Over this summer, I asked Carstairs residents for feedback about our town. There were several themes which arose, but two common themes were:
What people value about Carstairs is the sense of community. The majority of individuals I asked this summer responded they value the "community feel" of Carstairs, and this is what brought them to Carstairs, or what they discovered they enjoy about Carstairs.
Residents find effective communication helpful - both between the Town and residents, but within Carstairs itself. Residents expressed satisfaction from community-focused social media posts, and interest in printed or email forms of communication.
In order to create realistic & achievable objectives, I have chosen to focus on the two above themes for the foundation of my platform. Therefore, in the next four years, I aim to:
advocating for programs and events which encourage volunteerism, reduce isolation, and facilitates the overall wellbeing of participants
supporting programs and spaces which encourage individuals and families to build natural supportive community networks, for example the Carstairs Community Garden
participating in community events and programming
Example actions to advocate for, or to support:
a dedicated space for teenagers, or dedicated drop-in play space for younger children in consideration of the growing use of the library
programs which connect seniors and other ages together, for example a mentorship program
programs and places which encourage families to connect with other families
a volunteer communication hub or email list
community programming and initiatives which fall under the scope of Family & Community Support Services (FCSS) funding. Examples of existing programs funded in 2025 by Carstairs FCSS are listed here. For FCSS funding, "the Municipal contribution must be no less than 25 per cent of the provincial grant. This equates to an 80/20 ratio between the Province and the municipality." (Source)
There is also the ChooseWell Healthy Communities grant which support grassroots initiatives focused on healthy eating or lifestyle, upwards of $5000
Another funding opportunity is the Alberta Blue Cross Community Wellbeing Grant
programs and events which bring a sense of arts, culture to Carstairs, and may be funded by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts
events which support hospitality & local tourism in Carstairs, providing opportunities for community volunteerism. Examples include the Carstairs Beef & Barley Days event, and the Carstairs Heritage Festival & Parade of Kilts
building channels of communication between businesses & organizations within Carstairs and it's residents
supporting the use of effective communication methods such as print, email or online.
collaborating with individuals and organizations to encourage the relay of information
Example actions to advocate for, or to support:
a 'Visitor's Guide' to Carstairs. This could be in collaboration with the Carstairs & District Agricultural Society in conjunction with the Beef & Barley Days Event. An example of a comparable visitor's guide is the 17-page Pincher Creek's Visitor's Guide, which highlights a rodeo weekend. The Rural Development & Promotion Fund may support this, municipalities are eligible to apply.
A second example may be finding a reliable, effective method for distributing the monthly town email newsletter, "Inside Our Authentic Small Town." Possible distribution methods, as mentioned through feedback from residents, may include an attachment to the utility bill, by email, or in paper. Alternatively, it may be possible to support/collaborate with Hugh Sutherland School journalism students, the homeschool youth community, or other writing group in curating and writing weekly or bi-weekly original content about Carstairs.
If there is a focus on providing information about community programming, FCSS funding may be a possibility. Another option is to support or encourage the development of a not-for-profit society, in which members pay a yearly membership fee to help cover the costs of digital or print distribution of a newsletter.
Learn about my platform planning & research process here.