Fall 2023 Newsletter

Last year, City Council approved the 2023-2026 Service Plans & Budget. Each year after, we refine and adjust these allocations to ensure our focus remains aligned with Calgary’s evolving needs.

The City of Calgary has put forward a suggested list of investment opportunities that respond to the growing demands of our city. These areas of focus include:

TRANSIT
• Safer, more reliable, and more frequent transit
• Free transit for children 12 and under
• Limiting fare increases
• Long term plans for the next generation of transit projects

MODERNIZING GOVERNMENT
• Support for increased service demand in Human Resources
• Evaluation of ward structure and council compensation

PUBLIC SAFETY
• Sustaining fire services
• Addressing problem properties
• Improving community traffic safety, pedestrian safety, + reducing vehicle noise
• Maintaining safe City facilities

SOCIAL EQUITY
• Investing in Affordable Housing
• Permanent commitments to Calgary’s Mental Health + Addiction Strategy
• Building the Foothills Fieldhouse
• Amenities for local parks + playgrounds
• Strong community connections through asset-based development
• Emergency financial support to Calgarians experiencing vulnerabilities

MANAGING RISK
• Managing inflation pressures
• Support for core back-of-house structures
• Enhancing the flexibility of ward budgets

These investments will help to address the housing crisis, provide better and safer transit, and contribute to the overall safety and well-being of our city, all critical needs identified in our Fall Survey of Calgarians.

Council is seeking public input to find the right balance for our city, making the final decisions about budget adjustment during the week of November 20, 2023.

Please share your feedback.

You can speak to what is most important to you by filling out the Public Submissions Form - Your submission can either be written (to be included as part of the official public record) or presented to Council, either remotely or in person, at the public hearing on November 20, 2023.

Please visit calgary.ca/adjustments for further details on the proposed budget adjustments and links to share your feedback.

We hope you'll join the conversation.

From November 30th - December 10th, we will be collecting donations for the Calgary Food Bank as part of the Mayor’s Annual Food Drive.

If you are able, residents are invited to drop off non-perishable food donations at one of three Ward 9 collection locations:

• YCAP Market at Wood’s Homes
  1008 14 St SE | Tel: 403-828-8017
  Hours: W-F 12am-6pm, Sat 10am-3pm (Closed Sun, M+T)

• Forest Lawn Library
  4807 8 Ave SE | Tel: 403.260.2701
  Hours: M-F 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm-5pm

• Ogden 50+ Activity Centre
  2102 69 Ave SE | Tel: 403-279-2003

  Hours: M-F 8am-4pm (closed weekends)

Or, beginning November 3oth, you are welcome to donate monetary funds to the Ward 9 Food Bank Fundraising page. (Please note: the fundraising page will not go live until the morning of Nov 30th.)

Like Food Banks across the country, the Calgary Food Bank has seen an unprecedented increase in demand this past year. In 2022, Council raised just over $80,000 in food and funds for Calgarians in need. We hope to surpass that number this year.

If you are able to help, please give generously this season.

As The City prepares to switch to the permanent track and platform at the rebuilt Victoria Park/Stamped Station, a partial closure of the RedLine LRT is needed to safely accommodate this work.

From 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 24 to 4:00 a.m. on Monday, December 4, Victoria Park/Stampede, Erlton/Stampede, and 39 Avenue stations will be closed. The southbound Red Line will terminate at City Hall/Bow Valley College Station and northbound Red Line will terminate at Chinook Station, with no CTrain service in between.

Over the course of the nine-day switchover, crews will work 24-hours a day to tie the new tracks to the rest of the line, string overhead power lines to connect the new station to the network, install train signals, relocate pedestrian track crossings, build pedestrian access to the new station, and start demolition of the temporary platform.

It is expected that it will take longer than usual to travel downtown during the RedLine closure. Please plan ahead and leave extra time for your journey.

As a thank you to customers for their patience during the closure, Calgary Transit is offering a 25% discount on all monthly passes for December.

For more information on shuttle plans and travel alternatives during the nine-day partial LRT closure, please visit the Victoria Park/Stampede Station Switch page.