Meet Barb Higgins
Find out more about Barb Higgins and why she's the best person to lead Calgary into the future as Mayor.
A Message to All Calgarians
"We all want the same things–we want meaningful work, a safe place to live and to know we belong. Calgary is a vibrant, business-minded community that gives us the possibility of a better life!
You work hard and pay taxes. As Mayor, I commit to fiscal responsibility, balanced budgets and treating your money with respect. I will work with council to restore your trust in how your money is spent and ensure you get value for each dollar.
Public safety is a top priority. I will ensure we keep police officers viable on the streets so our communities are safe places to live and raise our families.
And as Mayor, I will create a City Hall that is an efficient and enjoyable place to do business."
Barb Higgins
On Her Fiscal Conservatism
"I've always been business-minded and fiscally responsible. I learned the value of a dollar from my family and I carry those values today."
"I've served on dozens of community boards and agencies where every dollar you spend on prevention saves you $6 down the road. I've put fiscal responsibility into practice."
"What do we need to spend more money on? Value-for-money audits to ensure you get the best value for your tax dollars. And snow clearing!"
"What do we need to spend less money on? Bureaucratic overlap and high-cost, low-priority projects. The bridge has become a symbol of that dysfunction."
On Leadership
"Leadership is something that comes naturally to me. I've never waited for someone to hand it to me before I've stepped up."
On Management Skills
"I co-chaired the United Way campaign in Calgary in 2007 and it was a tough economic year. My job was to set goals, give clear direction, rally the people and achieve our objectives. We raised $50 million that year—we surpassed our goal."
"I've also spent my career sorting through complex information and getting to the root of issues. I am a consensus builder. And I've been publicly recognized for providing trust-worthy information."
On the Future
"Calgary is at a pivotal point. Calgary is poised to be a world energy capital. The next Mayor needs to get out and share that message."
My Job as Mayor is to
"Restore pride! Fix City Hall processes so they respond quickly to citizens' top needs. Ensure there's less red tape, more snow clearing, and improving quality of life."
"I want people to say: They were bold. They restored my trust and made Calgary an effective, enjoyable place to live and do business."
On the East Village
"This was a really troubled area of our city. The city made a commitment to revitalize it and make it a vibrant community. There was a lot of community consultation and it is mixed use—so I'm all for this project."
On the Audit Process
"That's our gaping wound. People have lost trust. We need clear guidelines, higher standards and more expertise on the audit committee."
On the Tunnel
"We're just coming out of a recession—we don't have unlimited funds from the province and the federal government. I'm in favour of the tunnel—but we don't have the funds to do it on our own."
On Volunteering
Higgins has supported literally hundreds of charitable organizations, schools and groups throughout the city by generously volunteering her time. In 2007, she won UNICEF's prestigious national award for voluntarism. See more examples of her work with charities.
On Communication
"The role of communication is not just to tell people what City Council is doing—it's to listen, hear all the opinions and then make a decision."
What's my motto?
"Be bold."
Want to know more about Barb's priorities?
Find our more about Barb's stance on the issues in her framework of seven priorities >>