Economic Resilience Strategy

In March of 2015, the City of Calgary implemented an Economic Resiliency strategy to support both response and recovery in the face of declining oil prices.

The past year has seen oil prices at historic lows, resulting in dramatic job losses and challenging times for all our citizens.

We committed to work with our citizens at the centre of everything we do, utilizing our resources to aid stimulus and create opportunity for Calgarians.

Many initiatives have been launched including:

  • Fair Entry program – one-window access for city-subsidized services,
  • Action Plan resilience budget – 2016 tax rate lowered from 4.7% to 3.5%
  • Enough For All Strategy – Calgary’s Poverty Reduction Strategy
  • Downtown Underpass Enhancements –in partnership with developers and landowners
  • Off-site levy bylaw -  unanimously approved by Council, Jan 11, 2016
  • PD web, EXPLORE – processes and approaches to simplify land-use applications and development permits
  • Zero-based Reviews – potential $15 – 20 million in efficiencies found in 2015

These initiatives, which are continuing, are changing the way we provide services and the way we support, stimulate and provide additional opportunity for our citizens, because economic resilience is our new way of doing business.


Key Result Areas


Result 1: Continue to provide service delivery to Calgarians

City services include roads maintenance, waste collection, public transit, clean water, parks maintenance, police service, fire protection, and social support services among many others.

Strategy 1.1 Continue to deliver Action Plan

Strategy 1.2 Respond to federal and provincial budget announcements


Result 2: Focus on ensuring value for money in the services we offer

The City is committed to monitoring spending and continuously finding ways to ensure value for citizen dollars invested in services and infrastructure.

Strategy 2.1 Explore opportunities to review potential savings and diversify funding


Result 3: Review economic situation and respond to impacts to Action Plan

We continue to monitor and review the economic situation for impacts to City finances while looking for opportunities to mitigate impacts or make adjustments to our business plan, as required.

Strategy 3.1 Monitor, understand and respond to changes in City finances and the economic condition

Strategy 3.2 Liaise with all levels of government as changes are made due to the economic situation


Result 4: Invest in infrastructure that creates employment and prepares for future growth

Investment includes catching up with the recent growth of over 100,000 Calgarians in the last three years, and continuing with the 2013 flood recovery. The City will fill infrastructure gaps and invest in infrastructure that creates employment and prepares for future growth.

Strategy 4.1 Create efficiencies to support the delivery of infrastructure projects

Strategy 4.2 Review the planning process, and pilot new approaches in key strategic areas on alternative approval processes for projects


Result 5. Identify and respond to what is required to retain productive people, businesses, incomes, jobs and investment projects

The City will identify and respond to what is required to retain productive people, businesses, incomes, jobs and investment projects.

Strategy 5.1 Work collaboratively with local partners and government responding to citizen needs during economic recovery

Strategy 5.2 Explore opportunities to soften the impact of the current economic situation and maximize affordable alternatives for Calgarians


Result 6. Create a more resilient economy

Calgary is a place for business to start, grow and thrive. The City will continue to focus on our industrial land programs, leveraging city-owned surplus land, supporting the implementation of the Calgary Economic Development strategy, and exploring new opportunities with our partners for economic prosperity.

Strategy 6.1 Continue to invest and support Civic Partners in implementing the Economic Strategy for Calgary

Strategy 6.2 Continue to implement strategies that relate to land, development and social initiatives


Result 7. Contribute to the creation of a vibrant and prosperous downtown Calgary

When Calgary's downtown core thrives, so does the rest of the city. An economically and culturally vibrant downtown affects Calgary's ability to attract and retain businesses, residents and jobs. It also influences the continued investment in the city by the private sector, which collectively influences how well our city flourishes.

Strategy 7.1 Continue improving the public realm

Strategy 7.2 Continue to provide a safe, clean and inclusive Centre City

Strategy 7.3 Continue to invest in vitality and Centre City programs


 

Looking for more information on The City's strategy? Visit our strategic overview for the big picture.

​​​​​
undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null