Politicians of Cochrane and area took time out from their Christmas holiday frenzy to reflect on the successes and shortcomings of 2016 and what they anticipate for the next year.
Polarizing politics, pipelines and a pool were matched by taxes (carbon), traffic and transit for highlights from the federal, provincial and municipal fronts.
In their own words…
(Conservative) Banff-Airdrie MP Blake Richards
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment(s) in 2016?
I am so proud to be able to represent our beautiful riding and to be a strong voice in Ottawa for the issues that matter most in our constituency. That is always my number one priority.
Also, this past year, in my role as Deputy Critic for Democratic Institutions, I spent many hours with the Special Committee on Electoral Reform and am very pleased that the committee was able to come together and provide a concrete recommendation to the government: that a referendum is needed before any changes are made to the way we vote; unfortunately, the Minister of Democratic Institutions dismissed the work of the committee, and of all the Canadians who participated with it.
What was your greatest challenge?
The greatest challenge we’re facing right now is the struggling economy here in Alberta. Our unemployment rates have risen dramatically and so many families are struggling to makes ends meet. Yet, the Liberal government has taken no action to help get Albertans back to work. Instead they are rejecting energy projects like Northern Gateway and bringing in a carbon tax which will cost the average family over $2,500 each year.
What will you be working on in 2017?
I will be a strong voice for taxpayers and those who are looking to get back to work in the oil and gas sectors. I recently introduced a Private Members’ Motion to help families who have lost an infant child suddenly and unexpectedly and whose parental benefits have been revoked. I am also going to continue to advocate for the small businesses that the Liberals have deemed to be too “small” and are paying three times as much tax as other small businesses.
What will be the greatest challenge be in the year to come?
The economy will continue to be the greatest challenge in 2017 and I will continue to fight for our energy workers and against the Trudeau Liberal Carbon Tax.
What are the priorities for this region for you as the MP?
In addition to standing up for taxpayers and advocating for our energy sector, I am also going to fight to ensure our region gets its fair share of infrastructure funding.
The Liberals have recently created an infrastructure bank, which excludes small communities. This is completely unfair. For example, our region needs a proper intersection at highways 22 and 1A in Cochrane and I will continue to fight for that project.
(NDP) Banff-Cochrane MLA Cameron Westhead
What has been the biggest accomplishments of 2016 for the NDP?
By far the biggest accomplishment is the approval of two pipeline projects as a result of our Climate Leadership Plan. These pipelines will create tens of thousands of jobs and provide producers with access to new markets to get the best possible price for our energy products.
What are the primary goals for 2017?
We will continue to fight for Alberta to get shovels in the ground for the approved pipeline projects. We will ensure ongoing stability in public services like healthcare and education. We will continue putting Albertans to work building the schools, hospitals, roads and bridges we need. We will continue to diversify our economy through initiatives like the Petrochemical Diversification Program; two new tax credits for small and medium sized businesses; and lowering the small business tax rate by 33 per cent.
How do you feel about the decline in some polls regarding the popularity of the NDP and how do you feel the party can turn this around in 2017?
We are doing what we promised—create a strategy to address climate change and diversify our economy. Pricing carbon was recommended by an expert panel after months of consultation with Albertans. The opposition are torqueing the figures and trying to make it sound like it’s the end of the world, but as Albertans realize that rebates will help 60 per cent of households cover the cost and that new jobs and new businesses are being created from the revenue, they will see that it’s the best solution to a very challenging problem.
What can you tell our readers about settling fears about the coming carbon tax?
Six out of 10 households will get a full rebate starting in January. Revenue from the levy will also be used to fund energy efficiency programs, further lowering the cost of energy for people. The carbon price will help us diversify our economy and support new jobs in green infrastructure and renewable energy. Even with the levy, Albertans have a tax advantage compared with people in other provinces.
Can you rate your own performance and how you feel you have best represented this constituency?
I’ve been representing the constituents of Banff-Cochrane by ensuring the constituency’s needs and priorities are kept front and centre. I’ve been successful in having the 1A/22 intersection placed on the infrastructure priority list and successful in helping secure funding for important projects like: · the flood and drought protection program · upgrading the Kananaskis Emergency Services Centre · upgrading provincial parks including the Ghost Public Land Use Zone · the Cochrane Humane Society. Beyond that I’m very proud to be part of a government that, unlike the opposition, is committed to education so that students get a good start in life and committed to health care so that our families are taken care of.
Cochrane Mayor Ivan Brooker
What were council's biggest successes of 2016 to you, personally?
I believe the biggest success of 2016 would be that we have an agreement with the province for the “finalize design” for the intersection of 1A and 22. The second hurdle we overcame was making them understand the importance of this project to the town and region, which got us on their “sunshine list” for approved projects. This intersection is now “shovel ready” and could be funded in the spring provincial budget.
Other successes would be key land purchases and sales. The Old Town Hall Site is ready for redevelopment after that sale in the spring. We purchased the land for a new RCMP building, purchased the old Esso Bulk Fuel site for redevelopment as well as the land beside the Library, all very key land acquisitions.
What decisions made by council do you wish had gone differently and why in 2016?
This is one of the best councils I have ever worked with and I wouldn’t change a thing.
What, with the final year of this term approaching, would you like to see this council accomplish in 2017?
1. I would like to further the conversations of what will be done with the lands where the old pool and curling rink currently sit once the new pool and curling facility open. 2. For years we were in need of more senior housing, we now have one started in the downtown core, I would like to see the Fireside seniors facility resolved and started. 3. Council needs to revisit the transit options before us and look at what might work for Cochrane.
What do you think will be the legacy of this council?
I am most proud of how this council has been able to work together through issues using positive conversation and understanding as opposed to confrontation. It has been a pleasure working this way and truly more good decisions have been made.
What do you think will be the biggest project or challenge for the next council?
We have been and will continue to be a community of choice for many people. There will always be challenging issue around growth, infrastructure and quality of life issues that will need to be balanced with financial sustainability.
Cochrane Coun. Mary Lou Eckmeier
What were council's biggest successes of 2016 to you, personally?
The biggest success is the (community enhancement) development matrix that will see early, public input from council to developers.
What decisions made by council do you wish had gone differently and why in 2016?
I wish the decision on the arts and culture centre had went differently. I think it should remain part of expanded downtown and connect to the old downtown via the enclosed walkway.
What, with the final year of this term approaching, would you like to see this council accomplish in 2017?
I would like to see the new pool/multisport facility open with no more overages and current overages recouped.
What do you think will be the legacy of this council?
The legacy of this council is building a complete community recreational facility for decades to come.
What do you think will be the biggest project or challenge for the next council?
The biggest project for the next council will be to implement a transit system that services our local community efficiently and financially responsibly.
Cochrane Coun. Gaynor Levisky
What were council's biggest successes of 2016 to you, personally?
For me, the library and all the great work that has been done is what I am most proud of for 2016. The board, Jeri Maitland and all the amazing staff at the Nan Boothby Memorial Library have worked so hard to rebuild our library to be a thriving service in our community.
What decisions made by council do you wish had gone differently and why in 2016?
There may be disagreements among the councillors and even with the community on some of our decisions; however, I truly believe that all our decisions have been balanced and followed proper governance. I’m proud of what this council has accomplished.
What, with the final year of this term approaching, would you like to see this council accomplish in 2017?
For me, the focus will be on working with the West Pointe community to see their community entrance developed. The community has worked very hard to get our attention and it is time for action to beautify their community entrance. I will be working with administration to ensure something is done that community can be proud of.
I will also be working with administration to address pedestrian crosswalks in our school zones to ensure we have safe crossing for all our children.
What do you think will be the legacy of this council?
I believe the aquatic and curling multi-sport centre will be the legacy of this council.
What do you think will be the biggest project or challenge for the next council?
Transit will be a big project for our next council. I also think regional growth and the impact of that on our community will be a big challenge.
Cochrane Coun. Tara McFadden
What were council's biggest successes of 2016 to you, personally?
It's been such a successful year, it's hard to pick just a few. Tops would be keeping taxes low while providing the services Cochrane needs, a careful balance in these tough economic times; the investment in our Historic Downtown success by solving the need for public washrooms in the downtown; adding a visitor’s center; re-shaping 4th Ave to allow for more parking; and starting the gateway features that are going to bookend the downtown; and, of course, pushing back on the developer community to ensure that development occurs on Cochrane's terms.
What decisions made by council do you wish had gone differently and why in 2016?
A big part of what I would like to accomplish is to bring the community into the decision making process in a meaningful way and this moved backwards rather than forwards in 2016. Council decided to cancel the Mayor's Youth Council and the Environmental Committee (CEC) and defeated my motion to expand the role of the Cochrane Planning Commission, which has five public members on it.
What, with the final year of this term approaching, would you like to see this council accomplish in 2017?
In 2017, I want council to achieve some meaningful wins on transportation. This includes taking the next steps in the Bow River Bridge, including work on Griffin Road, and settling the road alignments across the river; to continue to lobby the province to get the Highway 22/1A upgrade on their capital plans and to determine how transit fits into Cochrane's future; and, of course, to have the aquatic and curling/multi-sport centre finished on time.
What do you think will be the legacy of this council?
This council's legacy will include investing in our community with projects like the aquatic and curling/multi-sport centre while keeping taxes low and Cochrane affordable. Over the entire four-year term, taxes increased less than 2 per cent total, which comparably makes our single family housing tax rate the lowest in the region.
What do you think will be the biggest project or challenge for the next council?
Growth pressures. Cochrane is a very desirable place to live and we need to ensure that this growth benefits Cochrane. Some of this we have very little control over, like Rocky View County's push to build communities on our border, including the proposed Glenbow Ranch development. Not only would this add over 14,000 people, putting pressure on our services, but the traffic impact on 1A could make commuting painful.
Other key projects will be the Bow River bridge, a new RCMP station and a decision on transit.
Cochrane Coun. Morgan Nagel
What were council's biggest successes of 2016 to you, personally?
Our biggest success has been the continued development of Cochrane's downtown core. Cochrane should be proud that 2016 was a year of business expansion in our town. Alberta is in the depths of a recession, and we are still doing everything we can to encourage commercial projects throughout the community.
What decisions made by council do you wish had gone differently and why in 2016?
While I am proud of our commercial development, I wish council would have agreed to my proposal to temporarily freeze new residential development. Based on our recent meeting with the Department of Transportation, I see little reason to believe that the 1A and 22 highways will be expanded anytime soon. Our traffic congestion in town is going to get much worse before it gets better.
What, with the final year of this term approaching, would you like to see this council accomplish in 2017?
I would like to see council finish 2017 with a detailed plan to address Cochrane's traffic problems. Right now Cochrane's traffic bottlenecks on the provincial 1A/22 highways. The municipal government needs to take responsibility and provide alternate routes around town, such as a second bridge across the river and an additional railroad crossing on Horse Creek Road. After those are done we need to start thinking of entirely new projects to reduce traffic congestion.
What do you think will be the legacy of this council?
For better or worse, 2013-2017 has been the period in which Cochrane transitioned from being a big town to a small city. By 2017, I expect our population will be 40 per cent larger than it was in 2013. I wish Cochrane didn't grow quite so fast; however, since council wouldn't agree to pause development, we better get serious about expanding our infrastructure to deal with the growth.
What do you think will be the biggest project or challenge for the next council?
In the coming years we are going to have huge debt repayment commitments for the $48 million wave pool and curling rink, which council never should have built. With that financial pressure, the next council is going to have a very hard time expanding Cochrane's infrastructure without raising taxes.
Cochrane Coun. Jeff Toews
What were council's biggest successes of 2016 to you, personally?
Biggest success was the completion of the community enhancement notice of motion that Councillor Levisky and I co-submitted.
Because of this, people buying a new home in town will have clear concise information about what the area buying into will look like far into the future. No more surprises where they were told that it will be a green space then turns out to be a condo complex. All communities now will be well-identified and have nice entrances. Developers will no longer be able to leave properties unkempt. More trees required in our communities means more green space and beauty. More space between homes gives more space for families to grow and give residents a little more privacy. The motion initiated the Community Enhancement Matrix which means council will have a closer look at what is actually going into each new development and have an opportunity to get more feedback from residents.
What decisions made by council do you wish had gone differently and why in 2016?
The pilot of the off-leash project. This was initiated to see how a shared off-leash would work. The shared off-leash was 7-9 a.m. and 8-10 p.m. only. The idea was if we can start sharing space we could then get more green space in our communities. This is a concept used by New York and is also used in Victoria very successfully. I was very disappointed that a website was started up with incorrect information that got people to send in a form letter in opposition. I always felt that Cochrane was a forward-thinking community and the fact that a small handful of people were not willing to give it a try was disturbing. I would have preferred we gave it a try to see if it would work in our community.
What, with the final year of this term approaching, would you like to see this council accomplish in 2017?
The start of the new bridge in Riversong and a firm decision on the 5th Ave site.
What do you think will be the legacy of this council?
I’m hoping that we have a legacy of being a forward-thinking council; some of the lowest tax increases in the country; moving major projects forward in a responsible manner.
For example, if we started the multi-sport project today instead of two years ago we would be looking at a $4 million dollar increase to the project cost. We have $110 million earmarked for roads projects. We have moved outside of the box of how we are looking at developing our communities in the future. All of this with a responsible debt load that we have at record low interest rates and a solid plan to pay back any debt.
What do you think will be the biggest project or challenge for the next council?
Keeping tax increases at reasonable level. This council and administration has done a lot of work to keep taxes low and to come up with creative ways to move projects forward without using tax dollars.
Cochrane Coun. Ross Watson
What were council's biggest successes of 2016 to you, personally?
In 2016 the town was awarded a detailed engineering design of Highways 22 and 1A - in itself a major project. Council had made pressuring the provincial government a priority and I see the commitment for the design project as a positive sign for a future major intersection at Highway 22/1A.
What decisions made by council do you wish had gone differently and why in 2016?
In 2016 council approved an increase in side yard setbacks from 1.2 meters to 1.5 meters. I believe this will mean that builders will now build narrower houses with less floor space. The increase to the side yards will have little effect on the street appearance of the neighbourhood, which was the intended reason for the bylaw and will result in small, narrow homes that will have an negative effect on the appearance of the neighbourhood.
What, with the final year of this term approaching, would you like to see this council accomplish in 2017?
The most important project to get in the ground for 2017 is the new bridge. The town has set 2019 for the opening of the new bridge. This bridge is the most important infrastructure project before council in 2017. Every decision from land purchases to awarding of contracts will need to pass council without delay for the bridge to open in 2019.
What do you think will be the legacy of this council?
The legacy of this council is twofold. The new aquatic and multisport centre is the visible, tangible legacy.
Over this council’s four-year term taxes only increased a total of 1.24 per cent while we undertook the biggest capital project that will have the greatest effect on the quality of life for the majority of people of Cochrane.
And, Cochrane can now say, our taxes on an average home are the lowest in the region.
What do you think will be the biggest project or challenge for the next council?
In 2017 transit, both regional and local, will be in front of the new council. The current council will make decisions on pilot projects for regional transit and set the direction for local transit. The new council will be the ones that will be making the final decisions for both local and regional transit.
