Calgary Minute: Downtown Projects, Catalytic Converters, and Country Hills Boulevard

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

This Week In Calgary:

• There will be a Public Hearing Meeting of Council on Tuesday at 9:30 am. Residents can have their say on a proposed single-use plastics bylaw that will put a mandatory charge on both reusable and paper bags at all stores. The bylaw will also require that foodware accessories at restaurants (utensils, napkins, straws, stir sticks, pre-packaged condiments, etc) be available only by request.
  
  
• On Thursday, at 9:30 am, the Audit Committee will meet. No agenda is available yet.
  
  
• The Calgary Metropolitan Area is the fastest-growing region in the Prairies, according to recent data from Statistics Canada. The rate of growth is the 13th highest in Canada. The region now has an estimated population of 1,608,342, up from 1,558,588.

Last Week In Calgary:

• The Director of Downtown Strategy said that 2023 will be a year of execution with a focus on improving the streetscape and revitalizing key areas. Tasks on the to-do list include completing work on Eau Claire Plaza, forming a multi-year plan to refresh Stephen Avenue, developing a new vision for 8th Street S.W. and improving the streetscape on 1st Street S.E. and the CPR underpass. The City is also planning on expanding Arts Commons and revitalizing Olympic Plaza.
  
  
• A City briefing sent to the Infrastructure and Planning Committee noted that the plan to widen Country Hills Boulevard from four to six lanes will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Apparently, widening the road is expected to attract drivers from other routes, reducing traffic and congestion in those areas, which in turn will decrease overall emissions. The plan has not yet been funded, and the City is taking another look at it through the lens of their climate strategy. Perhaps we could cut the bureaucracy and just widen the road because it will make people’s lives easier…
  
  
• The Calgary Police Service partnered with Kal Tire to launch a program aimed at stopping the theft of catalytic converters. The program allows vehicle owners to book appointments at Calgary Kal Tires to have their vehicle identification number (VIN) imprinted onto their catalytic converters. The imprinted number would then enable tracking of any stolen parts through the Canadian Police Information Centre as stolen property. CPS is also working with scrap metal recyclers and dealers to enforce legislation aimed at stopping catalytic converter thefts and asking residents to install security equipment to protect themselves.

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