Fiscal responsibility large focus of first 2025 Edmonton mayoral debate

In front of hundreds of Edmonton’s business leaders, the top five mayoral candidates took the debate stage for the first time on Friday evening.

Fiscal responsibility was a large theme of the 90-minute debate. Rahim Jaffer, Michael Walters, Omar Mohamed, and Tim Cartmell each promised to reverse or freeze property taxes, while Andrew Knack focused on keeping core services afloat.

“I appreciate everyone saying ‘let’s freeze property taxes.’ What are you going to cut in order to accomplish that?” Knack asked his opponents. “We have this growing city.”

Cartmell was the first to speak up.

“Let’s start with land development, Andrew. Let’s start with competing with the private sector. Let’s stop doing the things that the private sector can do for this community and let the government focus o