Ward 3 Candidate CERT Questionnaire Responses and Podcast Forum
Learn about your candidates for Ward 3 in the City of Calgary
Watch the Ward 3 CERT FORUM with Andrew Yule and Jaspriya Johal👇
The Calgary Environmental Round Table (CERT) podcast, hosted by Jenny Yeremiy, is a platform for discussing environmental and climate priorities in Calgary. CERT is a nonpartisan coalition of organizations focused on water, nature, and climate issues, aiming to empower Calgarians to make informed choices at the ballot box. The podcast features candidate panels and voter engagement tools to connect residents with candidates and elevate environmental priorities. In a recent episode, candidates Andrew Yule and Jaspriya Johal discussed their visions for a sustainable Calgary. Both emphasized the need for improved transit and park spaces in Ward 3, highlighting the importance of connectivity and accessibility. They also addressed the protection of watersheds and urban biodiversity, advocating for smarter planning and community involvement in decision-making. The candidates stressed the significance of ENMAX in achieving Calgary’s clean electricity goals and the need for clear, accessible programs for residents. The discussion underscored the importance of equitable access to green spaces and services across all Calgary communities, with a focus on preserving natural habitats and ensuring sustainable growth. Learn all about it here!
Take Action
Want to hear more from other candidates? SEND your mayoral and ward candidates an email requesting their participation in the CERT questionnaire and forum campaign.
WATCH the September 24, 12 pm MST podcast, listen to your candidates for mayor answer the Calgary Environmental Roundtable (CERT) Candidate Questionnaire.
WATCH other Ward and Mayoral episodes!
JOIN the CERT organizations: Alberta Environmental Network, Calgary Urban Species Response Team, Calgary Climate Hub, Bird Friendly Calgary, The Climate Reality Project Canada, Calgary River Valleys, and For Our Kids Alberta.
FOLLOW The Gravity Well on Substack, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Bluesky.
Your Ward 3 Candidates’ Answers
Answers and video transcripts collected from Ward 3 candidates will be fully updated by end of day, October 12th.
1️⃣Calgary’s Climate Strategy outlines 5-year goals to reduce energy poverty and utility costs, create clean economy jobs, improve public health, and build more equitable, climate-resilient communities. If elected, how will you work to achieve these outcomes for Calgarians?
Andrew Yule
As a long time Transit and Park Space advocate in North Central Calgary my focus will be on these areas of the Climate Strategy for Ward 3.
Atul Chauhan | The Calgary Party
We will ensure Calgary’s Climate Strategy moves from aspirational to actionable. That means better accountability on existing climate targets and ties back to KPIs in infrastructure, land use and transit decisions.
Link housing and infrastructure planning to ensure greater efficiency of use in new communities.
Accelerate retrofits of City-owned buildings and work with the federal and provincial governments to fund this
Expand rapid transit and active mobility networks to cut emissions while giving Calgarians better, more affordable ways to move around.
Support clean economy job creation by tying procurement to local low-carbon industries.
Jaspriya Johal
Climate change is no longer an abstract debate, it directly affects our cost of living, our health, and our children’s future. Calgary’s role in addressing the climate emergency cannot be cosmetic or about lofty promises; it must be actionable and accessible.
I see climate action as something that must make life better for families right now, not just check boxes for the future. Calgary’s goals like cutting energy poverty, lowering bills, and building healthier, more resilient communities.
My priority will be to make home retrofit and clean-energy programs easy to access so all Calgarians, not just those with time to fight through red tape, can save on their utility bills. I also pledge to boost Ward 3’s tree canopy so our community becomes a key contributor to Calgary’s goal of doubling its cover. Shade and trees aren’t luxuries; they’re essential for a good quality of life. By planting native, climate-suitable species, we can provide shade, improve health, and protect families from extreme weather. For me, tackling the climate emergency is about practical steps that lower costs, keep families safe, and build a stronger city for our kids.
2️⃣ How will you ensure that new community development and redevelopment in Calgary protects our watersheds, river and creek valleys, wetlands, and the wildlife and urban biodiversity that depend on these ecosystems?
Andrew Yule
I am a big proponent of using the flood fringe as the setback for development. As someone who has been advocating for greater setbacks along Nose Creek, it is important that we go above and beyond what is required when it comes to our vital watersheds.
Atul Chauhan | The Calgary Party
We will make protection of rivers, wetlands, and natural corridors a non-negotiable part of Calgary’s growth. Our commitments include:
Strengthening watershed and riparian protection in development processes
Encouraging all redevelopment projects include stormwater management, tree cover, and habitat protection.Encourage development inside Calgary’s existing footprint to limit Calgary’s impact on the surrounding habitat and biodiversity.
Jaspriya Johal
I have seen how city hall can ignore the voices of the very people it’s supposed to serve. Take Nose Creek, one of the last natural spaces families could enjoy close to home. Seventy-eight percent of residents said they were against development there, but the city went ahead anyway. How is that democratic?
In communities like Livingston and Carrington, the lack of tree cover compared to the city average shows the same problem - families here are not treated with the same fairness or dignity. Everyone deserves shaded parks, healthy creeks, and natural spaces to enjoy, not just in some parts of the city. In my view, protecting watersheds and green cover isn’t a luxury; it’s about respecting community voices, giving families equal access to nature, and building resilience against extreme weather events.
3️⃣ Will you commit to dedicating budget dollars toward protecting Calgary’s biodiversity and improving wildlife safety in our urban environment, including through measures such as enforcing bird-friendly building standards, retrofitting existing structures, and supporting safe wildlife corridors?
Andrew Yule
I would definitely be a proponent of bird friendly development. Especially for development near our naturalized areas and watersheds. I would definitely be open to collaborate with Calgary Urban Species Response Team to find achievable policy on bird friendly guidelines. We are a "Bird Friendly City" we need to back that up with some action.
Atul Chauhan | The Calgary Party
We commit to investing in biodiversity and wildlife safety, through ensuring a portion of retrofit funds can go to meeting standards where appropriate. We will work to prioritize wildlife corridors in community design, with safe crossings and connected park systems.
Jaspriya Johal
As a mother raising two kids, I want them and every young Calgarian to grow up in a city where we still see birds, wildlife, and healthy green spaces around us. I don’t believe protecting nature is only about throwing dollars at it. It’s about making smarter choices in how we build and how we live.
City Hall should make sure new buildings are bird-friendly, that communities have safe spaces for wildlife to move, and that we plant trees where shade is missing. But this is also about shared responsibility: residents, schools, community groups, and city hall all doing their part, so nature stays part of our daily lives.
4️⃣ What steps will you take to ensure housing, rent, and transit in Calgary are affordable and accessible so that more Calgarians can access services with dignity, and live and work in a healthy city?
Andrew Yule
What I am seeing in Ward 3 is rapid growth and density. However, affordable housing becomes less affordable when there is insufficient transit to service that housing. North Central Calgary is not getting the transit infrastructure to support the rapid growth we are seeing. I will be championing proper transit infrastructure for the MAX Green and 144 Ave BRT System. We need these projects ASAP so that we can have proper connections throughout our City.
Atul Chauhan | The Calgary Party
Housing and transit are climate policies as much as social policies. We will:
Ensure zoning decisions unlock more housing supply, especially near transit corridors.
Deliver a reliable, frequent transit system, expanding MAX Rapid Bus and getting the Green Line back on track.
Jaspriya Johal
I know how much families struggle when housing and transit don’t meet their needs. When my family moved to Livingston, we spent six years without a single bus route through the neighbourhood. Between me and my husband, it was a daily battle just to get our kids to and from school. Only this September (2025), we finally got our first bus route, and it’s still just one. That’s not what families in a city like Calgary should have to go through.
Affordable housing and fair rents matter, but without safe, reliable, and frequent transit year-round, families are left stranded. Transit isn’t just a city provided service, it’s what open doors to better jobs, better education, and give seniors the independence to live their lives with dignity. Ward 3 needs a representative who will be a fighter for frequent, reliable transit that connects our neighbourhoods quickly and effectively. For too long, Ward 3 has been denied this basic service.
I believe planning for public service systems must reflect the real character of each neighbourhood, some are more residential, some are built around businesses or schools. That’s why I do not support blanket rezoning, where one stroke of a pen decides everything without considering how unevaluated new projects for their fit in the community, alter the rhythm of life for the residents and families. We need equitable, thoughtful planning and inclusive budgeting, where every community gets the services that match its needs and where every family feels their city is working for them.
5️⃣ENMAX is wholly owned by the City of Calgary. What role do you see for ENMAX in helping the city achieve its 2035 clean electricity goals?
Andrew Yule
Something I am hearing at the doors is Solar guidelines and regulations need revisited. We have a lot of Solar installation companies going door to door, but we need proper standards for these installations to ensure that residents get the benefit of this type of electricity production.
Atul Chauhan | The Calgary Party
ENMAX should be a cornerstone of Calgary’s clean energy transition. We will:
Push ENMAX to adopt a transparent 2035 decarbonization roadmap with clear milestones regarding supply and procurement of clean electricity.
Ensure ENMAX supports low-income Calgarians through expanded energy efficiency programs and equitable rate structures.
Treat ENMAX not just as a revenue source, but as a public asset accountable for delivering affordable, clean power.
Jaspriya Johal
I hear this often when talking to families at the door. People want to do the right thing, they want cleaner energy, they want to lower their bills, but when they try to apply for government programs to upgrade their homes or put in solar, the process is just too hard. The rules and requirements are so confusing that most families just give up.
That’s not fair. ENMAX must be central in meeting our clean electricity goals. We need simple, clear programs that everyday people can use, not red tape that leaves families out. If we do this right, ENMAX can be more than just a power company, it can be the reason Calgarians save money on their bills while doing their part for a cleaner future.
6️⃣How will you advance sustainable water use and watershed protection in Calgary’s growth and development decisions?
Andrew Yule
Based on my work with Nose Creek, we need to clean up our waterways. If Nose Creek were healthier, through better stormwater systems, we could be using it for non-drinkable needs. I hope to work closely with the Nose Creek Watershed Partnership and the Nose Creek Preservation Society to make sure that we are increasing the quality of our Nose Creek Watershed in Ward 3, Calgary and Surrounding Municipalities.
Atul Chauhan | The Calgary Party
We know Calgary’s water system is already under strain. Last year’s Bearspaw South Feeder Main failure was a wake-up call — and with over 22% of our treated water lost to leakage (compared to less than 5% in Edmonton), the status quo is unsustainable
That’s why we are calling for the creation of a modern, publicly owned water utility — independent, accountable, and run by experts. This model, proven in cities like Edmonton (EPCOR) and even with ENMAX here in Calgary, would:
Protect long-term water security: Invest in preventative maintenance and monitor risks to avoid catastrophic failures.
Advance sustainable growth: Integrate water infrastructure planning with housing, transit, and community development to avoid overloading our rivers and aquifers.
Reduce hidden costs: Replace today’s site levies — a $12,000+ “hidden water tax” on each new home — with fair, utility-based financing that spreads costs across decades.
Ensure transparency and accountability: Require the utility to publish clear performance benchmarks and capital plans, overseen by regulators and open to the public.
As Calgary adds more than 100,000 new residents each year, collaboration with regional partners will be critical. We will lead joint watershed protection, risk-mapping, and investment planning across the Bow and Elbow Rivers, ensuring Calgary’s growth never undermines our shared water resources.
Jaspriya Johal
Last year’s water main break was a wake-up call for all of us. Families were worried about whether there would be enough water for daily life, and it showed us how much strain our aging infrastructure is under. To me, water stewardship also includes building redundancy into our systems so that one break doesn’t bring the whole city to a standstill.
But we can’t forget, water pipes and treatment plants don’t exist in a vacuum. Even though I’m not a technical expert, I know one thing for sure: we can’t engineer our way out of climate pressures by ignoring nature’s patterns.
There isn’t one single fix. It’s a collective effort: city hall must upgrade and plan smarter, and Calgarians need to be judicious with how we use water. Respecting nature’s limits and coexisting with it is the only way to make sure future generations don’t face even bigger disruptions.
7️⃣How will you ensure recommendations from Calgarians including residents, frontline communities, environmental groups, and city staff are meaningfully considered in Council decisions?
Andrew Yule
More town halls. I've also wanted to investigate with the city about making local environmental societies listed as "Formal Referees" in development that includes their specified waterway or green space.
Atul Chauhan | The Calgary Party
We will rebuild trust in City Hall by ensuring engagement is real and transparent. That means:
Expanding proactive engagement with residents, frontline groups, and experts at the start of planning processes.
Requiring Council to publicly report on how community recommendations were incorporated (or why they weren’t).
Strengthening two-way communication with community associations and advisory panels so input shapes decisions, not just checkboxes.
Jaspriya Johal
I have lived in Ward 3 for 2 decades now, and I know how it feels when city hall makes decisions without truly listening to the people who live here. Too often, residents feel like their voices are just a box to be checked in a consultation, instead of something that shapes the outcome. That’s not right.
As your councillor, I will make sure engagement is not just a formality. My three guiding principles are accountability, transparency, and responsibility. I will advocate for a transparent decision-making process where residents, frontline staff, environmental groups, and experts know their input is meaningfully considered. Every Calgarian should see their taxes reflected in the services they receive, and every decision should show accountability to the people paying for it.