1. It’s been one year since you were elected. What has been your biggest revelation about serving Airdrie?
My biggest revelation has been just how important strong partnerships are as Airdrie continues to grow. We need close collaboration with our regional partners, the provincial government, and the federal government to help address the infrastructure needs that come with that growth.
Airdrie taxpayers can’t be expected to shoulder that burden alone. There’s a significant balance between municipal, provincial, and federal responsibilities, and we need to work together more closely than ever to ensure our residents continue to enjoy the incredible quality of life Airdrie has to offer.
2. What do you see as your biggest success to date?
I think one of our biggest successes has been continuing to provide the level of service Airdrie residents expect while minimizing the impact on taxpayers as much as possible.
We’ve increased developer levies to help fund infrastructure, fire services, and recreation. That’s an important step because it helps share the cost of growth between our development partners and existing residents.
We’ve also accelerated the new Southwest Recreation Centre, moving from a seven-year, three-phase plan to a three-year, single-phase project. And now we’re seeing the province move forward with funding for a new Airdrie health centre in partnership with Covenant Health.
Announcements like that don’t happen overnight. They come from years of advocacy, planning, relationship-building, and the work of previous councils and community leaders. I feel incredibly fortunate that this council has been able to carry that work forward—continuing to advocate for Airdrie and speaking with every minister willing to listen. To now see some of that work turning into real investments in our community during our term is incredibly exciting.
3. What do you feel is your biggest challenge moving into the next year?
Our biggest challenge will be keeping pace with the infrastructure demands created by Airdrie’s incredible growth.
There is a tremendous amount happening right now, and as a council and administration, we can’t lose sight of our objectives or take our foot off the gas. We’ve accomplished a great deal in a relatively short period of time, but there is still a lot of work ahead.
It’s an exciting time for Airdrie. There will certainly be challenges along the way, but we’re building something together that will serve this community for generations. It’s going to be a wild ride—so buckle in, hold on, and let’s enjoy seeing what we can accomplish together.