Calgary-Beddington

Sprawling across Calgary's northern tier, Calgary-Beddington encompasses a mix of established 1970s-era suburbs and newer developments that have filled in over the past two decades. Huntington Hills and Beddington Heights anchor the riding's southern half with their ranch-style homes and mature tree canopy, while Country Hills, MacEwan, and Hidden Valley to the north feature the curving boulevards and attached-garage houses of 1990s and 2000s-era subdivision planning. Sandstone Valley sits at the riding's northeastern edge. Nose Hill Park borders the southwest corner, offering one of the largest urban natural environments in Canada. The riding has a notably diverse population, with significant South Asian and Chinese communities, and many households where multiple generations share a single home. Heading into 2023, incumbent Josephine Pon sought re-election after a term marked by her service as Seniors and Housing Minister and her subsequent removal from cabinet.

Candidates

Amanda Chapman (NDP) — A communications and marketing consultant based in Calgary, Chapman ran against Pon in 2019 and returned for a rematch in 2023. Her campaign focused on health care access, school construction, and affordability, positioning herself as the candidate best equipped to address the daily concerns of working families in the riding's diverse communities.

Josephine Pon (United Conservative)* — First elected in 2019 after a career spanning HSBC, Royal Bank, Scotiabank, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Pon was appointed Minister of Seniors and Housing in the Kenney government. She held the portfolio through the early waves of COVID-19, a period in which Alberta's continuing care facilities experienced devastating outbreaks and significant resident deaths. She was removed from cabinet when Premier Smith formed her first cabinet in October 2022 and served as a backbencher heading into the 2023 election.

Local Issues

School overcrowding remained a persistent grievance across north Calgary. Families in Country Hills, MacEwan, and Hidden Valley faced busing distances that grew as new subdivisions outpaced school construction. Modular classrooms continued to serve as a stopgap at multiple sites, and parents pressed all candidates for commitments on permanent school buildings. The CBE's capital priority lists consistently placed north Calgary schools near the top, but provincial approval and funding timelines lagged behind demand.

Seniors' care became a deeply personal issue in this riding given Pon's ministerial record. The COVID-19 death toll in Alberta's long-term care homes had been severe, and families who lost relatives in continuing care facilities questioned whether the government had acted quickly enough on infection prevention and staffing levels. The broader crisis in seniors' housing — rising costs, limited availability, and the challenge of aging in place in single-family homes — resonated in a riding with a large population of older homeowners.

Transit connectivity remained a practical concern. The communities farthest from CTrain stations relied on bus transfers that added significant time to downtown commutes. While MAX BRT service had improved some north-south connections, residents in the riding's outer suburbs still described public transit as unreliable for shift workers and students.