Calgary Heritage

Calgary Heritage occupies the southwestern suburbs of Calgary, bounded roughly by Crowchild Trail to the east, Glenmore Trail to the north, and the city's western limits. Created through the 2012 redistribution, it inherited much of the former Calgary Southwest riding and encompassed affluent residential communities stretching from Haysboro and Chinook Park in the east to Woodbine and Bridlewood in the west. The riding was home to Heritage Park Historical Village, Canada's largest living history museum, situated on 127 acres along the Glenmore Reservoir.

Candidates

Stephen J. Harper (Conservative) — The sitting Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party, Harper had represented Calgary ridings continuously since winning a 2002 by-election in Calgary Southwest. Originally from Toronto, he moved to Alberta to study at the University of Calgary, where he earned a master's degree in economics. He served as Prime Minister from 2006 and was seeking his fourth consecutive mandate in the 2015 election.

Brendan Miles (Liberal) — A family physician who completed his residency in family medicine at the University of Calgary, Miles held a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Public Administration, and a Doctor of Medicine, all from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

Matt Masters Burgener (NDP) — A country musician and small-business owner, Masters Burgener grew up in a politically active household as the son of Jocelyn Burgener, who served two terms as Progressive Conservative MLA for Calgary-Currie from 1993 to 2001. His campaign attracted national attention for its unconventional tactics, including custom lawn signs that let constituents write their own messages for a $50 donation.

Kelly Christie (Green Party) — Christie ran as the Green Party standard-bearer in Calgary Heritage.

Also on the ballot were Steven Paolasini (Libertarian), Larry R. Heather (Independent), Korry Zepik (Independent), and Nicolas Duchastel de Montrouge (Independent).

About the Riding

Calgary Heritage is anchored by mature, family-oriented suburbs built from the 1960s through the 1990s. Communities such as Oakridge, Palliser, and Cedarbrae feature single-family homes on generous lots, while Woodbine and Bridlewood to the southwest offer somewhat newer development from the 1980s and 1990s. The Glenmore Reservoir and its surrounding pathway system provide a recreational spine through the riding, and Heritage Park draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Average household incomes in the riding exceeded the Calgary median, and many residents worked in the energy, finance, and professional services sectors. The riding's southwestern location provided relatively quick access to the Rocky Mountain foothills for weekend recreation. Local issues in 2015 centred on the economy amid collapsing oil prices, pipeline development, and the federal government's fiscal record.