Candidate profile: Jason Chillibeck

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1. Why are you the right candidate?

Red Deer is a hidden gem I’m happy to call home. As a long term resident of Red Deer, I understand and embrace the fabric of Red Deer. I like knowing one can be who they want to be combined with an entrepreneurial spirit and massive resiliency. At the same time, people are facing increased financial demands and we need a person like myself who understands money is a scarce resource and needs to be well managed. As an example, through my role as President of the Morrisroe West Community Association, I see first hand what can be done when people participate. It’s magnificent! With good policy, I’d like to see improvements to help residents and business get the job(s) done. In addition, I want to see more transparent communication with the various groups in Red Deer (i.e. Community Associations, the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Business Association, etc.) and utilize their energy as the City moves forward.

2. What personal priorities for the remainder of this council term do you want to highlight?

The remaining term is short. However, I would like to impress fiscal responsibility along with transparency and accountability.
- Fiscal Responsibility: I understand the importance of responsible fiscal management to ensure the long-term financial health of our City. I will work to prioritize essential services, and identify efficiencies to maximize taxpayer dollars. I want more than just a delta budget and want to look at line item spending.
- Transparency and Accountability: I believe in transparent and accountable governance and will push to have data collected by the City of Red Deer to be made more readily available by residents. Some examples include: our budget (I want more than a 1 page summary; I should not have to go to City Hall and pick up a physical binder; as a reference, check out what the City of Lethbridge provides – https://www.lethbridge.ca/media/hvuc4c1m/2023-2026-operating-budget.pdf), crime statistics (people should be able to download at least the information used in the City of Red Deer Crime Map over a much longer period of time to understand what and how much crime is occurring in the City), transit data (who is using transit; are there identifiable groups who use transit such as schools that skew ridership data and make it look like transit is being used more than it really is?), and the list of Downtown Business Association Events for 2023. Also, I would like to see more documents outlining project debriefs to show successes and either immediate or potential issues and to make those documents public.

3. To you, what makes Red Deer special?

My linkage to Red Deer dates back to 1990 when I arrived to go to Red Deer College. At RDC, I met my future wife along with a great group of people, people I am happy to call friends to this day. We’ve even gone so far as to have regular dinners where we get together to share a meal, play board games, and talk with each other. I’m thankful for this type of social connection and enjoy growing older with long term friendships and growing new friendships as our families grow. To know I am welcome to attend events celebrating their children and grandchildren is wonderful.
- Red Deer itself has a magnificent trail system and green spaces. If you haven’t done so already, I highly recommend going for a walk or bike ride on the Michener grounds. And having two world class cities to the North and South, along with National Parks 3ish hours away, what’s not to love? And tubing down the river in the summer – so much fun!
- Ultimately, you get what you want out of your situation.

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by rdnewsNOW staff

Candidate profile: Jason Chillibeck

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