Outgoing Calgary mayor meets with incoming mayor as new city council takes shape
She's walked the halls of Calgary City Hall many times in her four years as a councillor, but Jyoti Gondek is no longer just a guest in the mayor's office.
The mayor-elect met with outgoing mayor Naheed Nenshi Tuesday, just hours after Gondek earned 45 per cent of the vote in the race to become Calgary's next mayor.
The pair spoke briefly in front of gathered media before a closed door meeting in the library across the hallway from Gondek's new office.
"There's two or three things we have to talk about today that just have to get done fast and then you can exhale," Nenshi said to Gondek.
"The keys are yours and you've got the opportunity to do amazing things," he said.
"Thank you for leaving it in good shape," Gondek responded.
Jyoti Gondek and Naheed Nenshi, Tuesday Oct. 19, 2021
According to unofficial results from Elections Calgary, Gondek received 58,907 more votes than runner up Jeromy Farkas. Twenty-seven candidates were running for the mayor's seat after Nenshi announced earlier this year he would not seek a fourth term in office.
Gondek won't have much time to acquaint herself with her new office and new council members. Deliberations for Calgary's $4 billion-plus budget are set to start in just a few weeks.
The mayor-elect is coming into office with a sluggish economy and a high downtown vacancy rate. Gondek has pledged to work with her new council colleagues and Calgary's business community to attract investment and reinvigorate the downtown core — and they'll need to do so as they continue to navigate through the pandemic.
Just three of the councillors Gondek worked with for the last four years were re-elected.
They'll all be officially sworn in on Monday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.