A Calgary councillor is hoping to make the move from city hall to the legislature.

Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean confirmed Friday that he is seeking the United Conservative Party nomination for an upcoming provincial byelection in Calgary-Shaw.

“I believe now is the time for me to continue serving, but this time at the provincial level,” he said in a video posted to social media.

The byelection is required due to the impending departure of Calgary-Shaw MLA Rebecca Schulz, the UCP’s former environment minister. She announced in late December that she’d resign from her cabinet post and transition away from provincial politics this May.

A byelection hasn’t been scheduled yet, but must be held within six months of Schulz’s departure, which would be in November.

Calgary-Shaw is on the southern tip of the city, straddling MacLeod Trail in communities such as Shawnessy, Somerset, Silverado and Legacy.

McLean said it’s a part of the city he grew up in and raised his family.

“Since my dear friend Rebecca Schulz announced her decision to step down, I’ve been speaking to residents here in Silverado and across Calgary-Shaw, asking for your input,” he said. “Many of you have encouraged me to take this step because our city and our province matter.”

McLean was first elected to represent Ward 13 in 2021, replacing long-time councillor Diane Colley-Urquhart, who had served the southwest suburban ward since 2000. McLean earned 47 per cent of the vote in that election, beating out both Colley-Urquhart and Jay Unsworth, who finished second.

Before entering politics, McLean owned and operated a golf cart business and was involved in federal Conservative Party election campaigns.

Since being on council, he’s branded himself as a fiscal conservative, speaking critically about property tax increases and what he feels is excessive spending at city hall. He was critical of the previous council’s declaration of a climate emergency and was a vocal opponent to blanket rezoning, which the current council repealed in a vote earlier this month.

“You know me as a fighter at city hall,” he said. “For the past five years, I’ve stood for common sense, for fiscal responsibility, for safer communities and you’ve seen how those values have often put me at odds with the progressive left and the NDP.”

But he’s also faced sanctions for violating council’s code of conduct, including in December 2023 after an investigation from council’s integrity commissioner confirmed he had attended a public hearing remotely from a golf course.

He received similar reprimands after not wearing a mask during a public event during the COVID-19 pandemic and after a video surfaced in 2022 that appeared to show him mocking Indigenous people, alongside political operative Craig Chandler and former justice minister Jonathan Denis. McLean later said he had no recollection of the incident.

McLean won re-election for a second term last October with 65 per cent of the vote in a two-candidate race against Elliot Weinstein. He ran as a member of the Communities First party.

He’s currently the chair of council’s intergovernmental affairs committee and one of two council representatives on the Calgary police commission.

The second-term councillor has often voiced support for the UCP throughout his time at city hall, aligning with the party’s preference for an aboveground Green Line alignment in Calgary’s downtown and the government’s plan to shut down the supervised consumption site at the Sheldon Chumir health centre.

“I’m very proud to support Premier Danielle Smith and the work her government are doing,” he said. “We share a commitment to strengthening Alberta and protecting the values that make this province so strong. The next provincial election will be critical to Alberta’s future.”

Mayor Jeromy Farkas said he’s appreciated McLean’s leadership on council, noting he was one of just four returning councillors this term. He called him a “staunch advocate” for public safety and fiscal responsibility and a strong representative of his constituents’ interests.

“He stepped up as the chair of our intergovernmental affairs committee (and) he was instrumental with councillor Chabot in bringing the notice of motion to repeal blanket rezoning,” Farkas told reporters Wednesday.

“Regardless of his decision, I’ll say I appreciate his service on this council. I wish him the best.”

Farkas added that if McLean is successful in his push for a legislature seat, it could benefit Calgary to have a former member of council serving in government and having the ear of the premier.

“I think having more of an attention to the challenges at the municipal level is definitely a good thing, especially as we get into a constrained financial and public safety environment,” he said.