Calgary Minute: Issue 344

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

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• City Council has voted 13-2 to begin the process of repealing blanket rezoning, a policy adopted in May 2024 that made R-CG the default residential zoning across the city. The repeal was introduced by Ward 10 Councillor Andre Chabot and now moves to a required public hearing, expected in March 2026 due to a 90-day notification period. The policy was part of the City’s housing strategy but proved highly contentious, drawing more than 730 public submissions in 2024, with roughly 70% opposed. Supporters of repealing the policy cited concerns about neighbourhood impacts, infrastructure strain, and reduced public input, while opponents argued that reversing the policy would not meaningfully improve affordability and would reintroduce regulatory barriers. Council rejected several proposed amendments, opting to proceed with a full repeal process. Ward 7 Councillor Myke Atkinson and Ward 8 Councillor Nathaniel Schmidt voted against the motion.
  
  
• A motion to prohibit the raising of national flags of other countries at City Hall was narrowly approved, passing 8-7. The amendment to the City’s flag policy was brought forward by Ward 13 Councillor Dan McLean, who argued that flag raisings had increasingly become divisive and distracted from the City’s core municipal responsibilities. Supporters of the motion said City Hall should avoid involvement in geopolitical issues beyond its mandate. Opponents countered that the existing policy had not generated complaints or public safety concerns and that flag raisings can serve as expressions of cultural recognition and democratic engagement. The motion passed with support from Mayor Jeromy Farkas and Councillors Rob Ward, Landon Johnston, John Pantazopolous, Harrison Clark, Mike Jamieson, Kim Tyers, and Dan McLean. Voting against were Councillors Nathaniel Schmidt, DJ Kelly, Raj Dhaliwal, Myke Atkinson, Andrew Yule, Andre Chabot, and Jennifer Wyness.
  
  
• Council unanimously approved a motion from Ward 5 Councillor Raj Dhaliwal directing Administration to review fireworks regulations and consider stiffer penalties for illegal sales and use. Current fines range from $250 for selling or discharging unauthorized fireworks to $500 for possession, but Dhaliwal said these penalties have not deterred violations, particularly during religious or cultural celebrations. Police reported 167 complaints about illegal fireworks in the northeast of the city over a recent three-day period, with some incidents causing fires and near disruptions at the Calgary International Airport. The review will also explore how other cities, such as Surrey and Brampton, handle illegal pyrotechnics, and aim to improve enforcement, education, and fine mechanisms. Additionally, the motion encourages collaboration with local faith groups to identify sanctioned alternatives for cultural celebrations. Administration’s report is expected in the third quarter of 2026.
  
  
• Calgary has launched the first steps to replace the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, whose failure in June 2024 triggered a local state of emergency. The City has issued a request for proposals and plans to begin construction in spring 2026. The project will be completed in two stages, with a six-kilometre-long new pipe installed parallel to the existing main, which supplies drinking water to roughly 60% of southern residents. The first stage will use a trenchless method with a remotely operated boring machine to minimize surface disruption along major roads, the Bow River, and rail lines. Construction of the full project is scheduled to finish by late 2028, though timelines may shift due to weather, supply chain issues, or unforeseen circumstances.
  
  
• Calgary’s supervised consumption site at the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre faces closure next year, but details on replacements or timelines remain unclear. The Alberta government has said it will transition to treatment- and recovery-focused services, citing previous closures in Red Deer and Edmonton as examples, but the City has received no formal communication. The site averaged 792 unique visitors per month in the second quarter of 2025. Mayor Jeromy Farkas plans to discuss the site’s future with Premier Danielle Smith. Some warn that treatment alone won’t replace the site’s immediate overdose prevention role and are urging the Province to fund grassroots harm reduction services if it closes the facility.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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