Calgary Then & Now: A Look Back With Al Duerr, the 34th Mayor of Calgary

Al Duerr was mayor of Calgary at the time Avenue was launching. A city alderman (now called city councillor) since 1983, he was first elected mayor in 1989 after incumbent Ralph Klein resigned to pursue provincial politics. Duerr would be re-elected in 1992, 1995 and 1998, bowing out before the 2001 election. Currently, he is CEO of General Magnetic Canada Inc., an oil and gas clean-tech company. We caught up with him for a quick chat about what the city was like in 1994-1995 and how much it has changed.

What was Calgary like in the mid-1990s?

Duerr: “The city was slower paced, because we were coming out of a recession, but there was a fair degree of optimism about where things were going … I think we recognized that we had it within us to deal with those very challenging times.”

What was your biggest challenge as a mayor and as a council at that time?

Duerr: “The biggest challenge was financial. When I was elected mayor, we had about a $1.2 billion mill-rate debt. Then, the provincial government under the Klein Revolution cut our grants from around $100 million a year to $25 million.

“I’m pleased to say that, over that entire period when we were financially challenged with respect to grants and things, we still ended up having the lowest tax increases in probably Calgary’s history [Duerr implemented a tax freeze between 1994 and 1997]. And we also paid down a significant portion of the debt.”

What was the highlight of being mayor at that time?

Duerr: “The Task Force on Community and Family Violence. When [the task force] reported to council with 66 recommendations, ultimately, all but one recommendation was implemented. So, I was thrilled, frankly, by the way people came together around a very difficult issue … as mayor, I didn’t do all the work, but I gave the issue voice. It takes an entire community to address issues like that.”

What is the biggest difference between Calgary in the mid-1990s and today?

Duerr: “In 1994-95, population growth was very low. We were out banging on doors, encouraging people to come to Calgary. Right now, Calgary is faced with a burgeoning population and extremely high growth rates.”

What do you think is the biggest challenge for Calgary right now?

Duerr: “Rapid growth is probably the biggest challenge, because there is a lag in terms of when you see the population growth and when you can actually start collecting property taxes that these new citizens will generate to pay for things. [Rapid growth] creates housing problems, it creates infrastructure problems, it creates all of these other obligations that are there to manage that growth — if it’s happening very quickly, you’re always behind.”

Interview has been edited and condensed.

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