A Better Calgary Party enters the race without a mayoral candidate
By Imran Ahmed, October 16 2025—
As Calgary’s 2025 municipal election approaches, A Better Calgary (ABC) party is making its case as the city’s first registered municipal political party. It was formed out of conservative networks with experience in both federal and provincial politics.
The party describes itself as the conservative choice for Calgary voters, emphasizing a focus on fiscal responsibility, community, accountability and transparency at all levels of the government. Its platform highlights local decision-making and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit, with policies shaped by members rather than imposed from the top down.
Notably, the ABC party is not running a mayoral candidate in this election. Instead, the party is focusing its efforts on council races. In Ward 7, which includes the University District, Hillhurst, Sunnyside and other neighbourhoods heavily populated by students, the party has nominated Anthony Ascue to challenge incumbent councillor Terry Wong, who is a part of the Communities First party. Party leaders argue Wong is not a “dependable conservative choice.”
While the novelty of parties in Calgary’s election marks a structural shift denoted by the introduction of coordinated platforms in a system of independent candidates, their impact will be judged on how it can translate to policy.
For many young Calgarians, especially students, the key issues remain housing, transportation, jobs and safety. Whether the ABC party’s coordinated approach to city council races can translate into tangible policy solutions for those challenges will be the test of its relevance on Oct. 20.
Housing and affordability
Calgary’s population continues to grow quickly. Between July 2023 and July 2024, the city’s population increased by about 6.0 per cent, adding roughly 100,000 people, according to Statistics Canada. While this generates economic and social wealth for the city, it has also put a strain on the housing market as supply has not kept pace.
Rents remain high for most students, particularly in areas near the U of C. In early 2025, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the city was $1,920. Though rental rates have declined year-over-year, they remain prohibitively high or a stretch for many students. In fact, a U of C Students’ Union survey found that more than 27.3 per cent of students spend between $1,000 and $1,999 per month on rent.
The ABC party supports expanding housing through zoning reform, density incentives and the use of city-owned land. These policies may ease affordability over time, but may not address short-term pressures felt by many student renters. Another challenge that remains is ensuring that developers don’t focus on building more profitable luxury real estate, which is a rapidly growing market.
The party has not outlined or committed to specific measures that may ease immediate affordability, such as rental subsidies, stronger tenant protections or student-focused housing programs. For now, its housing strategy prioritizes long-term supply.
Transportation
Transportation is another key pressure point for students. Access to safe, affordable and reliable transportation determines where people can live, work and study. Long commutes and inconsistent service are detrimental to a student’s experience and future opportunities.
The ABC party has not released a detailed position on its plan for public transportation or the Green Line itself. Its message of fiscal caution could suggest that the party will favour more moderate, incremental improvements over high-cost expansions.
Ascue has criticized “terribly managed bike lanes that continually clog major traffic arteries,” arguing for infrastructure repair, improved traffic flow and more responsible project planning. What his campaign plans for public transit, which is overwhelmingly used by students, remains unclear.
Jobs and opportunities
Student unemployment has historically been higher than the citywide and nationwide averages, especially during the summer months when competition for internships and other seasonal work is intense. In May 2025, returning students aged 15-24 faced an unemployment rate of 20.1 per cent, up 3.2 per cent year on year.
Programs like Alberta’s Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP), which provided subsidies to employers who hired students, served as a bridge into the workforce until its cancellation in 2019.
The ABC party emphasizes local entrepreneurship, lower regulatory burden and municipal support for businesses. This can appeal to students with startup ambitions or small-scale business ventures. However, there are no commitments or outlined plans for student-specific or youth-specific employment measures.
Ascue draws on his entrepreneurial background and promises to cut red tape and support small businesses. However, these proposals don’t directly address structural challenges students face in securing work placements.
Safety
Safety is a daily concern for most students. Measures to alleviate this are important to the voting bloc, whether it be enhanced transit security, improved lighting on common campus routes or residential areas or crisis response teams.
Safety is at the heart of Ascue’s campaign messaging. He frames it as a foundational concern and denounces “an alarming crime rate.”
While the ABC party broadly emphasizes community policing and accountability, neither the party nor Ascue has outlined specific plans for issues. Beyond general calls for infrastructure repair, there is little detail on measures that would impact students.
Students may be left waiting
The ABC party is one of the parties introducing coordination and party structure into Calgary politics. Its principles of fiscal responsibility, accountability and entrepreneurial spirit appeal to voters looking for that form of governance.
However, for students, the platform remains limited in detail. The party itself has stated that it “will not be putting forward policies. That will be up to the candidates. The role of the ABC Party is to elect candidates based on the values and principles.” Without concrete commitments that are tailored to student needs, much of the ABC party’s impact on young Calgarians remains uncertain.
To learn more about the A Better Calgary party, visit www.abettercalgaryparty.ca.