Calgary Minute: Issue 312

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

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• The Executive Committee will meet on Tuesday at 9:30 am. The Committee will discuss updating the Secondary Suite Incentive Program to restrict suites that receive funding from being used as short-term rentals for two years. This change aims to ensure that public funds support long-term housing rather than temporary accommodations. Beginning June 3rd, 2025, new applicants will be required to acknowledge and accept this restriction as a condition of receiving up to $10,000 in funding. If homeowners repay the incentive during the two-year period, the restriction is lifted. Only 3.4% of past applicants also applied for short-term rental licenses, so Administration anticipates minimal impact on program interest. However, there are concerns about perceived fairness, as over 5,000 prior applicants will be exempt.
  
  
• There are nine Notices of Motion being put forward by Councillors at the Executive Committee meeting. Councillor Jennifer Wyness’s motion proposes implementing a rolling 10-year capital planning and budgeting process for the City of Calgary. Currently, the City operates on a 4-year budget cycle, but the proposed shift aims to enhance long-term alignment, flexibility, and responsiveness to changing conditions such as population growth and economic shifts. The Motion suggests that a decade-long planning framework would help the City better prioritize infrastructure and service investments while improving its ability to secure external funding. The goal is to provide future Councils with better tools for strategic decision-making.
  
  
• Councillor Raj Dhaliwal will propose a motion to study the feasibility of managing the number of Transportation Network Drivers (TNDLs) in Calgary. (These are things like Uber and Lyft). Currently, while the number of taxi licenses is capped, there is no limit on TNDLs, with over 16,500 active in 2024 - roughly one driver per 82 residents. Concerns include increased traffic congestion, reduced service quality, and curbside competition, similar to issues identified in Toronto. The motion calls for a report by Q3 2026 evaluating potential supply-management tools, such as population-based caps, and analyzing legal, economic, and service impacts. The study will also explore administrative efficiencies like aligning licence renewal dates and extending licence terms. Additionally, the City will request that the Province review the licensing standards for vehicle-for-hire drivers.
  
  
• Councillor Courtney Walcott has introduced a motion aimed at addressing the “growing threat” of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM). The proposed resolution calls for the City to issue a Request for Proposals by the end of 2025 to hire a third-party consultant to review how the City handles MDM, including public education, internal procedures, and the influence of artificial intelligence. Additionally, the motion requests funding for a new staff position in Customer Service & Communications to manage this work, with funding to be included in the 2026 budget. Maybe the City should focus on all the misinformation it spreads, rather than trying to restrict our free speech…
  
  
• Calgary’s new Interim Police Chief, Katie McLellan, might be the permanent chief after all. She was sworn in just days after the abrupt and unexplained resignation of former chief Mark Neufeld. While she is technically the interim chief, there are apparently no current plans to replace her. On the same day, Deputy Chiefs Chad Tawfik and Raj Gill retired, though McLellan would not comment on whether their exits were related. With major events like the G7 Summit and Rotary International Convention approaching, McLellan tried to emphasize stability and assured the public of a smooth leadership transition. She acknowledged long-standing morale issues within the Calgary Police Service (CPS), including internal distrust of leadership, racism, and harassment, though she noted progress on diversity and inclusion. Despite internal challenges, McLellan expressed confidence in the CPS’s preparedness for upcoming events and commitment to public safety. Council held a closed-door meeting to discuss the sudden resignation of Neufeld, but offered no explanation for his mid-contract departure. Mayor Jyoti Gondek and several councillors declined to speculate, citing privacy concerns. The Police Commission’s next meeting is set for May 28th, when more details may be shared.
  
  
• Calgary saw a sharp rise in traffic fatalities in 2024, reaching an 11-year high with 29 deaths, including 13 pedestrians - a 225% increase from the previous year. The City attributes the trend to factors such as population growth, inexperienced drivers, and underfunding compared to cities like Edmonton and Toronto. Calgary currently spends $5 million annually on traffic safety, while Edmonton and Toronto spend up to $80 million. In response, a City Committee unanimously approved an urgent request for $1 million from reserve funds to implement safety improvements like speed humps and intersection redesigns. Some Councillors argued that even more funding is needed, calling for traffic safety to become a long-term budget priority. Road safety advocates are urging bolder actions, including lower residential speed limits, citing recent tragedies such as the death of a teenage skateboarder. The final decision on the emergency funding will be made by Council later this month.
  
  
• Calgary Transit is planning to install ticket validators at CTrain stations to reduce fare evasion by ensuring riders activate their mobile tickets before boarding. Currently, about 46% of single-use mobile tickets are never activated, as some users wait to see if fare inspectors board the train before activating. The new system, which mirrors the validator technology already in use on City buses, would close this loophole by requiring activation at station platforms. The proposed bylaw amendment enabling the technology was unanimously endorsed by a City Committee and now awaits full Council approval. Implementation is expected to cost around $1.8 million, funded through Calgary Transit’s existing capital budget. Officials say the system will promote fare compliance, increase revenue, and provide consistency between bus and train services. Local Councillors and transit advocates support the move, noting it is a more cost-effective solution than installing full fare gates. The validators are also expected to help with future upgrades to account-based ticketing.
  
  
• Gian-Carlo Carra, the veteran City Councillor representing Ward 9, announced that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming municipal vote. Carra, who has served for four terms since 2010, highlighted his pride in accomplishments such as historic investments in public transit, flood mitigation, and heritage preservation. He also expressed disappointment over the failed bid for Calgary to host the 2026 Winter Olympics. Carra criticized the current state of politics, citing growing division and "political gamesmanship," and echoed sentiments shared by other Councillors like Jasmine Mian regarding the challenges in government. Despite having claimed to be non-partisan for his entire time on Council, Carra pledged to dedicate his remaining 6 months in office to supporting the election of the left-wing slate being led by Mayoral candidate Brian Thiessen.

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