Councillor Alleges Unfair Exclusion from Housing Board
Ward 14 Coun. Landon Johnston has made serious allegations against Calgary's city administration, claiming they deliberately prevented him from serving on the board of a key city subsidiary. The controversy emerged during a public hearing meeting on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, when Johnston attempted to add an urgent notice of motion to the agenda.
Behind-Closed-Doors Decision Sparks Outcry
Johnston revealed that during council's recent organizational meeting on November 3, he was rejected from a particular board appointment due to what was described as a perceived conflict of interest. Although he didn't initially name the specific board, his motion later referenced the Calgary Housing Company, the city subsidiary that administers rental and rent supplement programs for both municipal and provincial governments.
The newly elected councillor, who previously owned and operated a furnace repair company before his election on October 20, stated he had fully disclosed his business interests to the city's legal department and had been told there was no conflict. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when Mayor Jeromy Farkas informed him about receiving a private letter from one of the city's wholly owned subsidiaries that questioned his past business holdings.
Transparency Concerns Raised
According to Johnston, the matter was then taken behind closed doors where council voted 14-1 on a motion that effectively blocked him from serving on the board. "I wasn't able to speak to it publicly and incomplete, withheld information was allowed to influence the process without any chance for me or anyone else to set the record straight," Johnston stated during the meeting.
The councillor expressed particular concern about the letter to Mayor Farkas being circulated to other council members while he remained unable to address its contents publicly. He accused the mayor and administration of "setting a scary precedent" of selectively choosing who gets to sit on particular boards.
Johnston's motion sought two key actions: the public release of the controversial letter and for council to reconsider its 14-1 vote in an open session. "This isn't about trying to get a position — it's about fairness, accuracy and transparency," he emphasized. "Decisions shouldn't be shaped by confidential misinformation that never sees the light of day."
The attempt to address the matter on an urgent basis faced immediate scrutiny, with Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot questioning whether it constituted truly urgent business. Chabot suggested the matter should instead follow the regular process of being brought to the executive committee first.
The council ultimately voted down Johnston's attempt to reopen the matter on an urgent basis, though Mayor Farkas noted the result shouldn't be interpreted as rejecting the merits of the discussion entirely. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between transparency and confidentiality in municipal governance decisions.
