Calgary Minute: Issue 341

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

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• TD Canada has ended its sponsorship of Calgary’s downtown free fare zone just three years into a five-year naming-rights agreement, leaving the future of the program uncertain. The free fare zone, which allows no-cost CTrain travel between City Hall and Downtown West/Kerby stations, has existed in some form since the 1960s and currently accounts for about 10% of total ridership. Calgary Transit says the early termination was TD’s business decision following a portfolio review. The zone will remain in place for now, but Calgary Transit will launch a review as part of its ongoing fare strategy work, examining operational costs, mobility impacts, safety, and the role the free corridor plays for businesses and riders. Public engagement is expected next year. In the meantime, Calgary Transit will remove TD branding while assessing long-term options.
  
  
• Calgary continues to rely on sodium chloride for winter road maintenance, even after an engineering report suggested road salt likely contributed to the major Bearspaw south feeder main break in 2024. The rupture, which triggered a local state of emergency and widespread water restrictions, was linked to microcracking in protective mortar, corrosion-related wire failures, and sharply increased chloride levels in the surrounding soil. City officials say salt remains the most effective and widely used de-icing agent in North America, with Calgary applying 40,000-50,000 tonnes annually. Alternatives such as calcium chloride, sand-salt mixtures, and beet-based brines are being tested, though they come with higher costs or operational challenges. Councillors offered mixed views: Ward 13 Councillor Dan McClean wants to explore less-corrosive options near critical infrastructure, Ward 10 Councillor Andre Chabot argues that salt remains the most practical approach. A third-party review examining corrosion impacts and potential mitigation strategies is underway, with findings expected in the coming months.
  
  
• Calgary’s future federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) payments, totalling over $129 million, may be at risk as City Council considers repealing its blanket rezoning policy. An internal memo suggested the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has “paused” future instalments pending clarity on the City’s rezoning status, with a third payment of $64 million potentially lost if issues aren’t resolved by March 2026. While city officials maintain Calgary is fully compliant with HAF agreements and has met or exceeded housing targets, past federal correspondence indicated ending exclusionary zoning - including blanket rezoning - was a condition for funding approval. Mayor Jeromy Farkas emphasized that HAF metrics focus on housing outcomes rather than rezoning specifically, and the City has surpassed those targets. Council’s debate on repealing blanket rezoning is scheduled for December, followed by a public hearing in spring 2026. Ward 13 Councillor Dan McLean criticized conflicting information from federal and City officials regarding the funding link. 
  
  
• New data reveals that violent crime on Calgary’s transit system has risen sharply over the past decade, bringing the issue back into the spotlight. A joint investigation using Statistics Canada figures found transit-related violence has increased nearly 60% in Calgary since 2015, with similar or higher spikes in major cities across the country. Calgary recorded 23.5 violent incidents per 100,000 people in 2024, down from a peak in 2023 but still well above levels from ten years ago. Reported offences include assaults, robberies, sexual assaults, and four homicides between 2018 and 2023. Calgary’s Police Chief Katie McClellan said the trend is a serious concern and stressed the importance of having a stronger, more visible enforcement presence across the system. City Council is currently reviewing police funding, including investments in additional peace officers and bus-driver protection barriers.
  
  
• Speaking of police funding, the Calgary Police Service (CPS) is requesting a $49.4-million increase for 2026, largely to cover operational pressures such as vehicle maintenance, facility repairs, benefit costs, and new disclosure requirements under provincial legislation. The funding ask also includes replacing lost revenue from photo-radar fines on provincial highways, which the City temporarily covered through reserve funds. CPS describes this year’s request as a modest adjustment, but signals that a much larger staffing proposal is coming: the service expects to seek funding for up to 660 additional officers during the 2027-2030 budget cycle, partly to address attrition and population growth. CPS and the police commission argue the force has fallen behind other major cities in officers per capita and say rising public-safety concerns justify the upcoming expansion. The number of officers on leave or modified duties - currently about 19% - also adds to the pressure.

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