Jarrett Campbell had just wrapped up his articling as a chartered accountant, but he wanted to make an immediate impact in the community. So, he joined his community league in Wîhkwêntôwin (formerly Oliver). He was the youngest person in the meeting by 30 years.
“And it was all about how to stop all development in [Wîhkwêntôwin]. Just full stop. There are enough people living there — and how do we stop them?” Campbell laughs, saying he heard the typical NIMBY concerns about parking, traffic, river valley developments and renters — all sentiments that opposed Campbell’s beliefs.
Campbell recruited more young people involved in the community league, and soon the group took over the committee. They started The Yards, a community magazine, created a space for people who want more development in their neighbourhood, and hired engagement firms for new developments, including the Brewery District.
He also co-founded Infill Development in Edmonton Association (IDEA) with the goal of changing the conversation in Edmonton around housing — creating more density, more vibrancy, more bike lanes, more public transit opportunities and more affordability.
Campbell became so passionate about city building he shifted his career over to real estate. He has worked in various capacities since 2012 — including co-founding his own management company — until his current role as vice president of Avison Young.
Campbell’s community building extends into the political realm as a senior member of 13 different election campaigns. In between election cycles, he advises various politicians while advocating for policy changes.
“I’ve always been interested in politics,” he says. “I was that kid — living in a small town up north, and we would get the Edmonton Journal delivered… I remember having to lay it on the ground, because I wasn’t big enough to hold up a whole newspaper … and just read it. I was always very interested in the world and followed along, but did not necessarily get involved.”
Today, he’s not just involved — he’s making a difference.
This article appears in the Nov/Dec 2024 issue of Edify
