I attended the candidates’ forum last week to hear firsthand how each candidate envisions leading our community into the future. While it was encouraging to hear water conservation, responsible development, and fiscal management come up time and again, much of the language sounded familiar. Yet, in between the well-rehearsed phrases, there were subtle shifts that caught my attention — small but meaningful signs that the conversation around sustainability is beginning to evolve.
It felt, at moments, as though some candidates had been following along with the same conversations many of us have been having here — about getting control of development, protecting water supplies, and ensuring that growth actually benefits the people who live here. That’s progress. It means the community voice is being heard.
Promises and Performance
Still, words alone won’t build a sustainable community. Several candidates pointed to a frustrating truth: development agreements are not always followed through. We’ve seen subdivisions where developers promised a mix of housing types — including affordable homes for young families — only to deliver high-value builds that lock out first-time buyers. We’ve seen quality suffer from shortcuts, and infrastructure strained by unbalanced growth.
These are not just planning issues; they’re accountability issues. When agreements are ignored, it’s the residents who pay the price — in water shortages, in higher taxes, and in declining trust.
From Conversation to Framework: The Case for LEED
This is where LEED becomes more than a checklist for buildings. It’s a framework for governance with built-in accountability.
If all municipal and major private projects were required to meet LEED Silver, we’d have measurable standards for water efficiency, energy performance, and materials use. Alberta Municipal Affairs recognized this years ago, recommending LEED as the minimum building standard for municipal facilities. The groundwork has already been done; we just need to follow through.
At a time when energy costs are measurably rising, efficiency isn’t just an environmental goal — it’s fiscal responsibility. Every kilowatt-hour saved through design and performance standards keeps operating budgets under control and helps stabilize municipal spending. So much for “getting control of expenses” if we continue to build in ways that lock in inefficiency for decades to come.
Reconnecting the Systems That Work
Our town once had the foresight to implement systems like the Energy Management Information System (EMIS), designed to track and reduce energy waste in public facilities. Disconnecting that system was a step backward — one that left us without the data needed to manage our own resources effectively.
Reintegrating EMIS alongside LEED adoption would create a powerful feedback loop: design for efficiency, then measure it in real time. That’s what responsible governance looks like.
Time for Real Leadership
Our community has the tools, the knowledge, and the motivation. What’s needed now is the leadership to turn conversation into commitment — to adopt proven frameworks like LEED Silver, reconnect the systems that keep us efficient, and build accountability into every project we undertake.
This election isn’t just about who leads; it’s about how we choose to lead. We can continue managing problems after they arise, or we can plan, measure, and prevent them before they start.
Sustainability grows when we share it.
By mentoring, teaching, and supporting one another, we create a stronger, more resilient community for generations to come. 🌱
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