Riding Profile:

Created in 1979, this south-central Calgary riding is bordered on the south by Fish Creek, on the east by the Bow River, on the west by Elbow Drive and on the north by Anderson Road. The 2004 redistribution expanded the riding slightly west, taking in an area formerly of Calgary-Lougheed.

The main occupations in Calgary-Fish Creek are professional services and retail. The average household earns $90,399 a year, far above the provincial average, while 7.6 per cent of residents are low income. Sixteen per cent of people in the riding are immigrants, while another 48 per cent of residents were born in Alberta.

 

Political History:

This solidly Conservative riding has had only two MLAs since it was created 25 years ago. The incumbent, Solicitor General Heather Forsyth, won in 1993, defeating Liberal Marie Cameron by more than 2,500 votes. In 1997 Forsyth, once again challenged by Cameron, doubled her margin of victory. In 2001, Forsyth won 9,716 votes to Liberal Marc Doll's 2,853. Forsyth's predecessor, Bill Paine, served here from 1979-93.

In 2001, voter turnout was 57.9 per cent.