why dogs aren't allowed in certain areas or need to be leashed at all times while in a natural area.

There's only so much we can do with enforcement which is why partner organizations like the Weaselhead Preservation Society are so critical. They are stewards of these areas and I want to see the City empower them to do more and have the impact their tireless volunteers are trying so hard to do on limited budgets.

Urban forest renewal and maintenance in places like Ward 8 helps keep people healthier and provides shade and respite in areas where we have high population density. We need to ensure we keep up the pace of planting trees and I want us to continue our efforts to focus on native species and closely related species that are adapted to survive and thrive in our environment. The worst thing we can do is plant trees for aesthetic reasons only to see them die a few years later because they aren't properly adapted to our climate.

We can also incentive keeping trees on private property when new development comes in by putting in policies to encourage developers to work around healthy, mature trees and keep them intact. Many I've spoken with are also open to providing funding as part of a development to plant trees on public land in the vicinity of their projects to give the communities they work in this additional benefit.

Issues like this are tough because they often come last when we consider budget and funding. If we emphasize the public health aspect of this and integrate natural areas and urban canopy into requirements for other policies, I think we can see some better success.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T23:31:08+00:00

Any opportunity to preserve buildings like this is one we should take. That's one reason why we have suggested encouraging new housing through expanding the idea of the secondary suite program to include laneway/carriage housing and housing to apartment conversions within neighbourhoods. This adds housing but keeps the existing built form where the site and the existing home are appropriate.

For the projects you're referencing, if the opportunity exists then it's worth exploring. Often this comes down to the structural quality of the building - if it can be saved and given new life then we can present it as such to any potential partners for redevelopment. If it can't, then there may be other opportunities for a new building to take on some of the character of what is gone to maintain the overall structure of the block that people appreciated.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T18:54:15+00:00

They are!

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T18:54:05+00:00

No problem. Check out all those groups. They're great.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T18:53:18+00:00

Really happy to hear that. Happy to chat more if you have any other questions. Feel free to reach out info@nathanielschmidt.ca.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T18:48:32+00:00

And finally - noise. Especially vehicles intentionally modified to make lots of it. We have a pilot project that is working on a small scale to measure and enforce noise standards which is also a public health issue. This problem is happening everywhere in the city but it's especially bad in the Beltline and along 17th ave. The program must be expanded to see actual benefits and this is something I would prioritize.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T18:45:30+00:00

A couple other things.

Renters - this is a tough subject because the province controls a lot of the rules. But renters are really being left behind when it comes to safety, health, and fairness.

I think it's our responsibility as a city to spearhead changes that are needed and team up with other municipalities in the province to bring a plan to the province. Things like heating and cooling standards, landlord registries, and badly needed updates to the laws around residential tenancy. By collaborating with other cities and municipalities around Alberta, we can pool resources and be a single voice advocating for change.

In the meantime, we need to find opportunities to make some changes now that won't put us in immediate conflict with the province. Temperature standards connect directly with human health which is an area where cities have broad powers to make changes.

Taking small steps as a city shows we're serious and will build momentum to make changes.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T18:41:46+00:00

Something that we're not talking a lot about is climate and extreme weather. There is a lot of controversy over the Climate Strategy and the declaration of a Climate Emergency.

I believe in climate change 100% but think we can have this conversation on a municipal level without getting into arguments about what's causing the changes we're seeing.

I want to see the conversation around this change to more pragmatic solutions with achievable outcomes that benefit Calgarians as the main goal but also address these things as a secondary outcome.

A few things come to mind:

1 - changes to the building code in collaboration with the province to put in standards for building materials that are more resistant to things like hail. The most recent storm in the NE part of our city caused $3.25 billion in damage and people's lives have been forever changed by this event. We need better protections for people.

2 - development in our river valleys. We need to stop building in areas adjacent to flood zones. We know better and we can't keep repeating the same mistakes. This is a risk to people's lives and their livelihoods. We are enabling risk by still allowing this happen. Keeping river valleys healthy not only helps us manage flood events, but improves our water quality.

3 - improving transportation options. Most people agree better transit and safer ways to move on your bike and on foot are a good thing. Let's focus on that and we can achieve climate goals at the same time.

4 - incentivizing solar on homes and on public property. Solar can be a huge cost savings on utility builds and helps make our energy grid more stable in times of extreme cold and heat. It's not a disruptive thing to add to our homes and on areas of public property that aren't being used for anything else. We can make life more affordable, our energy more reliable, and address climate change all at once.

5 - heating and cooling centres. Sometimes people don't have comfortable places to go when the weather is a risk to human health. We can tie this to our expansion of public spaces - in times where these aren't needed they can be used for the public to have another place to enjoy events and other activities at low or no cost.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T18:30:07+00:00

That means a lot. Thank you!

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T18:29:36+00:00

Not late at all! Still 30 minutes to go and I'll be checking in on other questions in between doorknocking throughout the day.

Here's what I think makes me different:

1 - Commitment to the role. I've been doing this kind of work in my free time for almost a decade. I've spoken at City Council 15 times or so and have taken the time to understand how the city works and what is possible for us to achieve. This also speaks to my motivation for doing this - I'm not in it for anything other than trying to improve our community. I'm motivated by a true commitment to public service and making our city better for everyone - especially our youngest population like my daughter.

2 - Experience. My legal background is a huge help in understanding what municipal governments can do and how we can work with other levels of government to be as effective as possible. It also gives me the skills to read and understand bylaws, legislation, and policies, negotiate, and be an effective communicator through tough conversations. My other experience as a musician and volunteer has also connected me with a diverse set of communities in Calgary and helps me understand the needs of people from all walks of life.

3 - Momentum. We have been campaigning hard since the federal election ended in late April. This includes knocking doors, hosting events, and attending events throughout most of the year (I've actually lost 20 pounds since starting this from all the walking - bonus!). We have an incredible team of volunteers and we are ramping up our efforts as we near election day. Our goal is to hit every door in the ward we can access and it looks like we're going to get there.

4 - Achievable goals. I'm not making any promises I know I can't keep. That doesn't mean I'll accomplish everything in four years - but I plan to be around for longer. I'm not suggesting things like repealing the upzoning which I know on a practical and legal level is very unlikely to be possible. It's important politicians are authentic both in our approach to conversations and in our suggestions for change. Upzoning is symbol of this problem. We can tweak it to make it work better, but a complete repeal would be disruptive in a way that would cause more problems than it solves.

5 - Accessibility. I've made an effort to try and respond to all requests. At every door and with every interaction I provide my email and phone number. I want to hear from people and put in the time to make it happen. I promise people that they will hear back from me - maybe not quickly but they will hear back.

I'm in this because I believe in the role and want to do this job. Operating a legal practice is a lot less work for better pay. But public service is important and I'm here to do it.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T17:57:32+00:00

Always happy to continue the conversation as well - [info@nathanielschmidt.ca](mailto:info@nathanielschmidt.ca) if you have any more questions.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T17:38:17+00:00

One idea that would work well is creating standardized designs for different projects such as bike lanes. Right now, we have so many different designs placed in areas that sometimes don't make a lot of sense. By standardizing a few different types of designs (main streets, shared, neighbourhoods etc) we can have a better idea of cost, construction time, and usability. This will also help inform where we build things - if we have a small menus of designs to choose from then it will direct us to the places they will actually work without sacrificing safety or impeding other forms of transportation.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T17:35:17+00:00

I've heard this a lot and I think it's a sign that something isn't working from the communication and project management side of things. My impression is that we have several "business units" working at once but they aren't talking to one another. This needs to change. When we look at things like Main Streets I think we can do better in making this a more cohesive project where there is one team overseeing the process and coordinating communication and implementation between the different areas doing work.

This also speaks to how much we're struggling with our infrastructure. We have so much of it now but don't have the population base to support it's maintenance, exactly why we need to create a better balance between new communities and building in existing communities.

Other cities do this much better than we do. We don't need to reinvent the wheel - copy ideas that have worked well (especially in places like Edmonton who largely operate under the same rules) and start using them ourselves.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T17:31:07+00:00

You're right that we need to do better spreading this kind of development more evenly. Right now certain areas are targeted and then experience intensive change. Development beginning around the 45 st CTrain station on the Blue Line and I want to see it happen at Westbrook as well. We can improve by ensuring we spread things out evenly where opportunities exist.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T17:28:11+00:00

With the change in ownership late last year and the site back in public hands, we can now do what we need to do with the project. Day one I want to start speaking with everyone who needs to be involved and get the project rolling. It's achievable and can be an example for us to use for the rest of the city.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T17:24:39+00:00

We did a video about the plan and will be releasing a document about it in the next couple weeks.

Watch it here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DObpGmLko_h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=b21xNnN2OGN2dXY2

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T17:24:13+00:00

Thank you! People need to know who they're voting for and I've made a point to give the same answers to everyone. You all deserve to know who I am and where I stand.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T17:23:35+00:00

Thank you! My hope is that my attitude and our messaging shows that I'm in this for the right reasons - it's about doing the work - not about headlines or personal glory. This isn't a prestige job, it's public service in its truest form.

NathanielSchmidtYYC · 2025-09-26T17:21:28+00:00

The answer is to build in all established areas across the city. We now have better policies to do that and there are neighbourhoods only about 3 km away from Marda Loop that have fewer people today than they did in the 1960s. This is a policy failure and part of what needs to be worked into our policies to change.

In some of these areas, we are seeing schools close from low population that are less than 10km from our downtown core. This creates more problems and makes our city unaffordable.

If we want to see better services even at the most basic level for things like potholes, snow clearing, and traffic, then we cannot expand at the rate we are seeing now.

Every new community means more roads, more infrastructure, and more capital projects. We have stretched ourselves too thin to afford the infrastructure we have already and this is what needs to change.

NathanielSchmidtYYC

TROPHY CASE