Quentin Carlson for Mayor

10/21/2025

Thank you lethbridge!

​The polls have closed, and regardless of the final outcome, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude.

​To the incredible voters of Lethbridge: thank you for taking the time to participate in our democracy. Your vote is the voice of our city, and I am honoured by the support I received and the many conversations we had.

​To my family and friends: your countless hours of volunteering, the encouragement, and the unwavering support were the foundation of this campaign. I couldn't have done this without you.

​To the other candidates: thank you for stepping forward to serve our city. Running for office takes courage, and I respect every one of you for putting your ideas forward.

​Finally, a massive thank you to the election workers and City staff who worked tirelessly to ensure a fair, accessible, and smooth voting process. You are the essential thread of our local democracy.

​This campaign was about building a better future for Lethbridge. The work continues. Thank you, everyone.

10/16/2025

A question from Veronika K that they were unable to ask at the forum at the Yates the other night.

I’m wondering if and when you become mayor would you be willing to implement a housing tax plan for people who own their homes but are on AISH or low income and so struggle to pay the ever increasing housing tax. The Seniors in our community already have the option to defer their yearly taxes to the time their house sells. Could this be something you’d consider implementing for homeowners on low income and AISH?

I am glad you attended the event. You asked about a tax deferral plan for homeowners on AISH and low incomes. I would strongly consider and prioritize this policy. It is a key part of my goal to keep Lethbridge Liveable and Affordable. The existing Seniors Deferral is a Provincial program. As Mayor, my job is twofold. First, I will direct the City Treasurer to study the cost and legal path for a local plan. This gives immediate options. Second, I will aggressively advocate to the Government of Alberta to expand their existing program. A provincial plan offers better funding and more security for our community. This deferral is a smart financial solution. It is a secured loan, so the City gets repaid when the home sells. This keeps our budget steady. It helps your neighbors stay in their homes. It achieves compassionate governance without risking your taxes. My entire platform focuses on these achievable, data-driven solutions for Lethbridge.

10/14/2025

A few more questions about affordability and smart growth posed to me from an anonymous resident.

There are numerous large empty buildings which have sat empty for numerous years. Save on Foods, Safeway, the old Sears store, Hudson Bay, the old RCMP building for example. Could these buildings be retrofitted to serve some alternate purpose?
Should City of Lethbridge council members actively be advocating for new usage/ownership of these buildings and publicly identify their efforts regularly?
Could these buildings be retrofitted to serve; homeless, seniors, if possible providing a combination of residential space along with rehabilitation/retraining employment opportunities; indoor gardens/roof-top gardens, construction training/manufacturing centres?

The number of large, empty buildings is a visible challenge to our city's Livability and Resilience. I fully support converting these underutilized assets.

Yes, these buildings can and should be retrofitted. This process is called adaptive reuse. Retrofitting former big-box stores and large commercial spaces is a key component of smart urban growth. Large commercial footprints are ideal for multi-use conversion.

These buildings can serve a combination of critical needs. The extensive floor space allows for the creation of supportive residential space for the homeless or seniors. These buildings offer the footprint for indoor gardens, rooftop agriculture, training centers, or light manufacturing spaces. This combines housing with essential rehabilitation and job creation, supporting a Resilient Local Economy. We can include services like health clinics, job counseling, or food security programs right where people live.

City Council must take an active and public role in addressing these vacant sites. Sitting idly while these buildings decay harms our neighbourhoods.

Council members should actively advocate for new usage. This involves publicly identifying the owners of these long-vacant properties. Council needs to reform the Land Use Bylaw (LUB) to incentivize adaptive reuse. We must expand incentives beyond just the downtown core. We need to cut the red tape that makes these projects slow or costly. Council must publicly identify its efforts and report regularly on progress. This maintains Public Trust and demonstrates proactive leadership.

Leveraging these vacant properties is a direct way to increase the housing supply, improve social outcomes, and build a more compact, more Affordable city. We must stop letting valuable land and infrastructure sit idle.

10/14/2025

A few more questions posed to me from a resident wishing to remain anonymous.

Do you think it' s appropriate for council members to belong to a political party? Yes / No answers please.

No. I believe municipal governments should be non-partisan to ensure representatives are loyal to voters first.

If so, do you believe it could influence relevant decision making? Yes / No answers please.

Yes. Party loyalty would inherently conflict with acting in the best interest of the local community.

If above is yes should the political affiliation be openly identified?

Yes. Transparency is essential so voters can be fully aware of any non-local influences on their representatives' decisions

I wanted to expand on my answers as I feel a lot of nuance is lost in simple yes or no answers

10/12/2025

Another batch of questions from a concerned resident wishing to remain anonymous.

Property taxes are crippling—over $600 a month. How will you make Lethbridge more affordable?

My Priority One is Fiscal Responsibility and Affordability. I will pursue a comprehensive budget review to ensure every dollar is essential and spent wisely. My goal is to maximize taxpayer value and reduce the financial burden on families.

I am concerned the new council will focus on "pet projects" and "special interest groups" while neglecting the real needs of the majority

My commitment is to responsible governance and core service delivery for the majority. My focus will be on addressing NEEDS (like roads and public safety) over "nice to haves."

The paved alley behind my house has huge potholes, and the city's temporary fixes are unsatisfactory. When will road repairs be prioritized?

Roads must be the priority. I will champion a new approach to infrastructure funding to ensure necessary road repairs are done first, especially in older neighbourhoods. Repaving paved alleys should not take years.

How can we prevent the high cost and poor management of the Exhibition project from happening again with a major project, like a third bridge?

I will demand strict financial controls and accountability on all new large capital projects before any work begins. I also oppose proceeding with a third bridge without a rigorous financial review and must explore alternative funding models, like a toll bridge, to prevent further tax increase

Re-zoning older neighbourhoods for multi-family units makes parking and traffic impossible. Does this make sense?

Decisions on re-zoning must prioritize balancing density with existing community integrity. Re-zoning older neighbourhoods must protect existing residents and address the negative impacts on traffic and parking before approval.

10/10/2025

Questions brought to me from another resident wishing to remain anonymous.

1. Lethbridge’s very low vacancy rates have contributed to rising rents and a growing affordability crisis. How do you plan to address housing supply and affordability?

The challenge of low vacancy rates and rising rental costs demands a proactive, comprehensive response. My strategy focuses on increasing supply by addressing regulatory impediments and enhancing social supports.

Expedited Regulatory Review: Upon election, I will initiate a review to streamline zoning and permitting processes. Bureaucratic inefficiencies add unnecessary costs and delays to construction, which are ultimately passed on to residents. We must simplify these processes to accelerate housing creation.

Enabling Diverse Housing: I will champion changes that facilitate the construction of diverse housing forms, including "missing middle" options and secondary suites, to introduce density and affordability in a sustainable manner.

Enhancing Homelessness Strategies: I am committed to expanding and improving the efficacy of our existing Housing First initiatives. This evidence-based model remains the most responsible way to provide stabilization for our most vulnerable residents while addressing social disorder.

2. What are your thoughts on the proposed changes to the Land Use Bylaw, and how do you see them shaping future development in our city?

The Land Use Bylaw is a critical regulatory framework. My view is that the LUB must function as a tool to enable smart, sustainable growth, not as a barrier that stifles development and innovation.

I support changes that promote predictability for developers and flexibility for mixed-use projects, ensuring investment can flow efficiently into our city. Crucially, any changes must be balanced to allow for appropriate density while preserving the established character and integrity of our existing residential neighbourhoods.

3. Transportation remains a key concern for many residents. What is your position on the proposed third bridge? How do you envision improving public transit?
Additionally, what steps would you support to make Lethbridge more walkable and bike-friendly? Will you commit to investing in safe, connected bike lane infrastructure?

A modern city requires a reliable, multi-modal transportation network that prioritizes people.

Third Bridge Position: My position is rooted in fiscal prudence and data-driven governance. A project of the magnitude of a third bridge cannot be contemplated without first exhausting all options for optimizing our existing network and completing an updated, rigorous cost-benefit analysis. Committing to such a significant financial undertaking without updated, conclusive data would be irresponsible to the taxpayer.

Improving Public Transit: To encourage ridership, we must focus on service quality. This includes increasing frequency and reliability on core routes, expanding our successful on-demand busing services into more areas, and investing in enhanced real-time technology to improve the rider experience.

Walkability and Safe Bike Lanes: I am fully committed to making a significant, practical investment in our city's walkability and bike-friendliness. I will prioritize the year-over-year construction of a safe, connected network of protected bike lanes and improved sidewalks that links key destinations like our post-secondary institutions, downtown, and parks. This is about building tangible infrastructure that improves public health, reduces traffic, and enhances our quality of life.

10/10/2025

Here are some questions,and my answers, posed to me from a local resident who wishes to remain anonymous.
1. How do you propose to get the homelessness and addiction under control?
This is the most complex challenge our city faces, and it requires a multi-pronged strategy that balances compassionate support with community safety. We must address it from three key angles:

Housing First: I am committed to expanding and improving our existing Housing First initiatives. We cannot expect individuals to overcome addiction or mental health challenges while living on the street. Providing a stable home is the critical first step. I will work with our community partners to prioritize the supports needed for these vital projects.

Co-Responder Model for Public Safety: To manage the public-facing aspects of this crisis, I will champion the implementation of a Co-Responder Model, prioritizing a pilot project in the downtown core. This approach sends trained mental health clinicians alongside police officers to crisis calls, ensuring that individuals in distress receive the appropriate care while allowing police to focus on criminal matters. This shift improves outcomes and uses our resources more effectively.

Relentless Provincial Advocacy: The City of Lethbridge cannot fund healthcare. As Mayor, I will personally and persistently lobby the provincial government for our fair share of funding for essential services, including detox beds, long-term treatment facilities, and permanent mental health supports. My job will be to ensure Edmonton understands the urgent needs of our community.

2. What are your views on the provincial government?
My view is that the relationship between the Mayor of Lethbridge and the provincial government must be professional, collaborative, and firm. My role is not to engage in partisan politics but to be a relentless and effective advocate for the citizens of Lethbridge, regardless of which party is in power in Edmonton.

My allegiance is to Lethbridge, not a political party. I will work constructively with the government on shared goals while also standing firm and holding them accountable for their commitments to our city. This includes securing funding for critical infrastructure, demanding action on the healthcare and addictions crisis, and ensuring Lethbridge is a priority for provincial investment.

3. How will you address property taxes, especially for seniors and low-income families?
The burden of property taxes on fixed-income seniors and vulnerable families is a major concern. My approach is defined by strict fiscal management and ensuring fairness across all tax classes.

Fiscal Accountability First: We must pursue a comprehensive, line-by-line budget review to ensure every dollar collected is necessary and allocated efficiently before rates are set.

Protection for Vulnerable Homeowners: I will work with Council and administration to establish a review of our tax collection policies, particularly concerning penalties and payment timelines, to ensure they do not place undue financial harm on low-income families and seniors. This also involves enhancing awareness and access to provincial relief programs, such as the Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program.

Ensuring Fair Contribution: We must ensure that all property classes are contributing their fair share based on the Municipal Government Act. This means:

Committing to a rigorous and equitable property assessment process, especially for non-residential and multi-family properties.

Reviewing and strengthening tax collection enforcement to ensure that outstanding revenue is secured efficiently and that compliance is high across the city.

4. How will you address the housing prices within the city for first-time home buyers?
The only sustainable way to address high housing prices is to increase supply. For too long, our city's own bureaucracy has been a barrier to building the homes we need.

Cut Red Tape: I will advocate for and pursue a rigorous review of our zoning and permitting processes to eliminate unnecessary delays and reduce the costs that are passed on to homebuyers.

Enable Starter Homes: We will reform our bylaws to make it easier to build diverse and affordable housing options like townhomes, duplexes, and small multi-family units. By encouraging the construction of more "missing middle" housing, we can create more pathways to homeownership for first-time buyers.

5. How will you address the food insecurity within the city?
Food insecurity is a critical issue that the City must help address by empowering our community partners and tackling the root causes.

Support Community Organizations: I will advocate for stable and predictable funding for our essential non-profits, like the Lethbridge Food Bank and Interfaith Food Bank, through programs like FCSS (Family and Community Support Services).

Promote Local Food Production: I will work to simplify the process for creating community gardens and urban farming initiatives. Enabling residents to grow their own food is a powerful tool for building resilience and food security.

Address Root Causes: My entire platform is interconnected. By working to increase the supply of affordable housing and attract good-paying jobs, we can help ease the financial pressure on families, freeing up household income for essential needs like groceries.

10/08/2025

Friends and neighbours, today marks the start of the voting period for the 2025 Lethbridge Municipal Election! My campaign has been about listening, collaborating, and building a better Lethbridge together, and now it's time to put those plans into action.

The voting period runs from today, October 8, until Election Day on Monday, October 20.

Don't wait! I urge every one of my supporters and all engaged citizens to cast their ballot early. I need your support to represent your voice at City Hall.

Where and When to Vote (October 8 – 20)

Please make a plan to vote at one of the convenient voting stations below:

Voting Dates, Times, and Locations:

October 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 20

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Locations:

Cor Van Raay YMCA at the Cavendish Farms Centre

Lethbridge Trade & Convention Centre (formerly the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre)

Election Day ONLY: Monday, October 20

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Locations:

Cor Van Raay YMCA

Lethbridge Trade & Convention Centre

Trinity Reformed Church (1100 40 Avenue North)

For more information, including candidate lists and what to bring when you vote, visit the City of Lethbridge election website: lethbridge.ca/election

The City of Lethbridge acknowledges that we are gathered on the lands of the Blackfoot people of the Canadian Plains and pays respect to the Blackfoot people past, present and future while recognizing and respecting their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship to the land. The City of Lethbridg...

09/30/2025

On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we recognize the painful, enduring legacy of the residential school system and the intergenerational trauma it inflicted on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.
​We honour the Survivors, their families, and the memory of the children who never returned home. We wear orange to affirm a commitment that Every Child Matters.
​This day is an essential reminder that Truth is the foundation for Reconciliation. Our commitment today, and every day, is to move beyond mere acknowledgment to meaningful action.
​How we can honour this day:
​Seek out and read the stories and testimonies of Survivors.
​Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action and look for ways to apply them in your community or profession.
​Look for local Indigenous-led organizations in Lethbridge and find ways to support their important work.
​May we all commit to understanding the truth of our past as we work toward a just and equitable future for all.
​

09/23/2025

Lethbridge has been my home since I was an eager eight year old. This is more than where I reside, it molded me, filling my youth with schoolroom memories, playful antics, and now, the excitement of studying neuroscience at the university here. Sitting through lectures and buried in books, I realized so many of our city’s toughest issues stem from human behavior spiraling out of control. The knowledge I gain now equips me with powerful tools backed by research and empathy, offering real solutions instead of quick fixes.

My uncle Brett Carlson was a true inspiration. His entire career was spent helping those who might otherwise sink under legal hardships. He fought fiercely for those in need, and that drive ignited my own passion to make a difference. Coaching young players through the local lacrosse league showed me the heart of this community. Seeing them learn teamwork and find acceptance revealed the real spirit of Lethbridge.

Beyond my studies, I wander the coulees with my dog or circle Henderson Lake, admiring the open prairie skies. These places aren’t just scenic, they anchor everything I cherish. With my education, my dedication to service, and my deep ties here, I’m suited for more than just participating—I’m meant to lead. Am I fit for leadership? Absolutely. I’ll keep striving for a city where everyone belongs, intelligence and compassion unite, and “community” is more than a word—it’s our foundation.

09/19/2025

I'm Quentin Carlson, and like you, I am a resident of Lethbridge who believes in our incredible potential. However, I also see the very real challenges we face, a lack of affordable housing, a downtown that needs our help, and a city government that can feel distant. I'm not a career politician, I'm a dedicated member of this community who is ready to bring a fresh perspective and a new energy to city hall. My campaign is about turning our shared vision for a better city into a reality

My plan: Practical Solutions, Real Change

Pillar 1: Rebuilding Public Trust

It's time for a government that is transparent and accountable to its citizens. I will launch weekly e-town halls to give you a direct line to your mayor and champion a co-responder model to improve public safety and police relations.

Pillar 2: Building a Livable and Affordable City

A strong city is one where everyone can afford to live. I will implement a “Housing First” pilot program to directly address homelessness and will establish a Utilities Ombudsman to fight for fairer fees and more transparent billing.

Pillar 3: Fostering a Resilient Local Economy

We need to attract and keep young professionals by fostering a city where innovation thrives. I will create a Co-op Development Office to support local entrepreneurs and will advocate for federal funding to ensure Lethbridge has the broadband infrastructure it needs.

Your City. Your Voice.

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