Calgary Minute: Issue 323

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

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of City Council. At the meeting, the City will provide an update on efforts to improve communication and customer service during water service disruptions. While 98% of Calgarians don’t experience outages, those who do face major inconveniences, making timely communication critical. Enhancements already implemented in 2025 include a redesigned water outage website, clearer signage on water wagons, and expanded access to recreation passes for showering during outages. Feedback from residents highlighted the need for estimated return-to-service times and proactive text or email updates - both of which are being developed for implementation in 2026. Future plans also include visual outage mapping tools and a public dashboard to track service restoration times. [Editor: I can personally confirm this is sorely needed!]
  
  
• In response to an inquiry from Councillor Sharp, the City reported that 269 development permit applications were submitted in 2024 that, prior to citywide rezoning, would have required land use amendments. Of these, 172 permits have been approved, none have been refused, and some were cancelled. The Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB) has received 33 appeals related to RC-G zoned sites - 16 in 2024 and 17 as of May 2025. A full analysis of SDAB trends is expected in early Q3. Sharp specifically asked about the community of Bowness, where 28 such permit applications were submitted in 2024, with 23 approved and five still under review. 
  
  
• Calgary is projecting a $175 million budget surplus for 2025, continuing a recent trend of nine-figure surpluses that have raised questions about the City's financial management. The surplus, announced in a mid-year update, is said to be due to higher interest income, one-time investment gains, and lower-than-expected contingencies. (Or, you know, overtaxing people). Mayor Jyoti Gondek explained that conservative revenue forecasting by Administration contributes to the consistent surpluses. She has asked for improved forecasting models. Despite the surplus, a property tax rebate is unlikely. Some Councillors suggested that the funds be directed toward one-time projects, infrastructure repairs, or reserve funds to maintain financial stability. Budget discussions for 2026 are set for November, after the municipal election.
  
  
• The City of Calgary has revealed The Wandering Spirit as the winning design for its future Indian Residential School Memorial, to be located at The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland. (The Confluence is the new politically correct name quietly given to Fort Calgary last year - the one we started a petition to change back!) Created by Ground3 Inc and Indigenous artist Adrian Stimson, the design was selected through a competitive process involving four Indigenous-led teams and judged by a jury of Indigenous Elders and technical experts. The memorial is rooted in four shared pillars - healing, ceremony, truth, and acknowledgement - and aims to honour survivors and victims of the residential school system. City officials emphasize that the process has been Indigenous-led from the start, guided by cultural teachings and the voices of survivors. Mayor Jyoti Gondek called the memorial a permanent symbol of remembrance and reconciliation. The design will now enter a refinement phase before construction begins, with more updates to come as planning progresses.
  
  
• Calgary’s crime severity index (CSI) dropped by nearly 15% in 2024, reaching its lowest level since 2014, according to new data from Statistics Canada. The City reported 77,002 criminal incidents, the fewest since 2017, and saw significant decreases in violent crimes like homicides, sex offences, and robberies. Calgary’s CSI now sits well below the Alberta average, which also declined. Police Chief Katie McLellan credited the drop to increased police presence and early intervention programs, emphasizing continued efforts to improve public safety. Despite the overall decline, hate crimes rose by 42%, which officials attribute to better reporting and increased trust in the system. While property crimes such as break-ins and vehicle thefts decreased, there were notable increases in weapons violations, identity theft, disturbing the peace, and animal cruelty cases. Officials say these numbers will help guide future policing and community safety strategies.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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