Calgary Minute: Issue 352

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

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• Calgary is taking urgent steps to address ongoing problems with the Bearspaw South feeder main, a critical water artery that has suffered multiple ruptures since 2024. Officials recently detected wire snaps - breaks in the high-tension wires surrounding the concrete pipe - on two segments, prompting the closure of the westbound 16th Avenue NW exit ramp to Sarcee Trail and detours to 29th Avenue NW. Mayor Jeromy Farkas emphasized that the closure is a proactive measure to prevent another break, with additional traffic disruptions expected in the coming months. The City is preparing to begin construction on the second stage of the feeder main replacement line in May, while also increasing monitoring, inspections, and the installation of sensors to detect risks. A recent independent review criticized Calgary’s water management over the past 20 years, citing systemic gaps, ineffective governance, and inadequate risk processes. In response, the City has proposed a 30-point plan, which includes creating a dedicated water department, appointing a Chief Operating Officer, establishing a water oversight board, and allocating $3 million from the water utility sustainment reserve to implement improvements.
  
  
• Ward 12 Councillor Mike Jamieson is calling for stronger accountability after an inquiry revealed that $3.6 billion of the City’s water infrastructure budget went unspent between 2003 and 2024. The findings followed independent panel reports on the Bearspaw South feeder main ruptures, which highlighted systemic gaps, deferred inspections, and a lack of clear oversight in water utility management. Jamieson emphasized that unspent capital approvals should have been invested promptly to maintain infrastructure, noting that delays have created a backlog of aging, critical assets. Jamieson stressed the importance of acting now, completing projects quickly, and focusing on essential infrastructure to prevent future crises and meet public expectations for reliable water services.
  
  
• More than three years after Calgary City Council approved the Tomorrow’s Chinatown cultural plan, the Chinatown BIA says progress has stalled and is urging the new Council to act. Grace Su, Chair of the BIA, noted that while the Chinatown Working Group was created, it represents only a small step toward revitalization, and the neighbourhood still needs beautification projects, landmarks, lighting, and more pedestrian-friendly streets. Business owners highlight walkability and parking as key issues affecting local commerce. Comparisons to other cities show Calgary lagging: Edmonton invested $500,000 annually in Chinatown programming, while Vancouver has received millions in government funding for its Chinatown. Su expressed optimism about working with Mayor Jeromy Farkas and the new Council but stressed frustration over the stalled plan. Ward 7 Councillor Myke Atkinson echoed the need for a long-term vision combined with immediate safety improvements, particularly for pedestrians, signaling some movement toward action.
  
  
• City officials warn that nearly $5.7 billion will be needed over the next decade to repair and replace the City’s most critical infrastructure, as part of an update to the Corporate Asset Management Plan. About 11% of Calgary’s assets, valued at $18 billion, are in poor or very poor condition, with $1.7 billion considered “critical,” meaning failure could disrupt services and risk public safety. Key areas of focus include water and wastewater infrastructure, roads, bridges, transit assets, and City-owned facilities, including addressing single points of failure and adding redundancy to 120 km of water transmission mains. The report recommends immediate increases in the roads and streetlight budgets, repairs or removal of four bridges, $2.3 billion for transit infrastructure, and $1 billion for City-owned facilities. Officials highlight that much of the city’s infrastructure was built in the 1970s and 1980s, making proactive investment essential to avoid costly crises in the future. Council discussions on funding strategies, including potential capital budget increases, property tax, or utility rate adjustments, are expected in the spring. 
  
  
• Calgary police, alongside Alberta Sheriffs and other agencies, launched “Operation Order” in downtown Calgary to address social disorder, including drug use, possession, trafficking, and violent offences. Officers issued warnings, tickets, and arrests while also connecting people experiencing homelessness or mental health challenges with community organizations like the Calgary Drop-In Centre and Alpha House. This marks the fourth coordinated campaign under the Safer Calgary initiative, following previous operations such as Operation CERTainty and Operation Jingle All the Way. Police Chief Katie McLellan emphasized that enforcement is paired with care and support, maintaining expectations for respectful public behaviour. During the first Operation Order in November 2025, authorities laid 40 charges, executed 220 warrants, referred 115 people to social agencies, and cleared six encampments. 

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