Chestermere—Strathmore

Chestermere—Strathmore is a newly created riding east of Calgary, formed in 2017 when the Electoral Boundaries Commission reorganized the ridings surrounding the city to reflect rapid suburban growth. It encompasses the City of Chestermere, the Town of Strathmore, and sections of Rocky View County and Wheatland County. Chestermere had grown rapidly as a bedroom community for Calgary, while Strathmore maintained a more independent small-town character. The riding’s political dynamic heading into 2019 was shaped by two prominent conservative figures: UCP Deputy Leader Leela Sharon Aheer, who had represented the former Chestermere—Rocky View riding since 2015, and Derek Fildebrandt, the former Wildrose and UCP MLA for Strathmore—Brooks who had founded the Freedom Conservative Party.

Candidates

Leela Sharon Aheer (United Conservative) — Born in Edmonton in 1970, Aheer moved to Chestermere in 1979. She earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Manitoba and taught music for 22 years, running the Aheer Studio of Performance in Chestermere. She was also involved in family-owned businesses, including property investment, a car wash, and a gas station. Elected in 2015 as a Wildrose MLA, she supported the merger with the Progressive Conservatives and was appointed UCP Deputy Leader in October 2017.

Melissa Langmaid (NDP) — Langmaid had lived in Strathmore for three years and worked in the oil and gas industry. She grew up in small, rural communities and campaigned on expanding access to public services such as $25-per-day childcare, education, and healthcare in the riding.

Derek Fildebrandt (Freedom Conservative) --- Previously the Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Fildebrandt won the Strathmore-Brooks seat for the Wildrose Party in 2015. His departure from the UCP caucus came in 2017 amid controversies involving his housing allowance and expense claims. In 2018, he established the Freedom Conservative Party of Alberta, positioning it as a more right-leaning alternative to the United Conservatives.

Jason Avramenko (Alberta Party) — Avramenko ran as the Alberta Party candidate in Chestermere—Strathmore.

Sharon L. Howe (Liberal) — Howe ran as the Alberta Liberal candidate in the riding.

Roger Dean Walker (Alberta Independence) — Walker ran as the Alberta Independence Party candidate.

Terry Nicholls (Independent) — Nicholls ran as an independent candidate.

Local Issues

Growth management was a central issue in Chestermere—Strathmore. Chestermere’s population had surged as Calgary families moved to the lakeside city for more affordable housing, but the infrastructure and services had not always kept pace. In early 2019, the City of Chestermere passed an Economic Incentive Policy offering tax reductions for new commercial and multi-family construction, signalling the community’s push to attract businesses and reduce its dependence on Calgary’s economy. School capacity, road congestion on Highway 1, and recreational facilities were ongoing concerns for residents.

The broader provincial economic downturn also affected the riding, as many residents commuted to Calgary for work in the oil and gas sector and related industries. Job losses in the energy sector hit household incomes in the bedroom communities, and pipeline constraints limiting Alberta’s market access were a frequent topic at candidate forums.

The conservative contest between Aheer, Fildebrandt, and other right-of-centre candidates reflected the riding’s political culture. The race drew attention as a test of whether Fildebrandt’s new Freedom Conservative Party could attract disaffected conservative voters, or whether the UCP’s united-right strategy would hold in one of the province’s most politically engaged suburban ridings.