Calgary Minute: Issue 346

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

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• Happy New Year! As 2026 gets underway, Common Sense Calgary is ready to make this the year that common sense takes center stage in our city. Your support and engagement make it possible for us to push for smarter decisions, lower taxes, and greater accountability at City Hall. This year, we’ll continue speaking up for practical solutions that benefit all Calgarians and ensure our city’s leaders are focused on the priorities that matter most. Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and successful year ahead!
  
  
• A second “catastrophic” water main break occurred Tuesday night in Calgary’s northwest, flooding roads near 16th Avenue and Sarcee Trail and requiring firefighters to rescue 13 people from stranded vehicles. The break involved a section of pipe installed in 1975 on the Bearspaw South feeder main, the same line that failed in 2024, and has prompted boil water advisories for parts of Parkdale, Montgomery, Point McKay, West Hillhurst, and about 3,100 homes. Stage 4 water restrictions remain in effect, and water wagons are being deployed to affected areas. City officials say the pipe must be drained and replaced before water quality can be restored, but a full timeline depends on inspecting the severity of the damage. Mayor Jeromy Farkas described the feeder main as a “ticking time bomb” and is pushing for release of recommendations from an independent review of the 2024 break. Residents are being asked to conserve water by limiting showers, only flushing toilets when necessary, and running dishwashers and laundry only when full.
  
  
• Construction on Scotia Place, Calgary’s new event arena, is approaching the halfway mark, with foundation work largely complete and the steel structure now rising quickly. Project leaders say the build remains on schedule and within budget since breaking ground in July 2024, with completion expected in fall 2027. Nearly 350 workers are currently on site, a number expected to grow significantly as interior work ramps up next year. Designed to replace the aging Saddledome, the arena emphasizes fan experience, improved sightlines, reduced concourse congestion, and greater flexibility for concerts and events. Capacity will sit around 20,000, with the ability to scale down for smaller shows. Accessibility upgrades, sustainability features like rooftop solar panels, and expanded food and entertainment options are also central to the design. 
  
  
• City Council members have received a 2.97% automatic pay increase, effective January 1st, 2026, bringing Councillors’ base salary to $128,159 and the Mayor’s to $226,841. This adjustment is tied to Alberta’s average weekly earnings index, a mechanism first recommended in 2006 and maintained by a volunteer council compensation review committee to ensure impartiality. Since 2021, Council compensation has risen by more than 12% through a series of incremental increases. Attempts to freeze the 2025 pay raise failed last year, with opponents calling the motion political grandstanding. This Council’s approach contrasts with cities where elected officials vote directly on their own pay.
  
  
• In 2026, Calgarians will see modest increases in fees across City services. Transit fares will rise about 5-6%, with adult single tickets increasing to $4.00 (from $3.80) and youth fares to $2.65 (from $2.55). Day, monthly, and subsidized passes will also increase by similar amounts, while children 12 and under continue to ride free. Leisure centre fees will also rise a little, with adult day passes going to $15.30 (from $14.90), seniors to $10.55 (from $9.95), youth 13-17 to $7.90 (from $7.70) and children 6-12 to $6.85 (from $6.70). Monthly recreation and leisure centre passes will see similar increases. When it comes to waste, black cart costs will rise to $7.71 per month (from $7.39), green cart will rise to $10.63 per month (from $9.98), and blue cart will stay at $2.17 per month.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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