Calgarians have say on issues they want addressed in provincial election

Affordable housing, public safety, transit and a vibrant downtown are what Calgarians want to see addressed by their next provincial government.

Calgarians were surveyed through YYC Matters Community Voices, where those issues were brought up by more than 560 respondents.

Overall, a total of 142 ideas were prepared for the city, including addressing homelessness, completing the Green Line and adding transit extensions to new communities when they are being built.

Eighty-three per cent of respondents who live outside of downtown say they feel safe walking downtown during the day.

That number plummets to 35 per cent in the evening.

The United Conservative Party has committed more than half a billion dollars to LRT initiatives in Calgary during the budget and campaign.

The Alberta NDP has committed $1.2 billion in infrastructure upgrades in Calgary, which includes completing the Green Line north expansion.

Calgary-Hays UCP candidate Ric McIver says his party is committed to tackling public safety.

“Comparing the UCP and NDP is completely apples and oranges,” said McIver.

“We’ve added 100 officers to help with the safety on transit in downtown Calgary (and Edmonton).”

The UCP also plans to monitor violent offenders out on bail with ankle monitoring bracelets, if re-elected.

The NDP says it will fund 150 more police officers province-wide, matching that number in social support workers offering wraparound services.

On affordable housing, the UCP will commit $1 billion over three years to initiatives.

The NDP says its plan is aggressive and broad-ranging, expecting to house 40,000 Albertans over five years.

“There is a significant portion of it focused on those hardest to house, who need those really robust and wraparound services,” said NDP Leader Rachel Notley.