By Imran Ahmed, October 16 2025‚
In Calgary’s 2025 municipal election, Communities First is positioning itself as a more conservative, council-based party formed by sitting incumbents. Formed in late 2024 by councillors Sonya Sharp, Dan McLean, Andre Chabot and Terry Wong, the party pitches itself as a coalition of experienced candidates.
Sharp, now serving as the party’s mayoral candidate, is its most visible figure. First elected as a Ward 1 councillor in 2021, she built her profile around fiscal restraint and practical, “common-sense” policymaking.
Alongside Sharp is Wong, who is running for Ward 7, which includes the University District and other student-heavy neighbourhoods. Candidates highlight their localized priorities but are tied together by the party’s broader platform of experience, collaboration and fiscal conservatism.
The party stresses that councillors are not bound by party discipline and pledge to represent their constituents first and foremost while working collaboratively on shared priorities.
For students, the question is whether Communities First’s approach will lead to meaningful action on housing affordability, transit access, job opportunities and safety.
Housing and affordability
Housing affordability directly affects whether students can live near campus or are subjected to long, cumbersome commutes. As of September 2025, Zumper reported the city’s overall median rent at $1889. Although this is a six per cent decrease year on year, according to Zumper, students relying on part-time wages or loans may still find it a serious financial burden.
One of the most contentious planning moves came in May 2024, when the council passed Mayor Jyoti Gondek’s blanket rezoning bylaw. The change made rowhouses and townhouses legal “by right” across most residential lots in the city.
The bylaw passed on a 9–6 vote after a record public hearing in which 458 speakers opposed the policy compared to 227 in support. Sharp, then Ward 1 councillor, voted against the bylaw and proposed 14 amendments aimed at adding accountability, quarterly reporting and more community consultation.
In June 2025, Communities First published a Housing Policy Response outlining its position. The party criticized Gondek’s blanket rezoning, calling the policy “a failure” that removed public input and failed to deliver affordability. Communities First pledged to repeal and replace the bylaw, restoring the previous Land Use Bylaw until a new framework could be developed.
It emphasizes a housing strategy that “respects the people that live here,” encouraging redevelopment and higher density aligned with infrastructure and community needs, but rejecting one-size-fits-all rezoning.
The party also seeks to expand subsidized and affordable housing through partnerships with other governments, non-profits and the private sector. Plans include more transit-oriented development and housing for low-income families, seniors and newcomers.
For students, the impact remains unclear. Communities First’s commitments may expand the overall supply of rentals and affordable units, but without student-specific measures, the immediate challenges of high rents and limited availability near campus remain unresolved.
Transit and safety
Reliable and affordable transit is critical for students balancing work, study and commuting. Communities First’s platform emphasizes maintaining core city services, prioritizing infrastructure upkeep and addressing social disorder on transit. The party presents accountability and cost control as central to its approach.
On safety, the party identifies public safety as a fundamental responsibility and pledges to strengthen investments in Police, Peace and Transit Officers. If carried out effectively, these commitments could improve the daily experiences of students who rely on public transportation.
In Ward 7, candidate Terry Wong signals a focus on incremental infrastructure renewal within the existing municipal system. His priorities include improving lighting, repairing roads, installing pedestrian crossings and enhancing safer transit platforms. However, he has yet to release a detailed plan outlining how these improvements would be delivered.
Jobs and economic growth
Youth unemployment in Alberta remains higher than average, with many students finding it extremely difficult to secure employment, especially in the summer months. According to Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate for returning students aged 15 to 24 was 17.4 per cent in June 2025, up from 15.8 per cent a year prior and well above the record low of 10.2 per cent in June 2022 during a tight labour market. This marked the highest June rate since 2009, excluding the pandemic years.
Communities First does not outline student-specific job policies. Instead, its platform stresses affordable taxes, transparent budgeting, oversight of City Administration and investment in infrastructure and capital projects to support long-term growth. These measures may indirectly benefit students over time, but without targeted programs, youth are likely to continue facing steep barriers to employment in the short term.
Student takeaway
Communities First is offering Calgarian voters experience and discipline. With a sitting councillor as its mayoral candidate and incumbents leading its council slate, it is positioning itself as a well-known alternative to less-tested newer parties and candidates.
For students, the platform is pragmatic but not specific in terms of how they will benefit. Housing policies may expand supply over time but do little in tackling immediate affordability. Transit and safety policies stress oversight and order, which will help the student experience in terms of safety.
Ultimately, Communities First presents itself as a disciplined, credible alternative built on experience and cautious governance. Its emphasis on fiscal prudence and incremental change may appeal to voters weary of large-scale experimentation at City Hall.
Yet, for students and younger Calgarians, the platform’s realism could also be its limitation. Without concrete student-centred policies or innovative approaches to housing, transit and employment, the coalition risks maintaining the status quo rather than reshaping it.
If elected, Communities First may deliver steadier, more predictable governance — but whether that stability translates into meaningful progress for students remains uncertain.
To learn more about the Communities First municipal party, visit www.communitiesfirstyyc.com.
