Calgary Minute: Tariff Plan, Arts Impasse, and Red Line Feedback

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

This Week In Calgary:

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a City Council Meeting. The agenda includes a Tariff Update presented by Calgary Economic Development and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, as well as a private update on 40-foot Electric Bus Procurement. Several Notices of Motion will be brought forward, including one from Councillors Sonya Sharp, Jennifer Wyness, Terry Wong, and Andre Chabot advocating for increased police funding, and another from Councillor Raj Dhaliwal proposing to prevent homeowners who receive City funding for secondary suites from converting them into short-term rentals. Councillor Kourtney Penner will also bring forward her Notice of Motion regarding cannabis sales.
  
  
• The Infrastructure and Planning Committee will meet on Thursday at 9:30 am. No agenda is available for this meeting yet. Also on Thursday, at 1:00 pm, the Calgary Planning Commission will meet. The agenda includes several proposed land use amendments.
  
  
• The National accessArts Centre (NaAC) remains at an impasse with the City of Calgary over relocating from the Fairview Arena to the former Scouts Canada building in West Hillhurst. CEO Jung-Suk Ryu argues that the current facility is unsafe and unsalvageable, while the City insists it is safe and operable. The City has committed $4.5 million toward renovations but expects NaAC to contribute $1.6 million, a requirement Ryu questions given that the building is City-owned. NaAC has raised most of the funds but has fallen short due to $300,000 coming in installments from other partners, prompting concerns about meeting the City's March 31st deadline. The City maintains it is open to further discussions and flexible timelines, but if the funding conditions are not met, the project may be temporarily halted.

Last Week In Calgary:

• The City has asked for public feedback on a proposed four-kilometre extension of the Red Line LRT, which would add two stations and connect new communities in the city's south. The extension would cross the south ring road and reach 210th Avenue S, serving more than 55,000 residents. The public feedback survey is available online. A functional planning study is also required before moving to detailed design and securing funding, with construction likely still decades away. The study will also examine environmental impacts, particularly concerning the nearby Priddis slough.
  
  
• Organizers of the Calgary International Blues Festival expressed frustration over plans to pave 70% of the green space at Cowboys Park, their longtime venue. The City approved the paving as part of a 10-year agreement with Penny Lane Entertainment, which will host a Stampede-week music festival and other events at the site. The Festival producer expressed concerns that the change will alter the audience experience, making the space less family-friendly and increasing costs for additional tenting. The City previously raised the Festival’s rental fee from $5,000 in 2023 to nearly $26,000 last year, with expectations of further increases. Councillor Terry Wong acknowledged the concerns and said officials are working on a plan to balance different park uses. Despite the changes, Bluesfest is set to proceed at Cowboys Park this summer.
  
  
• Mayor Jyoti Gondek outlined potential measures to support local businesses and residents if a trade war escalates. The City is considering reducing business permit fees and fast-tracking approvals to ease economic strain. Efforts are also underway to prioritize local procurement, including sourcing Canadian-made materials for major projects like the Green Line and the new event centre. A working group will be formed to gather input from businesses on how the City can assist them.

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