The Sprawl
@sprawlcalgary.bsky.social
Slow news for curious Calgarians. Subscribe to Sprawlcast, Calgary’s in-depth municipal podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts! sprawlcalgary.com
Reposted by The Sprawl
I really had fun making this comic about some of @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social's 2025 highlights. Our great year was made possible by folks who value local journalism. And it's because of your support that I get to make comics about Calgary. Thanks! Looking forward to more comics in 2026!
The Sprawl is now in its 9th (!) year and I think 2025 has been the best yet. Thank you to everyone who has made our work possible! @calgaryhester.bsky.social signs us off for the holidays with one last comic.
Thank you Calgary! A word of heartfelt gratitude | The Sprawl
You made 2025 an extraordinary year.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 20, 2025 at 9:07 PM
I really had fun making this comic about some of @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social's 2025 highlights. Our great year was made possible by folks who value local journalism. And it's because of your support that I get to make comics about Calgary. Thanks! Looking forward to more comics in 2026!
That's a wrap! The Sprawl is signing off for 2025. Thank you Calgary for supporting our independent journalism!
Thank you Calgary! A word of heartfelt gratitude | The Sprawl
You made 2025 an extraordinary year.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 20, 2025 at 4:20 PM
That's a wrap! The Sprawl is signing off for 2025. Thank you Calgary for supporting our independent journalism!
With 40+ new communities being built on Calgary’s outskirts, city hall is struggling to reach them all with services—including transit. We look at how Calgary's new city council is tackling an old problem. #yyccc
Spread thin: How urban sprawl is stretching Calgary Transit to the max | The Sprawl
A new city council tackles an old problem.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 17, 2025 at 5:54 PM
With 40+ new communities being built on Calgary’s outskirts, city hall is struggling to reach them all with services—including transit. We look at how Calgary's new city council is tackling an old problem. #yyccc
Reposted by The Sprawl
New Sprawl merch! Stay warm and support independent Calgary journalism at the same time. Snag a Sprawl toque! square.link/u/HJlazKze
December 6, 2025 at 4:36 PM
New Sprawl merch! Stay warm and support independent Calgary journalism at the same time. Snag a Sprawl toque! square.link/u/HJlazKze
Still updating our #yyccc budget tracker today with more info!
—Ward's motion to cut $2M from city housing strategy
—Wyness's motion to fast-track new development + $24M fire hall on city's northwest edge
—Johnston's motion to cut city hall's software subscription budget by $10M
And more!
—Ward's motion to cut $2M from city housing strategy
—Wyness's motion to fast-track new development + $24M fire hall on city's northwest edge
—Johnston's motion to cut city hall's software subscription budget by $10M
And more!
See how Calgary city council voted on 2026 budget decisions | The Sprawl
Transit, housing, climate—and more!
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Still updating our #yyccc budget tracker today with more info!
—Ward's motion to cut $2M from city housing strategy
—Wyness's motion to fast-track new development + $24M fire hall on city's northwest edge
—Johnston's motion to cut city hall's software subscription budget by $10M
And more!
—Ward's motion to cut $2M from city housing strategy
—Wyness's motion to fast-track new development + $24M fire hall on city's northwest edge
—Johnston's motion to cut city hall's software subscription budget by $10M
And more!
BUDGET TRACKER! We are wading through Calgary city council's 2026 budget amendments—so you don't have to! See how councillors voted on transit, housing, the Old Y and more. We are still updating this list so stay tuned for more! #yyccc
How Calgary’s new city council overhauled the 2026 budget | The Sprawl
See how councillors voted on key decisions.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
BUDGET TRACKER! We are wading through Calgary city council's 2026 budget amendments—so you don't have to! See how councillors voted on transit, housing, the Old Y and more. We are still updating this list so stay tuned for more! #yyccc
If you've noticed your Calgary Transit bus mysteriously disappear recently... you're not alone. We looked into why some peak-hour trips are disappearing—and what it says about the bigger challenge facing Calgary's transit system. #yyccc
Hey, where’s my bus?! Calgary Transit regularly cancels scheduled trips | The Sprawl
Riders on 33 routes affected by budget crunch.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
November 29, 2025 at 6:41 PM
If you've noticed your Calgary Transit bus mysteriously disappear recently... you're not alone. We looked into why some peak-hour trips are disappearing—and what it says about the bigger challenge facing Calgary's transit system. #yyccc
At the recent Alberta Municipalities conference in Calgary, Premier Danielle Smith floated the idea of taking tax powers from municipalities. They aren't into it but do want the province to start collecting its own portion of property taxes. #yyccc #ableg
Alberta cities seek autonomy as UCP floats more reforms | The Sprawl
Smith offers to take tax power from municipalities.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:54 PM
“I think the bottom line is whatever you pay attention to grows. And I think we were paying attention in sort of an anti-cynical way.” What we learned from covering Calgary's election—now that we have a little much-needed distance from it!
What we learned covering Calgary’s 2025 election | The Sprawl
Can local journalism be joyful? You bet.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:26 PM
“I think the bottom line is whatever you pay attention to grows. And I think we were paying attention in sort of an anti-cynical way.” What we learned from covering Calgary's election—now that we have a little much-needed distance from it!
"Think of it as Opening Day at city hall: the swearing-in of the new city council." Come for the baseball metaphors, stay for the deep dive on why it's so difficult to pinpoint Calgary's population, thanks to a dearth of census data. #yyccc
What is Calgary’s population, really? | The Sprawl
A surprisingly vexing question.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
November 1, 2025 at 3:49 PM
"Think of it as Opening Day at city hall: the swearing-in of the new city council." Come for the baseball metaphors, stay for the deep dive on why it's so difficult to pinpoint Calgary's population, thanks to a dearth of census data. #yyccc
NEW: Calgary election analysis! You have to go back a quarter-century, when Calgary's population had yet to crack a million, to find a mayor elected with so few votes, writes @klaszus.bsky.social. #yyccc
Calgary’s bizarre low-turnout, high-turnover election | The Sprawl
Relatively few Calgarians made big changes.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 25, 2025 at 4:17 PM
NEW: Calgary election analysis! You have to go back a quarter-century, when Calgary's population had yet to crack a million, to find a mayor elected with so few votes, writes @klaszus.bsky.social. #yyccc
Reposted by The Sprawl
For the past year, I've been doing an embedded "ethnographic" study of Calgary's election. As a consequence, I've mostly kept quiet about it. It'll still be months before I have qualitative results to share, but in the meantime, here are some results from our pre-election survey. #yyccc #yycvote
October 21, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by The Sprawl
Now that we have the result of the public school trustee elections, it is time to revisit this story by @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social www.sprawlcalgary.com/cbe-election... None of the candidates in this slate identified in the story were elected.
The push to ‘conservatize’ Calgary’s public school board | The Sprawl
Not a slate, candidates say.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 22, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Now that we have the result of the public school trustee elections, it is time to revisit this story by @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social www.sprawlcalgary.com/cbe-election... None of the candidates in this slate identified in the story were elected.
Reposted by The Sprawl
Sat down to watch the Ward 13 last ditch debate by @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social
I’m dying from Clearly Not Dan Maclean. I was assuming it old be more like a 1-1 interview The chosen former was so much better.
I’m dying from Clearly Not Dan Maclean. I was assuming it old be more like a 1-1 interview The chosen former was so much better.
October 19, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Sat down to watch the Ward 13 last ditch debate by @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social
I’m dying from Clearly Not Dan Maclean. I was assuming it old be more like a 1-1 interview The chosen former was so much better.
I’m dying from Clearly Not Dan Maclean. I was assuming it old be more like a 1-1 interview The chosen former was so much better.
The Sprawl started this candidate list last November. Now it's complete. Bios of all 122 candidates running in the October 20 election (including trustee candidates), with links to their websites. Pass it along to anyone who needs it! #yyccc
Meet the Calgarians running for mayor and council in 2025 | The Sprawl
Learn about your candidates!
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The Sprawl started this candidate list last November. Now it's complete. Bios of all 122 candidates running in the October 20 election (including trustee candidates), with links to their websites. Pass it along to anyone who needs it! #yyccc
WE DID IT!! 🎉 All 14 wards in Calgary have now had election debates. We organized four of them because no one had. There are 20 candidates total in those wards and 16 showed up for our last-ditch debates—candidates from across the political spectrum. What a ride! #yyccc
A big win for local democracy in Calgary | The Sprawl
All 14 wards have now had election debates.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 18, 2025 at 3:37 PM
WE DID IT!! 🎉 All 14 wards in Calgary have now had election debates. We organized four of them because no one had. There are 20 candidates total in those wards and 16 showed up for our last-ditch debates—candidates from across the political spectrum. What a ride! #yyccc
Meanwhile in Ward 2... 🤔 #yyccc
Calgary Ward 2 debate is ‘a disservice to the community,’ says absent incumbent | The Sprawl
All candidates but Wyness participated.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 17, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Meanwhile in Ward 2... 🤔 #yyccc
Reposted by The Sprawl
Wiped out! The Sprawl put on two #yyccc candidate forums today on opposite ends of the city. Ward 3 with 6/8 candidates and Ward 12 with 5/5 candidates. Tomorrow is Ward 2 with 4/5 candidates. And Friday is Ward 13 with 1/2 candidates. Watch on The Sprawl's YouTube channel! 📸 @asadch.bsky.social
October 16, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Wiped out! The Sprawl put on two #yyccc candidate forums today on opposite ends of the city. Ward 3 with 6/8 candidates and Ward 12 with 5/5 candidates. Tomorrow is Ward 2 with 4/5 candidates. And Friday is Ward 13 with 1/2 candidates. Watch on The Sprawl's YouTube channel! 📸 @asadch.bsky.social
ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO! The Sprawl is livestreaming four candidate forums in wards that haven't had one, starting at 12pm today (Wed Oct 15) for Ward 3. Then we haul ass to Ward 12 for that forum this aft at 4pm! Tune in on our YouTube channel where you can watch live or later. #yyccc
Calgary Ward 3 Last-Ditch Debate
YouTube video by The Sprawl
www.youtube.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:36 PM
ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO! The Sprawl is livestreaming four candidate forums in wards that haven't had one, starting at 12pm today (Wed Oct 15) for Ward 3. Then we haul ass to Ward 12 for that forum this aft at 4pm! Tune in on our YouTube channel where you can watch live or later. #yyccc
Reposted by The Sprawl
Hey #yyc! If you can't get to the polls on election day, you can PICK UP a ballot from Elections Calgary anytime until Oct. 20, & bring it back. You have to request your ballot here:
sb.calgaryelections.ca
I wrote a comic about this for @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social. But I have some more thoughts. 1/7
sb.calgaryelections.ca
I wrote a comic about this for @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social. But I have some more thoughts. 1/7
October 15, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Hey #yyc! If you can't get to the polls on election day, you can PICK UP a ballot from Elections Calgary anytime until Oct. 20, & bring it back. You have to request your ballot here:
sb.calgaryelections.ca
I wrote a comic about this for @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social. But I have some more thoughts. 1/7
sb.calgaryelections.ca
I wrote a comic about this for @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social. But I have some more thoughts. 1/7
Reposted by The Sprawl
Another awesome reason to support @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social is @calgaryhester.bsky.social’s creative works! So much to learn about our city! 💚 #TheSprawl #Calgary #Election2025 #ABpoli #local #informative #ElectionComics
I've been writing #comics about #yyc election stuff for @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social! Sharing today's, because I loved learning about J. M. Miller. I visited his grave at Union Cemetery. His institutional memory must have been incredible!
Check out more election comics at sprawlcalgary.com! #yyccc
Check out more election comics at sprawlcalgary.com! #yyccc
October 14, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Another awesome reason to support @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social is @calgaryhester.bsky.social’s creative works! So much to learn about our city! 💚 #TheSprawl #Calgary #Election2025 #ABpoli #local #informative #ElectionComics
Reposted by The Sprawl
Can I tell you how indispensable @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social has been in its coverage of the Calgary election. Whether you are following it closely or not. Videos of numerous ward and mayoral forums. And there most valuable service, a campaign primer. www.sprawlcalgary.com/calgary-elec...
Meet the Calgarians running for mayor and council in 2025 | The Sprawl
Follow along with our candidate tracker.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 12, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Can I tell you how indispensable @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social has been in its coverage of the Calgary election. Whether you are following it closely or not. Videos of numerous ward and mayoral forums. And there most valuable service, a campaign primer. www.sprawlcalgary.com/calgary-elec...
Reposted by The Sprawl
I've been writing #comics about #yyc election stuff for @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social! Sharing today's, because I loved learning about J. M. Miller. I visited his grave at Union Cemetery. His institutional memory must have been incredible!
Check out more election comics at sprawlcalgary.com! #yyccc
Check out more election comics at sprawlcalgary.com! #yyccc
October 12, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I've been writing #comics about #yyc election stuff for @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social! Sharing today's, because I loved learning about J. M. Miller. I visited his grave at Union Cemetery. His institutional memory must have been incredible!
Check out more election comics at sprawlcalgary.com! #yyccc
Check out more election comics at sprawlcalgary.com! #yyccc
Reposted by The Sprawl
Incredible piece by the @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social & @klaszus.bsky.social. Amazing history. Bravo!
⁉️ Question ⁉️
Why did the City of Calgary have to loan the Flames $316 million until 2060? Couldn't Gary Bettman & the NHL (worth over $60 billion) loan the owners/CSEC the $316M over 35 years?
⁉️ Question ⁉️
Why did the City of Calgary have to loan the Flames $316 million until 2060? Couldn't Gary Bettman & the NHL (worth over $60 billion) loan the owners/CSEC the $316M over 35 years?
Calgary mayoral candidates are bickering about which arena deal was best—and who got fleeced. And an outgoing city councillor now says progressive councillors voted yes to the deal in 2023 "at great political cost." Here's how the deal got done. (Listen and/or read!) #yyccc
The truth about Calgary’s billion-dollar arena deal | The Sprawl
Campaign accusations abound. Here’s the real story.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 11, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Incredible piece by the @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social & @klaszus.bsky.social. Amazing history. Bravo!
⁉️ Question ⁉️
Why did the City of Calgary have to loan the Flames $316 million until 2060? Couldn't Gary Bettman & the NHL (worth over $60 billion) loan the owners/CSEC the $316M over 35 years?
⁉️ Question ⁉️
Why did the City of Calgary have to loan the Flames $316 million until 2060? Couldn't Gary Bettman & the NHL (worth over $60 billion) loan the owners/CSEC the $316M over 35 years?
Reposted by The Sprawl
I restarted my donation to @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social because if I’m going prioritize my donations I’m going to do it in support of democracy and I’m going to do it here in my community.
Everyone makes their own choice. This is mine.
I support slow journalism and hope you will too.
#yyc
Everyone makes their own choice. This is mine.
I support slow journalism and hope you will too.
#yyc
Four wards in Calgary haven't had election debates (Wards 2, 3, 12 and 13). The Sprawl has waited for others to organize debates in these wards. It hasn't happened. We're done waiting and are making a last-ditch effort to organize and livestream debates in these wards before Election Day. #yyccc
A last-ditch effort for local democracy in Calgary | The Sprawl
Help us do 4 more debates where they're needed!
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 11, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I restarted my donation to @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social because if I’m going prioritize my donations I’m going to do it in support of democracy and I’m going to do it here in my community.
Everyone makes their own choice. This is mine.
I support slow journalism and hope you will too.
#yyc
Everyone makes their own choice. This is mine.
I support slow journalism and hope you will too.
#yyc