Sprawlcast The Sprawl

It's not unusual for Alberta governments to tinker with municipal election laws. But Bill 20 is far more than the usual tinkering. We dig into the evolution of municipal elections in Alberta and look at what Bill 20 means for local democracy in Calgary—and beyond.

Should neighbourhoods set their own direction? Should city hall impose it from the top down? Or is there a role for both? We go to Inglewood, Calgary's oldest neighbourhood, in search of answers.

As the debate about blanket rezoning heats up in Calgary, we dig into the Sprawlcast vault for a deep-dive on NIMBYism. Full transcript on our website at sprawlcalgary.com.

As the Bow Valley gets filled with development, a critical wildlife corridor is being threatened. We dig into Canmore's effort to resist two new housing projects that are expected to nearly double the town's population. This episode is Part 2 in a Sprawlcast series about Three Sisters Mountain Village, and is a collaboration with The Narwhal. Drew Anderson contributed research and reporting.

Coal mining drove Canmore's economy for nearly a century. But as the Canmore Mines struggled in the 1970s, speculators saw a new business opportunity in what was then called the Canmore Corridor: tourism. This episode is Part 1 in a Sprawlcast series about Three Sisters Mountain Village, and is a collaboration with The Narwhal. Drew Anderson contributed research and reporting.

Two years ago, progressives were rooting for Jyoti Gondek to defeat Jeromy Farkas in the race for mayor. But numerous Calgarians who voted for Mayor Gondek have found themselves in agreement with Farkas more recently—and disappointed by the mayor on files like the arena deal. We speak with both Farkas and Gondek, looking at what's changed since the last election and what's taking shape for the next one.