Calgary Minute: Commission Recommendations, Citizen Satisfaction, and Goodbye Green Line

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

This Week In Calgary:

• This morning, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Ward Boundary Commission to discuss the Commission’s report and recommendations. These recommendations include better onboarding and training for Councillors, mental health support for Council offices, and adjusting ward office budgets to meet specific needs of each ward. The report also calls for improved transparency, with standardized Councillor webpages and public education initiatives. Some recommendations, such as ward-level data dashboards and citizen assemblies, will require additional funding in the 2027-2030 budget cycle should they be accepted.
  
  
• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a Public Hearing Meeting of Council to address multiple zoning amendments, the East Calgary International Avenue Communities Local Area Plan, and Statutory Plan Amendments to the Prairie Economic Gateway Initiative.
  
  
• The Council Services Committee, originally scheduled for Wednesday at 9:30 am, is cancelled. The next meeting of this committee will take place on December 4th, 2024. The Community Development Committee will meet on Thursday at 9:30 am. No agenda is available for this meeting yet.

Last Week In Calgary:

• The Province has withdrawn $1.53 billion in funding for the Green Line LRT Project, citing concerns over the City's revised plan, which increases costs while reducing the length of the line - as well as projected ridership. Council voted to explore options for transferring management and financial risk to the Alberta government. Discussions between City officials and the Province are set to continue, with a critical meeting planned for September 17th. Common Sense Calgary has been advocating for an end to this boondoggle since 2017, and we’re glad to see the Big Green Elephant has finally been slain. If you'd like to thank our team for all the hard work they've put into this over the years and support all the other work we're doing on other Calgary issues, you can click here and make a donation.
  
  
• Calgary's water use rose to 502 million litres on Thursday, exceeding the City's apparent sustainable level of 500 million litres for the second consecutive day. The City said the increase strains the water system, making it difficult to replenish underground tanks. Officials are urging residents to conserve water, suggesting that skipping one toilet flush per household could save up to 8 million litres daily. The City wants to reduce water consumption to 485 million litres per day, and to help conserve, has implemented measures such as using non-potable water in arenas and extending hours at river water pick-up stations.
  
  
• In the first half of 2024, Calgary saw a significant decline in citizen satisfaction with City services, dropping from 80% to 63%, which officials attribute to rapid population growth, inflation, and resource constraints. The city's population grew by nearly 5%, adding approximately 69,000 new residents, putting further strain on services and infrastructure. Inflation has led to delays in capital projects and a decline in key services like fire response times and permit processing.

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