Calgary Shepard

Calgary Shepard occupies the southeastern corner of the city, a fast-growing district of master-planned suburban communities built largely since the early 2000s. The riding recorded the largest population increase of any Calgary electoral district in the years leading up to the 2022 redistribution, and its boundaries were reduced along the western and northern edges to bring its population closer to the electoral quotient while still allowing room for future growth.

The riding includes the communities of Cranston, McKenzie Towne, McKenzie Lake, Auburn Bay, New Brighton, Copperfield, Mahogany, Seton, and Belvedere, many of which centre on man-made lakes and engineered green spaces. The Bow River forms part of the riding's western boundary, and the South Health Campus, a major regional hospital that opened in 2012, sits within the district.

Candidates

Tom Kmiec (Conservative) was born in Gdańsk, Poland, and immigrated to Canada as a child, growing up in Quebec and attending French-language schools under Bill 101. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Concordia University and a master's degree in American government from Regent University in Virginia. Before entering politics, Kmiec worked as manager of policy and research at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. First elected in 2015, he has served on the Finance Committee and the Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee.

Gul Khan (Liberal) is an entrepreneur and community philanthropist who was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate for Calgary Shepard.

Tory Tomblin (NDP) spent over 20 years as a paramedic before becoming a Labour Relations Officer with the United Nurses of Alberta. She has served on the board of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta and chaired its occupational health and safety committee. She previously ran as a provincial NDP candidate in Alberta.

Donald Legere (People's Party) ran as the PPC candidate in the riding.

Robert Frasch (Green Party) ran as the Green Party candidate in the riding.

About the Riding

Calgary Shepard is one of the youngest ridings in the city, both in terms of its physical infrastructure and the age of its residents. The master-planned communities that make up the bulk of the district were designed around walkability, recreational amenities, and mixed-use village centres, though many residents still depend on private vehicles for commuting, and transit service to the area has struggled to keep pace with growth.

The South Health Campus has been a significant addition to the southeast, reducing the need for residents to travel across the city for hospital care. However, the facility has faced capacity pressures as the surrounding population has grown, and wait times at its emergency department have been a recurring concern.

Affordability and the cost of living dominated the 2025 campaign in Calgary Shepard, as many residents are young families carrying substantial mortgage debt on homes purchased during the recent boom in southeast Calgary real estate. Property taxes, insurance costs, and the federal carbon tax were frequent topics on the doorstep. The riding's rapid growth has also placed pressure on school capacity, with some communities waiting years for permanent schools to be built to serve their growing populations.