Featured Guest
You’ll find this guest among our growing roll of Urban Champions.
Naheed Nenshi
Former Mayor of Calgary
5 Key
Takeaways
A roundup of the most compelling ideas, themes and quotes from this candid conversation
1. Community building during COVID-19
Mayor Nenshi emphasized the diversity embedded within Calgary and highlighted the important role community building has had in the City’s COVID-19 response. “In times of crisis and in times of trouble, we are reminded of the importance of community building and what we can do in order to understand that even when we are physically separated, we are, in fact together and we need to be together in community in order to continue this experiment of building,” he said. He also made a direct promise to his community: “It doesn’t matter what you look like or where you come from or how you worship or whom you love, you belong here and you have the opportunity here to live a life of dignity and potential.”
2. The quintuple whammy
While Mayor Nenshi said the he expects the effects of COVID-19 on Calgary to be similar to other places in the developed world, he highlighted that Calgary is facing a “quintuple whammy” of factors that can potentially worsen the effects of COVID-19 on the city. In addition to the public health crisis, he talked about the fallout from a global recession and the ongoing challenges in the world’s energy markets, a reduction in tourism, and the delayed discussion of racism and what it means in a Canadian context.
3. Tax reform and a new fiscal federalism
Mayor Nenshi discussed the urgent need for tax reform in Calgary. “The problem here is that the property tax is grotesquely unfair. It’s a terrible way of raising revenue. It’s unfair to people on fixed incomes who happen to have lived in their house for a long time in a neighborhood that . . . suddenly became trendy,” he said. “And it’s particularly unfair for businesses, for small businesses, because they’re [municipalities] taxing you on your landlord’s wealth, not on how well your business did this year.” With regard to a new fiscal federalism, he said that he hopes COVID-19 opens up the conversation for a shift towards a new fiscal federalism in which revenues are shared in different ways.
4. Striving to end homelessness in Calgary
Homelessness is a prevalent issue faced by “4,000 Calgarians a night on any given night” according to Mayor Nenshi. In response, he posed a fundamental question: “What if at the end of the pandemic, nobody goes back to emergency shelters?” To address the prevalence of homelessness in Calgary, Mayor Nenshi proposed making Calgary the first city in North America to seriously address housing issues and “end functional homelessness through the use of rent supplements, affordable housing, permanent supportive housing for some folks and addiction treatment for some folks.”
5. A necessary shift towards being actively anti-racist
“The lived experience of Canadians in this marvelous place is different based on the colour of your skin,” remarked Mayor Nenshi. He called for a shift in the conversation of systemic racism from “being not racist to being actively anti-racist.” To illustrate his point, Mayor Nenshi highlighted a discussion he had with teenagers of differing backgrounds from Western Canada High School on the lessons they receive about driving from their parents. He candidly stated “every person of colour gets two parts of that lecture”. We have to listen to the experiences of people in our communities, but listening and learning is not enough on its own. Said Mayor Nenshi, listening and learning is the prerequisite to the work. We have to ensure that our actions as leaders and as a community are empowering people to live up to their full potential and dignity.
Additional Reading & Resources
Full Panel
Transcript
Note to readers: This video session was transcribed using auto-transcribing software. Manual editing was undertaken in an effort to improve readability and clarity. Questions or concerns with the transcription can be directed to events@canurb.org with “transcription” in the subject line.
Full Audience
Chatroom Transcript
Note to reader: Chat comments have been edited for ease of readability. The text has not been edited for spelling or grammar. For questions or concerns, please contact events@canurb.org with “Chat Comments” in the subject line.12:01:38 From Canadian Urban Institute: Folks, please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:02:43 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Today’s conversation is with Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary, AB
@nenshi
https://www.calgary.ca/citycouncil/mayor/Pages/home.aspx
12:02:56 From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://www.canurb.org/citytalk
12:03:24 From Canadian Urban Institute: Keep the conversation going #citytalk @canurb
12:11:34 From Michelle Robinson to All panelists: Hey everyone!! Love this! Lots of folkx might not know but since he most likely will not bring it up, Nenshi gets daily racism.. it was awful in the last election (I was door knocking.) It’s all over social media on the daily. ((prayers up))
12:12:29 From Canadian Urban Institute: Welcome new joiners! Just a reminder to please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:12:59 From Michelle Robinson: Hey everyone!! Love this! Lots of folkx might not know but since he most likely will not bring it up, Nenshi gets daily racism.. it was awful in the last election (I was door knocking.) It’s all over social media on the daily. ((prayers up))
12:19:56 From Inthuja Ramachandran to All panelists: How quickly are the transcripts posted on the website?
12:21:08 From Canadian Urban Institute to Inthuja Ramachandran and all panelists: Usually within 24 hours
12:23:03 From Inthuja Ramachandran to All panelists: thank you!
12:23:33 From Catherine Soplet: In 2014, Calgary Mayor Nenshi told his story of growing up as a child in a #newcomer #community in #Calgary, w/ the help of the public #education, public #library and #recreation programs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=xDAgM3Alq2Y vid
@HiMYSYeD
12:24:19 From Christina Reynolds: Covid has reminded us of the importance of city parks, essential green places we can turn to for comfort and peace and quiet, especially during a pandemic. So how do plans to put the Green Line LRT bridge right over the wetlands at Prince’s Island Park, Calgary’s Central Park, fit with “build back better”? Already, the Calgary South Ring Road is taking away arguably the quietest and most biodiverse green space in the city, in the Weaselhead park. Public transit is important. But how does the city really value our public parks and green spaces? Once the quiet is gone, you can’t get it back.
12:26:44 From Astra Burka: From Astra Burka I really like how Mayor Nenshi understands the issues in a realistic way. I have hope that Calgary will showcase solutions frothier cities.
12:28:58 From Astra Burka: From Astra Burka Typo …I have hope that Calgary will showcase solutions for other cities. It is time to do solutions and not dwell on the problem as we know this already. ACTION and LESS TALK
12:32:03 From Abby S to All panelists: This is why Banks also need to get involved in the financing of small landlords and perhaps waiving some mortgage payments to pass along affordable rents to tenants.
12:32:13 From Beate Bowron: Can you please spend more time on brainstorming solutions than focusing on the problems, which are well known.
12:41:37 From Abby S: Right-shameful
12:42:12 From Abby S: It’s all about the will. Our federal government lacks the will to correct water and conditions.
12:44:44 From Catherine Soplet: ACER Canada, www.acer-acre.ca is an environmental education charity. Since 1987 ACER has developed programs including planting and geotagging of tree specimens for school yards, conservation areas, and private landowners of residential and commercial land.
Sites are publicly accessed, although land ownership can be public or private. Sites are planted with a view to engage local stewardship to collect annual data for international climate change research.
In 2019, ACER bundled its Planting for Change school yard planting program into a proposal for Peel Region – Project Crossroads: Planting for Change. The tagline is “Climate justice science, for trees and for people”. Read the proposal profile: https://bit.ly/ProjectCrossroads_Profile_Jan-2020
Project Crossroads targets efforts to work with communities in identified low tree canopy “heat islands” where residents experience lower well-being and higher policing events. The areas coincide with Statcan data for higher residency of recent immigrants, and l
12:45:15 From Catherine Soplet: and lower income families who experience poverty. Check out the overlay maps, in the presentation to Mississauga Climate Action network for Earth Day 2020. https://bit.ly/ProjectCrossroads_Earth-Day-2020_MCA-Network
Funding for 1500 tree specimens for October 2020 planting in Bramalea SNAP areas will be announced Sunday, June 14 at ACER’s AGM.
Please join in our webinar. Details in ACER’s press release: https://bit.ly/ACER-2020-AGM_NOTICE-Press-Release
12:46:07 From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://www.canurb.org/citytalk
12:46:58 From Catherine Soplet: Planting for Change delivers hands-on STEM to students, builds leadership skills and wellbeing – Students get stronger academic and other skills, to open choices for specialist skills programs in secondary school.
12:48:43 From Tony Mammone: Pre-Covid -19 we needed 11,000 affordable homes. The recent last 3 recessions have contributed to more hardship. The post Covid-19 era with further waves and change is social behavior will increase near homelessness further. As professional engineer of 21 years in Calgary and having experienced near homelessness for a short period, this past year I have come to understand that housing is the most important and pressing need. I commend the efforts of the City of Calgary to align and form a great team of dedicated affordable housing specialists to support this space. I believe designing and building large tall multi-story buildings helps but is not a long term solution. There are a number of us dedicated professionals working to make an immediate impact in designing and building small micro unit homes to secure housing first for so many tenants earning minimum wage. micro suites in various multi-family housing lots for 5-24 homes. WE need the city of Calgary to step up any way possible to provide supports for:
12:49:39 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please help CUI improve its CityTalk programming with a short survey – https://bit.ly/2ML3g1c
12:53:36 From Abby S: This is so heartbreaking, but not at all unfamiliar to hear.
12:54:28 From Canadian Urban Institute: Keep the conversation going #citytalk @canurb
12:55:22 From Catherine Soplet: re: racism
On June 1, the day Peel District School Board sent its response to Ontario Ministry of Education to address gaps in its anti-Black racism program – #WeRiseTogether – the President of the United States descecrated Americans by setting National Guard on #BlackLivesMatter peaceful protestors
https://bit.ly/PeelMatters_2020-06-04_Peace-Order-and-Good-Government
Photo in “Peel Matters: Peace, Order and Good Government” first appeared in this article about the first-ever We Rise Together – Parent Conference held in Mississauga: https://bit.ly/PeelMatters_2019-11-29_We-Rise
12:56:09 From Michelle Robinson: ((great words))
12:56:43 From Abby S: How did Calgary Herald respond to your analogy?
12:57:26 From Cheryl Cohen: Thank you for this.
12:57:39 From Marsha Paley: Thank you, Mayor Nenshi and CUI for the heartfelt and informative session.
12:57:56 From Beate Bowron: Thank you, Mayor Nenshi.
12:58:27 From Tony Mammone: Redeveloping community association lands for affordable housing, retail/office properties struggling to pay taxes can be repurposed to mixed housing/ health wrap around services for communities. Its time to build small, more social developments 5-12 units right in communities, on the streets we grew up on. Kelowna, BC has established a new zoning for multi-family homes for large 10,000 sq ft lots with one single old home. Making small successful steps with smaller housing developments in communities that needed the most will initiate more demand from mixed -private development and not for profits. Partnerships, innovating working teams can make miracles. A 302 sq ft home will costs $150/ month for a mortgage so that a service sector worker earning minimum wage can afford to pay $605 a month. The right design, right lot, right sizing for tenants or new owners, right dedicated innovative thinkers will easily create success. Calgary can do it and others across the country will follow.
12:58:57 From Catherine Soplet: How to move the world from being “not racist” to “anti-racist” – first we listen, long and well – and soon we must all act.
12:59:25 From Francis Wallace to All panelists: Thank you Mayor Nenshi. Very thoughtful comments.
12:59:28 From Abby S: Thank you!
12:59:46 From GC to All panelists: Thanks for Mayor’s candid comments.
12:59:51 From Michelle Robinson: Hosted by Andrew Phung!
13:00:03 From Imtiyaz Rahaman to All panelists: This is a decades – centuries old problem and Nenshi is right – we need to think about why this (the lived reality for so many of us) is still a surprise for so many. Thanks NN and CUI
13:00:13 From GC to All panelists: Hello from Richmond Hill, ON!
13:00:22 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please visit https://covid100.ca for a schedule and information about our June 19 event for 100 Days of COVID.
13:00:42 From James McCallan: thank you!
