Calgary Forest Lawn

Calgary Forest Lawn encompasses the city's eastern flank — the neighbourhoods east of Deerfoot Trail and flanking 16th Avenue NE and 17th Avenue SE. The riding takes in Forest Lawn, Erin Woods, Penbrooke Meadows, Marlborough, Marlborough Park, Pineridge, Mayland Heights, Southview, and surrounding communities. It is one of the most culturally diverse federal ridings in Alberta: roughly 39 percent of residents are immigrants, with the largest groups born in the Philippines, Vietnam, India, and Pakistan. Over 60 languages are spoken in the area, and the neighbourhood is home to International Avenue — the vibrant multicultural commercial strip along 17th Avenue SE.

Candidates

Jasraj Singh Hallan (Conservative) — Born in 1984 in Dubai to Indian parents, Hallan immigrated to Canada as a child and grew up in northeast Calgary. He has spoken openly about his youth as an at-risk young person involved in gangs before turning his life around. He completed an accounting diploma at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and went on to build a successful home-construction business. First elected in 2019 with nearly 60 percent of the vote, he was named the Conservative Party's finance critic in 2022.

Jordan Stein (Liberal) — Born and raised in Calgary, Stein is a small-business owner who operates a community coffee shop in Inglewood. She previously worked as a change-management consultant and labour advocate, and served as a community liaison in the Greater Forest Lawn area. She was the Liberal candidate in Calgary Confederation in the 2019 federal election and ran provincially for the NDP in Calgary-Glenmore in 2019.

Keira Gunn (NDP) — Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Dr. Gunn holds a PhD in Pure Mathematics from the University of Calgary. She taught mathematics at colleges in British Columbia's Lower Mainland before moving to Calgary for doctoral studies. During her graduate work she served as a representative for graduate student workers and was recognized by the campus community for her leadership.

Dwayne Holub (PPC) — Holub ran under the People's Party banner, campaigning on personal liberties, reduced government spending, and opposition to public-health mandates.

About the Riding

International Avenue — the 1.5-kilometre stretch of 17th Avenue SE running through the heart of the riding — is the commercial and cultural spine of Calgary Forest Lawn. Designated as a Business Revitalization Zone in 1993, the avenue is lined with Vietnamese pho houses, Filipino groceries, East African restaurants, South Asian fabric shops, and halal butchers. It is a living testament to successive waves of immigration that have shaped the neighbourhood since the postwar period.

Historically, Forest Lawn was an independent town that was annexed by Calgary in 1961. For decades it carried a reputation as a rougher part of the city, but sustained community investment and demographic change have shifted that narrative. New families — many of them recent immigrants employed at nearby industrial parks, distribution centres, and the meatpacking sector — have brought economic energy and cultural richness to the area.

Housing in the riding is among the most affordable in Calgary, which has attracted both newcomer families and younger first-time buyers. The riding's median household income sits below the city average, and issues such as affordable transit, language services, settlement supports for newcomers, and access to family physicians have been central to local political conversation. Despite its diversity and working-class character, the riding has returned Conservative members since its creation, reflecting a broader trend in Calgary federal politics.