Highwood

Nestled in the foothills south of Calgary, Highwood is a constituency dominated by the town of Okotoks and the surrounding rural landscape of Foothills County, including Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Millarville, and the ranching country that stretches toward the Rocky Mountain front ranges. Okotoks has emerged as one of southern Alberta's fastest-growing bedroom communities, with its population climbing past 32,000 by 2023, drawn by proximity to Calgary, relatively affordable housing, and a small-town atmosphere. The riding's character blends suburban commuters with multi-generational ranching families, creating a constituency that trends conservative but has grown increasingly sensitive to infrastructure pressures and quality-of-life issues. Incumbent MLA R.J. Sigurdson, who won the seat in 2019 after defeating the previous Wildrose-turned-UCP incumbent in a nomination contest, sought a second term.

Candidates

R.J. Sigurdson (United Conservative) — A red seal journeyman sheet metal worker and senior project manager at Avalanche Air Systems, Sigurdson was first elected in 2019. During his first term he served as a government backbencher, focusing on constituency issues including flood mitigation, highway improvements, and advocacy for local health care services.

Jessica Hallam (NDP) — An Okotoks resident and software manager who works with oil and gas companies on operational efficiency solutions, Hallam previously worked in news media and journalism before transitioning to the technology sector. She was acclaimed as the NDP candidate and focused her campaign on health care and education, arguing that families in the riding were being underserved in both areas.

Local Issues

Health care access had become the riding's most prominent concern by 2023. Despite Okotoks's rapid population growth, the community lacked a hospital, and residents relied on facilities in High River and Calgary for emergency and acute care. Family physician shortages meant thousands of local residents were without a regular doctor, a problem that worsened across Alberta during the pandemic. The broader provincial crisis in emergency department staffing, which saw rural ERs across the province close for a combined 38,000 hours in 2023, heightened anxiety about the adequacy of medical services in a growing community.

The tenth anniversary of the devastating 2013 southern Alberta floods, which had forced mass evacuations along the Highwood River and caused catastrophic damage to High River, Black Diamond, and parts of Okotoks, arrived during the 2023 campaign. While physical reconstruction was long complete, the event's legacy shaped ongoing debates about flood mitigation infrastructure, development restrictions in flood-prone areas, and water supply. Okotoks has historically faced water constraints due to its reliance on the Sheep River, and a long-planned regional water pipeline to supplement supply was a priority for municipal leaders.

Rapid population growth in Okotoks strained schools, recreational facilities, and transportation links. Parents pushed for additional school construction, while commuters flagged congestion on Highway 2A and the need for improved transit connections to Calgary. The riding's ranching communities, meanwhile, remained focused on rural crime, property rights, and the economic pressures facing cattle producers contending with drought conditions and rising input costs.