This dream quickly evaporated, and I was hit upside the head with the two-by-four of political polarization. The institution that should have been a space for co-operation and mutual respect was immediately mired in the battleground of ideological entrenchment.

My January announcement about declining to run again has left me feeling lighter about my future, but also carrying a deep concern for the future of municipal politics in Calgary and beyond.

Building from my previous experiences, I saw local governance as a space where political divides could be put aside in favour of pragmatic solutions that directly affect residents’ daily lives. After all, municipalities are responsible for delivering essential services — transit, infrastructure, community safety — without the partisan baggage that dominates higher levels of government.

 

Or at least, that’s how it should be.

 

Unfortunately, the political climate has shifted dramatically. Today’s elected officials are increasingly rewarded not for collaboration, but for their ability to attack, criticize and grandstand. This trend is not isolated to any one jurisdiction; it reflects a broader, more dangerous movement where ideological purity is valued over practical governance. Municipal councils, traditionally the most accessible level of government, are now succumbing to the pressures of party politics.

This transformation threatens the very foundation of local democracy. Party politics, by its nature, demands loyalty to a platform, a leader and a base of supporters. This dynamic creates an environment where councillors are pressured to vote along ideological lines rather than engage in the give-and-take necessary for effective governance. It discourages the kind of nuanced, thoughtful decision-making that acknowledges the complexity of municipal issues.

 

Instead, it rewards those who can score political points, even at the expense of long-term progress.

 

The erosion of trust has been one of the most difficult aspects of this shift. When I first took office, I approached the role with the understanding that differences in perspective were not obstacles but opportunities for growth. When we respect the tensions and allow ideas to compete, we find balanced ways of moving forward. When balance is lost, we collectively witness the erosion of trust in our institutions, elected officials and even the process of governance itself. When decisions are viewed through the lens of partisan gain rather than public good, the very legitimacy of the system is called into question.

The 2025 municipal election will soon be in full swing and I am deeply skeptical of our evolving local parties. Most have professional partisan organizers involved, one is already in the news drawing a rebuke from provincial Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver for playing fast and loose with the rules, and another is claiming they aren’t partisan while jumping at every opportunity to align with partisan parties at other levels of government. Gross.

The question we must ask ourselves is: What kind of municipal government do we want? Do we want a system where decisions are made based on evidence, local needs and compromise? Or do we want a system where party loyalty dictates outcomes, and elected officials are more concerned with their political brand and stoking antagonisms? Are we willing to fight for local non-partisan representation?

 

I have chosen to step away from re-election not because I lack faith in the ability of individuals to lead with integrity, but because I see the growing difficulty of doing so in a system and political climate increasingly designed to punish collaboration. I will do everything I can to support a Ward 12 candidate committed to balancing the needs of all constituents.

But I leave with a warning. If we allow municipal politics to become another front in the battle of partisan warfare, we will lose something vital: the ability to work together in pursuit of common goals. It is up to all of us — elected officials, residents and community leaders — to resist this shift.

 

The future of our city depends on it.

Evan Spencer is the councillor for Ward 12 in Calgary. He has announced he will not run in the next election.