Calgary Minute: Issue 327

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

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• Calgary Transit’s busiest bus route, Route 301, will be renamed the Max Green bus rapid transit (BRT) line starting September 1st, integrating it into the city’s colour-coded Max network. The route runs mainly along Centre Street N and Harvest Hills Boulevard, serving around 10,000 passengers daily. As part of a $60-million upgrade, eight new bus stations, dedicated lanes, improved turning lanes, safer sidewalks, and pedestrian crossings have been added to enhance service along the corridor. Plans are underway to extend bus-only lanes and update traffic signals to further reduce delays, with work expected to start next year. In addition, Livingston will receive fixed-route service via Route 137, replacing its on-demand transit option, while neighbouring Carrington will continue with shared-ride service for now.
  
  
• The City has launched a $30-million Indigenous housing program, Maa’too’maa’taapii Aoko’iyii’piaya, to develop up to 350 "culturally sensitive" housing units. Created in collaboration with the Housing Solutions Elders Advisory Committee, the initiative aims to "address systemic inequities and support Indigenous-led housing projects that promote healing, cultural connection, and long-term sustainability." Indigenous applicants, including Treaty 7 First Nation, Métis Nation of Alberta Region 3, or Indigenous-led non-profits, can receive funding for planning and up to 40% of eligible capital costs for below-market housing. The program emphasizes culturally relevant features, such as spaces for smudging or naming ceremonies, and includes oversight from the Elders Advisory Committee. Applications open today and will be reviewed and funded within a year, with rents required to be at least 10% below market. City officials and Indigenous leaders describe the program as a "meaningful step toward reconciliation and breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma."
  
  
• Calgary Transit recently launched a new ticket validation system for CTrain riders, requiring mobile tickets to be scanned on the platform in addition to activating them in the app. While Calgary Transit considers the system successful, many riders remain unaware of the change, with some suggesting clearer signage or app notifications. The initiative builds on a similar scan-to-validate process that has been in place on buses since 2020. Previously, riders relied on self-activation within the app, which led to underuse and occasional ticket reuse. Transit officials report a steady increase in scanned tickets, indicating gradual adoption, though some riders have raised concerns about insufficient validators on platforms and occasional malfunctions during heavy rain. Calgary Transit is monitoring these issues and says they are ready to add more validators as needed. Overall, the new system aims to ensure all riders have valid proof of fare.
  
  
• Alberta has opened its fourth addiction recovery community in southeast Calgary, providing 74 beds that can serve up to 300 people annually. The facility is part of the Province’s $350-million plan to establish 11 recovery communities by 2027, including 5 in Indigenous communities, under the Alberta Recovery Model, which emphasizes eliminating user fees, same-day access, and expanded treatment capacity. Operated by Last Door Recovery Society, the Calgary site offers evidence-based treatment including individual and group therapy, employment training, and psychosocial support. Some say the additional publicly funded treatment spaces are crucial for addressing waitlists and supporting recovery, but stress that solutions must be flexible and individualized. Opioid-related deaths in Alberta have declined overall, though some regions are seeing spikes due to potent drugs such as carfentanil. 
  
  
• The Alberta government plans to sell 17 riverfront properties in Calgary that were purchased after the June 2013 flood and have remained vacant since the homes were demolished in 2015. Located in Elbow Park, Rideau Park, and Roxboro, these parcels are no longer in flood plains thanks to recent mitigation efforts, including the Springbank Off-stream Reservoir and upgrades to the Glenmore Reservoir. The Province will sell the properties at fair market value with restrictions for single-family development. The sale is expected to begin in early 2026 after environmental testing and preparation. Local residents and the Calgary River Communities Action Group hope the sale will restore the neighbourhoods to their pre-flood state and attract homeowners interested in returning. The properties were originally bought through a government buyout program aimed at reducing future flood risk, though some residents declined the offers at the time. Investments in flood resiliency have significantly reduced potential damage from future flood events, making the land now suitable for redevelopment.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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