Airdrie-Cochrane

Airdrie-Cochrane is a provincial electoral district created by the 2017 Electoral Boundaries Commission, combining the western portion of the City of Airdrie with the Town of Cochrane, Bearspaw, Balzac, and rural areas of Rocky View County between the two communities. Both Airdrie and Cochrane ranked among Canada’s fastest-growing municipalities during this period, and the new riding reflected the region’s rapid suburban and exurban expansion northwest of Calgary. With no incumbent in this newly configured seat, the riding attracted candidates from across the political spectrum.

Candidates

Peter Guthrie (United Conservative) — A Cochrane resident, Guthrie owned and operated two businesses: the Dumaresq Brothers Ranch in Consort, Alberta, and a Mr. Lube franchise in Calgary. A chemical engineer by trade, he won the UCP nomination in October 2018, defeating a two-term Cochrane town councillor and two other challengers.

Steve Durrell (NDP) — Acclaimed as the NDP candidate at a January 2019 constituency meeting in Cochrane, Durrell was a 29-year-old Cochrane native and Telus dispatcher, as well as a married father of three. He was active with the United Steel Workers as a shop steward and member of a political action committee.

Vern Raincock (Alberta Party) — The Alberta Party’s candidate in the riding.

Danielle Cameron (Alberta Independence) — The Alberta Independence Party candidate in the riding.

Matthew Joseph Morrisey (Freedom Conservative) — The Freedom Conservative Party candidate in the riding.

Local Issues

Infrastructure was the defining issue in Airdrie-Cochrane, as explosive population growth in both communities outstripped provincial investment. The intersection of Highway 22 and Highway 1A in Cochrane had been identified as a problem for years, and the planned interchange — estimated at $90–100 million — remained in the design phase as of Budget 2018. The 40th Avenue interchange project in Airdrie had similarly waited for years for provincial funding, frustrating local officials who argued that the infrastructure gaps were constraining municipal tax revenue and economic development.

School capacity was a pressing concern in Cochrane, where existing schools were at or over capacity and no new school construction had been funded. Health care access was also a significant issue; residents called for expanded emergency care facilities and mental health and addiction counselling services. Airdrie, one of Alberta’s largest cities without a hospital, depended on Calgary facilities for acute care. The broader economic downturn weighed on the riding as well, with residents anxious about job losses in the energy sector and the impact of the provincial carbon tax on household budgets.