Calgary Minute: Airport Fees, Housing Cash, and a Plastic Ban Petition

Calgary Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Calgary politics

This Week In Calgary:

• There will be a series of City Council meetings today through Friday, beginning at 9:30 am. The purpose of these meetings is to deal with the budget adjustments. Recall that property taxes could increase almost 8% if Council agrees to everything as presented. Keep a close eye on your inbox - we’ll be sending out important updates as they happen.
  
  
• ​​The City is asking Calgarians to weigh in on the long-term future of recreation services. An online survey is available until January 31st, 2024, and provides an opportunity for residents to give feedback on the new strategic vision, called GamePLAN, which will direct the future of inclusive, equitable, and sustainable recreation services. The City will be planning various other engagement initiatives throughout the winter as well.
  
  
• The City of Calgary’s Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund will be providing $5.5 million to Bow Valley College for a new entertainment arts production hub. The hub will aim to train 675 students over the next five years in things like 3D game animation, virtual reality, and podcasting. The $100 million fund was created by Council in 2018.

Last Week In Calgary:

• The federal government announced $228 million in funding for the City of Calgary through the Housing Accelerator Fund. Federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sean Fraser, Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal, and Mayor Jyoti Gondek were on hand for the announcement, which provided the largest offering from the federal fund to date. Calgary will be given an initial $57 million as well as an additional $57 million each year for the next three years, which the City must use to build 6,825 housing units by 2027 and 35,950 new units by 2033. Full funding will only be provided if the City meets undisclosed conditions and milestones.
  
  
• The Calgary Airport Authority announced the introduction of a new fee effective January 15th, 2024. Drop-off fees for taxis arriving at the airport will be subject to a $4 charge, in addition to the usual pick-up fee (which was lowered 50 cents from $5.00 to $4.50). The Airport Authority says this brings taxis in line with what ride-share companies are paying, and all fees will be reinvested in the airport.
  
  
• After the Federal Court ruled that Ottawa overstepped in enacting a single-use plastic ban, we launched a petition calling on the City of Calgary to repeal its ban as well. In January, the City will have mandatory minimum fees for plastic shopping bags, and plastic cutlery, napkins, and other single-use items will be provided “by request only”. While keeping plastic from the ocean is a noble goal, the silly rules and regulations set by the City - and Ottawa - will not help to achieve that aim. Instead, they just make life more unaffordable and inconvenient for people. If you agree, sign our petition to Stop The Plastic Ban.

-----

Donate:

Common Sense Calgary doesn't accept any government funding and never will. We think you should be free to choose, for yourself, which organizations to support. If you're in a position to contribute financially, you can make a donation here.

-----

Share:

If you're not in a position to donate, we understand, but if you appreciate our work, you can help by spreading our message. Please email this post to your friends, share it on Facebook or Twitter, and help make sure every Calgarian knows what's really going on at City Hall.