City Council will be deciding 2024 budget adjustments

Calgary City Council is now reviewing budget adjustments to the current four year plan. Unfortunately, the same Councillor who spearheaded $831-million in public subsidies to build a new arena for billionaires is now pushing austerity measures for everyday citizens. Others may push for subsidizing costly interchanges and infrastructure for far-flung future sprawl developments. We can’t let that happen.

Councillor Sharp, chair of City Council's Arena Committee, championed over $831-million in public subsidies to build a new arena for the billionaire Flames owners. Now she is proposing austerity for everyday Calgarians. (Image source: The Sprawl)

📡 UPDATES

November 24, 2023 - Together, we successfully advocated for investments in everyday citizens!

November 11, 2023 - 💸 Arena Subsidy Triggers Tax Increases 📈

📣Help us tell City Council to invest in existing communities

We need Council to invest in existing communities to support key services and infrastructure, including:

1) 🚃 Make Calgary Transit funding a priority, not an afterthought 

Calgary Transit has fallen into a state of neglect, with infrequent and unreliable transit service. Tell City Council to properly fund our public transit to be reliable and frequent with 10 minute minimum frequency on all BRT and LRT routes. Necessary investments include:

• Airport transit connection on the (east leg) / Blue Line
• Blue Line Extension
• North Central BRT and Green Line North (Stage 2) funding
• Reduce transit fares and make transit free for youth 12 and under permenant

2) 🚲🛴 5A Network - Add 100km of protected cycle tracks 

All communities in Calgary should have access to safe cycling and active mobility infrastructure. Unfortunately, the City is still not adequately funding protected cycle tracks or pedestrian safety improvements - instead making only tiny, isolated piecemeal improvements.

Meanwhile, the City of Edmonton is planning to build over 100km of bike lanes over the next four years. Other winter cities like Montreal are making even more ambitious investments with plans to add 200-km of protected bike paths.

City Council needs to get with the times and make measurable progress on Calgary's 5A network with a commitment of at least 100km in the next four years.

3) 🏘️ Building more affordable housing

Affordable housing is critical to tackling poverty and making Calgary a safe place to live for all citizens. In October, City Council approved their Housing Strategy and Affordability Task Force recommendations. Now they need to fund it. 

4) 🏬 Revitalizing mainstreets and downtown

Calgary’s mainstreets support local businesses and their surrounding communities. But underinvestment in these streets has resulted in most of the planned revitalization projects for our mainstreets sitting on the shelf while Council approves $100M’s for new communities on the city’s fringe. City Council must fund the 10 approved mainstreets that have been sitting on the shelf unfunded since 2018.

5) 🎧 Tackling noise pollution in Calgary

(Image source: CBC)

Last November, City Council unanimously passed a motion to address excessive vehicle noise. Now they need to fund the peace officers necessary to enable the enforcement.

TAKE ACTION: We need your help to tell City Council to invest in these priorities!

💬 1) Speak at the City Council public budget hearings

Sign up to speak at the City Council budget public hearings on Monday, November 20th. Language translation services are available if needed. 

📨 2) Sign up for Project Calgary email updates on the 2024 budget adjustments

Stay connected on the latest news and advocacy on the budget adjustments.