Calgary Minute: Issue 353

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

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a Council meeting. On the agenda is a discussion about the approach to the 2027-2030 Budget Cycle. The process will include major decision points throughout the year, beginning with funding guidance in May, a closed-session review of draft proposals in July, and final budget presentation and deliberations in November. Administration says the four-year cycle is more complex than an adjustment year and will build on recent changes, including a shift to organizational structure-based budgeting and streamlined documents. Numerous supporting reports on capital planning, utilities, growth, and long-range financial planning will be brought forward before funding guidance is set. Public engagement will run from March 18th to April 8th through an online portal and 14 in-person ward events, with findings summarized for Council in July.
  
  
• Council will consider a Notice of Motion from Councillors John Pantazopoulos and Andrew Yule to review and potentially reform the Downtown Free Fare Zone. The motion argues that changes in downtown activity, transit usage, safety concerns, fare evasion, and the end of TD Bank’s sponsorship in November 2025 warrant a comprehensive reassessment of the program. Administration would be directed to analyze the operational, financial, ridership, and safety impacts of modifying or eliminating the free zone, including the possibility of establishing downtown as a fully fare-paid area. The review would also include public and stakeholder engagement with downtown businesses, tourism groups, post-secondary institutions, and transit users to assess affordability, travel behaviour, and perceptions of safety. Financial analysis would examine fare revenue, enforcement costs, compliance, and potential alternative or tiered fare structures. Administration is expected to present recommendations and implementation options to Council by the end of Q2 2026.
  
  
• Calgary will return to Stage 4 water restrictions for up to four weeks beginning March 9th to allow for emergency reinforcements on the Bearspaw South feeder main. This pipe, which provides 60% of the city's water, is in critical condition and has failed twice since 2024. Recent inspections revealed 9 additional deteriorating sections. During the shutdown, Calgary and neighbouring municipalities like Airdrie and Chestermere must limit daily usage to 485 million litres. This requires residents to cut daily consumption by 25 to 30 litres by ceasing outdoor use and minimizing indoor tasks like flushing toilets or running laundry. While the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant will carry the load, officials are optimistic that a strong mountain snowpack will support the supply. These repairs serve as a temporary stopgap measure while the City works to complete a replacement pipeline by the end of the year.
  
  
• The City of Calgary has concluded its Housing Capital Initiative (HCI), awarding $29.3 million to support the development of 566 non-market homes. This final round of funding brings the program’s total spend to $60 million, and is specifically designed to help non-profits leverage additional support from provincial and federal governments. Recipients include six organizations, such as the HomeSpace Society and Onward Homes Society, who will manage eight projects across the city - including sites in the Beltline, Hillhurst, and at the Franklin LRT station. Under HCI guidelines, all units must maintain monthly rental rates at or below $1,592.50. Mayor Jeromy Farkas noted that increasing supply is a top priority as the City pursues its goal of adding 3,000 non-market units annually.
  
  
• Calgary Transit is rolling out automated passenger counting (APC) technology across its CTrain fleet to improve the accuracy of ridership data, with sensors now installed on about 70% of LRT vehicles. The door-mounted sensors track boardings in real time, replacing the previous reliance on manual counts and sampling models that could skew year-to-year comparisons. Officials say the improved data will support more precise service planning, helping determine when to schedule more or fewer trains based on seasonal trends and major events. The technology has already been in use on Calgary’s bus fleet since 2023 and will expand further as older trains are replaced. In the future, the City plans to integrate APC data with tap-and-go payment information to further refine planning decisions and guide infrastructure investment.

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