Calgary Minute: Issue 354

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

📅 This Week In Calgary: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be an Executive Committee Meeting. On the consent agenda is a motion from Ward 3 Councillor Andrew Yule to develop an intermunicipal pathway network connecting Calgary to Airdrie and Cochrane. Co-sponsored by Mayor Jeromy Farkas and Councillor DJ Kelly, the proposal encourages collaboration through a newly formed regional table to establish active transportation links along the Nose Creek and Bow River corridors. The initiative seeks to expand regional connectivity and economic opportunities by providing alternatives to motorized travel. While a 2021 feasibility study was previously shelved due to budgetary constraints and route disagreements, proponents suggest that continued urban expansion makes the project's revival timely. The larger vision includes an uninterrupted pathway system extending from Calgary to Banff.
  
  
• Mayor Jeromy Farkas is criticizing the Alberta government’s decision to increase its education property tax requisition, calling the move “egregious” and warning it will significantly worsen affordability pressures in the city. The provincial hike, introduced in Budget 2026, is expected to add about $340 to the average Calgary household’s property tax bill, with the City required by law to collect the provincial portion. Farkas argued the increase undermines Council’s efforts to limit municipal tax growth and described it as the largest annual dollar increase Calgarians have faced. He also criticized the Province for not clearly outlining what benefits residents will see in return. Finance Minister Nate Horner defended the decision, saying the Province had signalled it was moving toward a 33% share and chose to phase the increase in over two years rather than impose it all at once. The Province says the move comes amid a $9.4-billion deficit driven in part by lower oil prices and broader fiscal pressures. Mayor Farkas has called a Special Meeting of Council for Wednesday at 9:30 am in order to address the issue.
  
  
• A recent survey of downtown business and property owners shows strong opposition to the proposed elevated Green Line alignment along 2nd Street SW, despite broad support for the project overall. While 98% of respondents said they support the Green Line in principle, 93% said they would oppose the elevated option if it were the only alternative to doing nothing, and 87% expressed support for an underground route. Many cited concerns about construction disruption, safety, accessibility, noise, shadowing, and the impact on investment confidence, with nearly half of businesses saying they would consider selling if the elevated alignment proceeds. Property owners also warned of potential declines in occupancy and sales. The provincial government argues the elevated design would avoid billions in tunnelling costs and allow the line to extend farther south, increasing projected ridership. Public engagement on the downtown alignment is ongoing as the City continues functional planning for the multibillion-dollar project.
  
  
• City Council recently approved two motions regarding transit policy. Ward 12 Councillor Mike Jamieson successfully proposed extending transit transfer windows from 90 to 120 minutes to better serve commuters in outlying communities. The motion passed 11-4, with Councillors Raj Dhaliwal, Jennifer Wyness, Nathaniel Schmidt, and Andre Chabot voting in opposition. Administration is directed to report on the financial and ridership impacts of this change by April 27th. Additionally, Council unanimously supported a motion by Ward 3 Councillor Andrew Yule and Ward 6 Councillor John Pantazopoulos to conduct a comprehensive review of the downtown free fare zone. This study will examine the financial, safety, and operational implications of the zone following the recent cancellation of a corporate naming agreement. Yule says the review aims to ensure data-driven decisions regarding transit subsidies. 
  
  
• The Alberta government has announced the specific locations of 14 new or expanded school projects in Calgary as part of Budget 2026, with nine under the Calgary Board of Education, three under the Calgary Catholic School District, one for Conseil scolaire FrancoSud, and an expansion for Alberta Classical Academy. Projects include new elementary, middle, and K-9 schools in growing communities such as Walden, Mahogany, Legacy, Cityscape, and Carrington, along with a high school in Ambleton and additions or replacements at existing sites. All projects are currently in the planning or design phase, while 31 previously announced projects are underway and 12 schools are set to open in the 2026-2027 year. School board officials say the new builds will help reduce long bus rides and relieve pressure in newer neighbourhoods, but note that many schools remain over capacity, particularly at the high school level. The Province says increased operating funding and capital investments are necessary to keep pace with rapid population growth that has added tens of thousands of students in recent years.

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