Can I Help You?

One of the things that has struck me the most about being in Calgary is how responsive everyone is. From the agent who rented me my car at the airport, to the concierge at the hotel, to the Canadian-based moving company representative; everyone responds and resolves my needs quickly.

Government entities and employees have been no exception. Yesterday I went to get my S.I.N. card; the Canadian equivalent of a Social Security card. I stood in the “queue” for about 3 minutes, spoke to an artsy looking woman in her 50’s who listened patiently, politely asked to see my work permit and then directed me to a seating area where I’d barely sat down before my name was called. Then I went to a cubicle sitting across from a young, pretty woman dressed stylishly; copies of "Wheat Belly" and "The Wheat Belly Cookbook" on her desk. She took me politely through what I needed to do and then gave me a form with my number on it. The whole process took 10 minutes.

On Tuesday when I was sitting through the Town Council meeting, I was struck by how responsive the Mayor and City Council were to the citizens. The Council was conducting a public hearing. A citizen got up to ask about a swale that had been dug up by the Town’s crews. Prior to the dig, citizens were able to mow the grass and now the sides of the swales were too steep to mow. The Mayor turned to the City Administrator and asked him to look into it. He said he would and told the Council he could do so within 3 days. “Would that be acceptable?” he asked the Mayor, and she said it was. Later on in the hearing a 7 page letter was read to the Council outlining concerns a citizen had about the proposal before Council. The Developer proponent of the project told the Mayor that he could respond to each concern and the Mayor said she would ask the Planner to draft the letter.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in a City Council meeting where citizens would get up and ask questions of Council and NO ONE responded. At best the Mayor or a Council person would encourage the citizen to contact the Public Works Director but I don't think I remember a time when the Mayor looked at the Public Works Director and said "Director, would you please get Mr. Smith's number and call him tomorrow?" or something of that nature. 

On the flip side, I'm finding that Public Notification seems to be somewhat of new concept. For Planners in Washington State, public notification procedures for environmental review and major projects are spelled out in the Revised Code of Washington. Alberta's equivalent, the Municipal Government Act, states that municipalities must notify the public but leaves it up to the Town to decide how to do that. Public notification has been limited to publication in the newspaper after a project has already been approved or notification that a public hearing is being held way after many decisions have already been made.

Granted, this isn't much different than what I'm used to. Public Hearings in Washington State for various projects and legislation take place toward the end of a decision-making process when most of the decisions really have already been made. In the Town I now work for as in the places I've worked in Washington, the legislative body typically makes a decision on the item at the same meeting that the public hearing is held. How can citizens feel that they are really being heard? Shouldn't the legislative body wait until at least the next meeting so they can address any of the concerns that are brought up by citizens? I think so. 

I think legislation like Washington's "Appearance of Fairness" doctrine and "Open public meetings" act are going in the right direction, but they don't get at the spirit of responsiveness to public concern. Looks like municipal government in Alberta struggles with the same thing. Maybe I can help. 

An American Planner in Calgary

At the request of several of my friends, I'm starting a blog about my new adventures in Canada. As you may know, I am from the Seattle area and recently got a job offer in Chestermere, Alberta which is just east of the City of Calgary. Since it is the only job offer I've gotten in 5 months, I gratefully accepted. It hasn't been an easy decision since it means uprooting my kids and postponing college for my daughter who is about to graduate from high school, but I have secretly always wanted to do urban planning work in a foreign country so am really looking forward to the opportunity. Please note that there are very few things that I do consistently on a daily basis and this blog is no exception and that I'm still somewhat of a blog newbie so will work on the format of the blog as well. Comments and suggestions are welcome. 

Let's start with some fun facts:

Canada in General:

- They didn't get rid of the monarchy like we did. On the one hand, as an American, I can't help thinking "Suckers!" On the other hand I think, "Hm, these folks managed to get representation with their taxation without a bloody revolution. That doesn't sound so bad." 

- They have cool spellings for things: cheques, litres, colour. If it's a tale, they spell it "story." If it's the next level of a house, they spell it "storey." 

- They use the metric system. Urgh. Everything is in kilometers, hectares, celsius. I'll have to learn not to panic when they say it's 10 degrees. Although, it really does get to be the real 10 degrees and I'm not really looking forward to that folks.

- Canada provides free medical care to all its residents. This does not include vision or dental but these things can be paid for with inexpensive supplemental policies. I'm sure I'll be talking a lot about this. 

- Canada is the only country in the world that pays strippers in coins.

Working in Canada:

- Americans can work in Canada with what they call a "work permit" and there are varying degrees of difficulty obtaining a work permit depending on the kind of work you do.

- My profession happens to fall under the category of "urban planner" which is a profession specifically listed in the NAFTA agreement as one that has the least difficult application process for obtaining a work permit. All I had to do was take the offer letter and my college degree certificates with me when I crossed the border into Canada. The work permit is a document that the border agent stapled into my passport. 

- Now that I have a work permit I have to apply for the Canadian equivalent of a Social Security card (S.I.N). At the same time I'm issued this card I will be issued a medical card entitling me to FREE MEDICAL CARE. Canada rocks.

- I need this S.I.N. card to open a Canadian bank account which I will need to cash my paychecks (spelled cheques here in Canada) which are in Canadian dollars. (They're called Loonies. Hee hee.)

- Spouses of workers in my category can get a work permit as well. I'm still checking on dependents.

- Calgary in particular has a booming economy due to the oil industry Alberta has a shortage of workers at all levels. The border agent told me that Tim Hortons, which in my opinion is Canada's version of Dunkin Donuts, actually brings busloads of Americans up to Canada to work in their restaurants. 

Living in Canada:

- I will have to register my car and get Canadian car insurance. The American who held my job position before said that registering his car was the most difficult logistical thing he had to go through. I guess I'll see.

- My new job will make it so that I have to file a Canadian federal tax return and I will also have to file an American tax return but not have to report my Canadian earnings. 

- The cost of living in Calgary is high. Gas is more expensive. (Don't let the $1.35 figure fool you - that's per litre.) Food is higher. Housing is higher. And housing is somewhat scarce. 

- Calgary has great public transportation. The city of 1.2 million people has a healthy light rail system (but don't call it light rail - they won't know what you're talking about. It's the "C-train." Not sure why.)

- Calgary is home to the Calgary Stampede which I believe is the biggest rodeo in the world. I've seen pictures of Princess Kate Middleton visiting the Stampede in a cowboy hat and boots, so that's gotta say something, right?

- Calgary has many, many beautiful parks and trails as well as several in-door recreational centers that are like YMCA's but on steroids (three ice-skating rinks, courts of all types, indoor water-slides). They do have YMCA's too, but most of the recreational centers are run by the City of Calgary and it's 15,000 employees. 

Bringing kids to Canada:

- If you have college-aged kids wanting to go to school in Canada, they will have to pay international tuition. (Boo!). If you have primary or secondary-aged kids, they can go to school for free if you have a work permit. (Yay!) 

- Despite the Toronto Blue Jays, Calgary High Schools do not have baseball teams. Apparently that doesn't indicate the level of interest in baseball, however, since Calgary High Schools don't have hockey teams either. (The first thing I was told was never to make fun of hockey.) Baseball and hockey are played in little-league types of organizations. 

- Canadians play American-style football but they have slightly different rules and slightly different football fields.