Sprawlcast

Calgary's urban tree canopy coverage is among the lowest in Canada. We dig into why—and what city hall is doing about it.

In the 1970s, a new freeway cut one side of Calgary off from the other. We dig into why the city remains divided when it comes to amenities and infrastructure on each side of Deerfoot Trail.

We dig into a 60-year fight against density by the reservoir shores in southwest Calgary. It's a saga about class, conservation and community politics. History is repeating itself at Glenmore Landing—but with some new twists.

Will municipal parties strengthen local democracy or undermine it? We speak with some of the candidates and parties that will be on the ballot—and dig into how the 2025 election will be different.

City hall's decision to close Inglewood's swimming pool left many Calgarians scratching their heads. We dig into why city council cut inner-city pools in the first place after oil prices crashed a decade ago.

When it comes to rail projects in Alberta, the Green Line is one piece of a larger puzzle. We dig into who's been setting the agenda when it comes to these projects—and to what extent they are complementary or competing with each other as Calgary city hall's Green Line plans collapse.

A week after the groundbreaking for the new Flames arena, city hall cut the Green Line nearly in half. We dig into the Green Line's delay-plagued history—and how one city megaproject has affected the other.

Where does our water come from—and how is climate change altering that water source? We zoom out from the feeder main that broke in June, following a drop of water from the Rocky Mountains and glaciers west of Calgary, into the pipes beneath our feet, and out the taps in our homes.

City hall went big—and is feeling the pinch. We dig into what it really cost to build a new convention centre building and what it means for the city's finances.

It's not unusual for Alberta governments to tinker with municipal election laws. But Bill 20 is far more than the usual tinkering. We dig into the evolution of municipal elections in Alberta and look at what Bill 20 means for local democracy in Calgary—and beyond.

Should neighbourhoods set their own direction? Should city hall impose it from the top down? Or is there a role for both? We go to Inglewood, Calgary's oldest neighbourhood, in search of answers.

As the debate about blanket rezoning heats up in Calgary, we dig into the Sprawlcast vault for a deep-dive on NIMBYism. Full transcript on our website at sprawlcalgary.com.

Canmore town council nixed plans for two developments that would cut into critical wildlife habitat and nearly double the town's population. Then a court order forced the town to backtrack. We dig into what happened—and what it means for the Bow Valley's future. This episode is Part 2 in a Sprawlcast series. Read a full transcript of this episode on The Sprawl's website. This episode is a collaboration with The Narwhal, an independent news outlet that dives deep to tell stories about the natural world in Canada. Drew Anderson contributed research and reporting.

We dig into the decades of controversy around Three Sisters Mountain Village in Canmore, which is being spearheaded by a Calgary developer. This episode is a collaboration with The Narwhal, an independent news outlet that dives deep to tell stories about the natural world in Canada. Drew Anderson contributed research and reporting. Read his article on the Three Sisters saga on The Narwhal's website. A full transcript of this episode is on the Sprawl website. This episode is Part 1 in a Sprawlcast series.

Two years ago, progressives were rooting for Jyoti Gondek to defeat Jeromy Farkas in the race for mayor. But numerous Calgarians who voted for Mayor Gondek have found themselves in agreement with Farkas more recently—and disappointed by the mayor on files like the arena deal. We speak with both Farkas and Gondek, looking at what's changed since the last election and what's taking shape for the next one.

We dig into a deal that's less transparent—and far more expensive—than the 2019 one. We also follow up with with city councillors who campaigned against more subsidies for the Flames, but voted "yes" to hundreds of millions more.

City council approved a new housing strategy—but the rumble over rezoning is still to come. Hear for yourself what Calgarians and council members had to say during an epic three-day meeting.

In June 2022, city council created an affordable housing task force—and then balked at its recommendations, particularly on upzoning.

An update on The Sprawl—and Jeremy Klaszus's TED Talk on the case for quiet journalism.

For the first time in its 140-year history, the Calgary Herald has no fixed address. But the paper has been in slow decline for decades. What do we lose when the city's largest newspaper is decimated?

Team Sprawl gathers by the (metaphorical) fireside to reflect on the year that was—and to look ahead. Featuring Ximena González and Sam Hester.

It was supposed to be the foundation of Calgary's transit system: CTrains and buses arriving every 10 minutes. But it didn't last long. We dig into what happened—and what's next.

To thwart densification, two residents of the northwest Calgary community of Banff Trail fight developers and the City of Calgary in court. Their case against multifamily housing is built on a little-known planning instrument from 1952—and is being closely watched outside the neighbourhood.

Zoning shapes our lives. But for many of us, this powerful tool remains hidden and confusing. Jeremy Klaszus speaks with Sara Bronin, a Cornell University professor and director of the National Zoning Atlas in the U.S., about why zoning matters—and how to better understand it. This episode begins with a quick crash course on the history of zoning in Calgary: —How zoning bylaws were created in the 1930s to protect property values —How Calgary's growth pattern was established in the 1950s, then entrenched —How city hall shied away from changing zoning in the '60s and '70s, instead embracing a status quo that perpetuated car-reliant sprawl In my conversation with Sara Bronin, we discuss: —The hidden ways zoning affects our lives socially, economically and environmentally —How zoning 'kills housing by a thousand cuts' —How requirements like parking minimums further perpetuate sprawl Please support in-depth Calgary journalism by becoming a Sprawl member! Sign up at sprawlcalgary.com

After fast-tracking five new communities this summer, council members grapple with whether or not to go through with it in light of their own climate policies.

This summer, city council approved a climate strategy and more new suburban communities. Now Mayor Jyoti Gondek wants city administration—and not council—to be the ones deciding whether or not future communities get built.

Some love him. Some hate him. But for better or worse, Stephen Carter has altered Alberta politics. Journalist Taylor Lambert digs into the many ups and downs of Carter's career: his business debts, his politics, his graceless departures from three chief-of-staff roles, and his many grievances.

In July, Calgary city council is slated to vote on a new climate strategy. But will this one be any different than past plans that have been passed—and then ignored? This episode features interviews with Christine Laing of the Calgary Alliance for the Common Good and Tony Snow of the Calgary Climate Hub.

Dr. Leroy Little Bear, the renowned Blackfoot scholar, on the differences between Western and Blackfoot understandings of reality—and how they intersect with climate change.

Jeremy Klaszus speaks with Councillor Courtney Walcott, who sits on the Calgary Police Commission. Why has the thin blue line patch become such a flashpoint—and what's really beneath the controversy?

Today marks four years of Sprawlcast. We observe the occasion by revisiting our first—and possibly best—episode, a deep dive on NIMBYism. What do we miss when we apply that label too hastily? We peel away the NIMBY label and go underground to see what lies beneath.

Jeremy Klaszus visits Mahogany in the city's deep southeast for a conversation with Councillor Evan Spencer. They discuss the idea of “abundant community,” how to build connections in new neighbourhoods, and the realities versus the myths of the suburbs.

Jeremy Klaszus speaks with Iman Bukhari and Michelle Casten Magbanua about a gap they saw in Alberta classrooms—and how they mobilized to fill it. Iman Bukhari is founder and CEO of the Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation. Michelle Casten Magbanua is a teacher.

Jeremy Klaszus speaks with Jared Wesley, a University of Alberta political scientist who leads the Common Ground project. They discuss political polarization, what an Albertan looks like, the rise of white nationalism, and that tricky question of what to do when your family or friends are sympathetic to political views you find abhorrent.

Jeremy Klaszus speaks with David Goa, a religious scholar who lives in Edmonton's Old Strathcona neighbourhood, about the need for difference and conviviality—rather than homogeneity—in communities.

On Commercial Drive, people from all walks of life rub shoulders with one another on lively sidewalks. Jeremy Klaszus speaks with longtime community member Zakir Suleman to find out more about what makes this many-layered neighbourhood work.

Jeremy Klaszus sits down with Lisa Murphy Lamb, director of Loft 112, to explore how she has welcomed—and been welcomed by—her neighbours in East Village.

A conversation with three of Calgary's next city councillors: Jasmine Mian (Ward 3), Courtney Walcott (Ward 8) and Kourtney Penner (Ward 11).

Jeremy Klaszus speaks with John Fischer, co-chair of the Indigenous Gathering Place Society of Calgary, to find out more about the project—how it's taken shape, and why it's needed.

It's municipal election forum season! Six mayoral hopefuls are asked about the costs of new communities and the future of the Green Line. This episode features audio from the Calgary Real Estate Board mayoral forum on September 14. Featuring Jan Damery, Jeff Davison, Jeromy Farkas, Brad Field, Jyoti Gondek and Grace Yan.

A summer mini-episode! The shared experience of live music gives a sense of togetherness. But as venues and artists struggle through a tough stretch, is there an opportunity to rebuild the performing arts sector for the better? Featuring Jaxon McGinn, Miranda Martini, Maud Salvi, Kerry Clarke and more.

Our absent-minded city hall reporter gets locked outside a big LRT announcement in Calgary—and then lands an interview with the Prime Minister. Also in this episode: Jeremy Appel's exit interview with Calgary Councillor Shane Keating, who considers himself the "father of the Green Line." Become a Sprawl member today and support our independent newsroom! Sign up at sprawlalberta.com

Mekwun Moses and Cheryl Baptiste live in different cities, and they've never met in person. But that didn't stop the two women, both in their early 20s, from organizing a vigil to mourn the 215 victims of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. Sprawl deputy editor Hamdi Issawi speaks with Moses and Baptiste about their relatively recent foray into activism. This episode contains content about residential schools that may be triggering. Support for survivors and their families is available at the Indian Residential School Survivors Society. Please call 1-800-721-0066 or 1-866-925-4419 for the 24-7 crisis line. 

In the run-up to Calgary's 2017 election, the Green Line became an election issue when mayoral candidate and former PC president Bill Smith proposed halting the project. Now the UCP has put construction procurement on pause. With the project mired in endless delay and politicking, it all feels very familiar.

Since she was first elected in 2001, Calgary Councillor Druh Farrell has pursued an unabashedly progressive vision for the city's future, fighting for projects such as affordable housing, the Green Line and the Peace Bridge—often in the face of intense opposition. Jeremy Appel, The Sprawl's municipal politics reporter, sits down with Farrell for a wide-ranging interview about the highs and lows of her career—and what's ahead for both her and the city.

Miranda Martini speaks with Alberta musician Corb Lund about why he chose to speak up about coal mining in the Eastern Slopes—and what's next in that struggle.

Jeremy sits down with Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley to discuss the province's changing political landscape, universal basic income, the case for a PST—and more.

Mark Jeffery moved to Manitoba after being squeezed economically out of Calgary, and former NDP cabinet minister Shaye Anderson moved to Vancouver Island after the UCP took power. Hadeel Abdel-Nabi spoke with each about why they left, where Alberta is headed, and what would need to change for them to return. Support independent Alberta journalism! Become a member at sprawlcalgary.com

In the fall of 1990, drivers hit three pedestrians on Elbow Drive in the span of a week—including a seven-year-old boy. It ignited a decades-old debate about speed limits and led city hall to create a long and contentious playground zone. We tracked down the boy's parents, and a former community organizer, to learn what happened. Support independent Alberta journalism! Sign up as a Sprawl member at sprawlcalgary.com.

Outrage sells. But what do we miss when we only focus on the latest outrage? Jeremy speaks with Calgary journalist Christina Frangou, Sprawl assistant editor Ximena González and comics artist Sam Hester about the stories we need right now. Plus: Sprawl municipal affairs reporter Jeremy Appel explains how the Alberta government has welcomed "dark money" into civic elections.