Canada News
Mayor Gondek Puts Calgary’s Priorities Front and Centre in Stampede Talks with Prime Minister Carney and Energy Minister Hodgson
CALGARY, AB (July 7, 2025) – While best known for its chuckwagon races and pancake breakfasts, the Calgary Stampede is quickly becoming Canada’s political stomping grounds, where big ideas share the stage with boots and belt buckles.
This year, Mayor Jyoti Gondek put Calgary’s economic future front and centre in high-impact meetings with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson.
Mayor Gondek championed Calgary’s role in building a stronger Canadian economy during meetings with the Prime Minister and Minister Hodgson focusing on shared priorities including Prairie Economic Gateway as the nation’s strongest inland port, interprovincial trade, energy
sovereignty, and Calgary’s role as the economic engine of Canada.
The meetings were held July 4 and 5 respectively.
“Prime Minister Carney understands the critical importance of Calgary to this nation’s prosperity,” said Mayor Gondek.
“We had a focused and forward-looking discussion about
building a stronger Canada by investing in Prairie Economic Gateway, removing trade barriers, and recognizing Canada’s energy sector as world-class.”
The Mayor emphasized the importance of federal partnership to unlock transformative projects like the Gateway, which is poised to generate $7 billion in economic activity and create over 30,000 jobs in its first decade.
Carney expressed clear alignment with this vision, including
support for removing interprovincial trade barriers and implementing the One Canadian Economy Act (Bill C-5).
The issue of development fees in the housing sector also came up in Mayor Gondek’s meeting with Prime Minister Carney. The Prime Minister brought up concerns the Mayor had raised in an April 30 letter about the Liberal Party’s campaign proposal to cut municipal development charges.
Mayor Gondek highlighted that Alberta’s structure now mirrors Quebec’s—where federal dollars must flow through the province.
“Prime Minister Carney understood that Calgary has been put into a challenging position, where red tape has been created provincially before municipalities can access federal funds,” said Gondek. “That makes it impossible to guarantee Calgary can be made whole by the federal government if development fees are cut, meaning that we need a customized solution as the city delivering the most housing starts in the nation.”
Mayor Gondek also welcomed Minister Hodgson and his Parliamentary Secretary, Calgary Confederation MP Corey Hogan, and Enmax President and CEO Mark Poweska, to a meeting in Historic City Hall.
While focused on energy priorities, the meeting reinforced similar themes to those discussed with the Prime Minister.
Key requests raised by Mayor Gondek and Poweska with Minister Hodgson included:
• Federal recognition of Canada’s conventional and transitional energy sectors as national assets
• Clarity and regional flexibility on clean electricity regulations
• Support for infrastructure and innovation needed to meet surging electricity demand, including for AI and data centres
The conversation also touched on the importance of telling a fuller, more accurate story about Canada’s energy sector—one that reflects both its global leadership in clean energy and its foundational role in powering our economy.
“Minister Hodgson emphasized the need to share how this industry is not only a major economic driver, but also a force for innovation and environmental progress,” said Gondek. “It fuels our economy, supports the services Canadians count on, and positions Canada as a true energy superpower—with Calgary at the centre of it all.”
“These conversations were incredibly productive—and they were a signal that Calgary’s voice is being heard in Ottawa,” said Mayor Gondek. “Now, we need to see this alignment turn into action.”
