Independent panel now in place to review Calgary's water system, including troubled feeder main
Panellists for an independent review of the rupturing of the Bearspaw south feeder main in June of last year — which triggered Stage 4 water restrictions and boil water advisories for some communities while forcing all Calgarians to reduce a quarter of their daily consumption — have been selected, according to the city.
Article content
Article content
The group comprises five industry experts who will join panel chair Siegfried Kiefer in examining all aspects of the city's water utility systems, including water, wastewater and stormwater.
Article content
Article content
'I am pleased that these remarkable and talented people have agreed to join me in the undertaking this very important review,' Kiefer, a retired ATCO executive, said in a statement.
Article content
'The panel represents in total, over 200 years of industry leadership experience with the breadth and depth to conduct a truly comprehensive objective and meaningful review of our water utility system to ensure that Calgarians have reliable, affordable, and sustainable water services into the future.'
Article content
Article content
The members were selected by Kiefer, who worked closely with an advisory group composed of TransAlta CEO Dawn Farrell, Luma Energy CEO Wayne Stensby and Dr. Edward McCauley, president and Vice Chancellor of the University of Calgary.
Article content
Article content
The panel is slated to complete their review by the end of 2025.
Article content
The review into the incident is separate from the city's own investigation into the feeder main's failure, the findings of which were detailed in a 600-page report and a presentation to Calgary councillors in December.
Article content
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Calgary Herald
19 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Council rejects 'formality' motion to reaffirm next year's property tax increase
Calgary city councillors couldn't find consensus Tuesday on whether to reaffirm their previous commitment to keep next year's property tax hike at 3.6 per cent. Article content But according to two members of council, the failed motion was mostly a formality, as well as an exercise in budget transparency. Article content Article content When approving the 2023-26 budget in November 2022, council supported a 3.6 per cent property tax increase for 2026, the final year of the four-year budget cycle. Article content Article content Those supportive of the motion from Ward 11 representative Kourtney Penner included Mayor Jyoti Gondek, Couns. Raj Dhaliwal, Evan Spencer, Jasmine Mian, Peter Demong and Courtney Walcott. Article content 'Calgarians want steadiness. They want consistency and they want some predictability,' Penner said, when moving the recommendation. Article content Article content Those in opposition to the motion argued that although budget transparency ahead of November is important, it's premature to promise Calgarians in June what type of tax increase they will see the following year. Article content Article content Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp, who voted in opposition alongside Couns. Dan McLean, Gian-Carlo Carra, Jennifer Wyness, Terry Wong, Sean Chu and Andre Chabot, said after the meeting she felt the vote was a formality. Article content Article content 'The direction didn't lose,' she said. 'Administration was already given that direction in 2022.' Article content Sharp and others, including Chabot, also disagreed with the 3.6 per cent figure, pointing out it didn't factor in a motion from Ward 12 Coun. Evan Spencer, which was approved by council last week, to develop an Infrastructure Reinvestment Program. The motion included several considerations to address the city's worsening backlog of deferred maintenance during the 2027-30 budget cycle.
Montreal Gazette
a day ago
- Montreal Gazette
As Calgary brings back fluoride, councillor urges Montreal to reconsider West Island decision
By As Calgary prepares to reintroduce fluoride to its drinking water later this month, one of their city councillors is calling upon Montreal to reconsider removing it from West Island faucets — and trust the science. Calgary took away fluoride from its water in 2011 as a cost-cutting measure. Dental health declined over the next decade, according to city councillor Gian-Carlo Carra, who has been involved in the fluoride debate throughout. In 2021, Calgarians voted in a municipal election to reinstate water fluoridation. 'We've had fluoride out of the water for over 10 years. That was 10 years we could track a against other cities. We could track a worsening in the condition of our kids' teeth and in our population's teeth,' Carra said in an interview Monday. As Carra reflects on Calgary's decision-making on fluoride, he's appealing to Montreal to learn from Calgary's missteps and to 'trust the data.' 'The data shows that it helps,' he added. A 2021 study on second-grade children in Calgary found that the proportion of children with dental caries rose from 56.6 per cent in 2011 to 64.8 per cent in 2018, seven years after the city stopped fluoridating its water. In November, Montreal's agglomeration council voted to end fluoridation of West Island drinking water, also to save costs. Although 87 per cent of the agglomeration council is made up of Montreal councillors who largely voted against fluoride, the 13-per-cent minority representing the suburbs — particularly West Island officials — fought to maintain it. Fluoridation at the Dorval and Pointe-Claire plants was set to finish by early 2025. Benjamin Blanc, a spokesperson for the city of Pointe-Claire, confirmed the practice actually stopped at the end of fall 2024. The Gazette contacted the cities of Montreal and Dorval for clarification but did not receive a response in time for publication. For Kirkland Mayor Michel Gibson, Calgary's decision to bring back fluoride demonstrates it's not too late for Montreal to reconsider its own fluoride policy for the West Island. 'I'm not finished fighting this battle,' he said in an interview Tuesday, adding that he plans to raise the issue during Montreal's municipal election this fall and is prepared to challenge it in court if necessary. While Calgary residents were able to vote directly on the fluoride issue through a municipal election ballot, Pointe-Claire Mayor Tim Thomas said that's not an option for West Island residents, who cannot vote in the Montreal municipal election. He explained that under the current structure of the agglomeration council, decisions affecting the West Island are ultimately made by Montreal city councillors, who significantly outnumber suburban representatives. 'The point here is that we can't decide water for our own citizens with our own plant,' Thomas said in an interview. 'Our citizens, who paid for that plant, should have the option of deciding how it's used for them.' Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle said in an interview Monday that during the fall agglomeration council debates on fluoride, he pointed to Calgary as a cautionary tale. He is not hopeful Montreal will reinstate fluoride because of the way the agglomeration council is organized, which he described as 'undemocratic.' 'Politically, the worst thing that the provincial government did was to set up the agglomeration the way it is,' he said. Montreal's decision prioritized cost savings over public health, said Baie-D'Urfe Mayor Heidi Ektvedt. 'I personally don't even believe that this is about fluoride. I personally think that there was money to be saved by pulling it, and why spend it in the West Island for a population who doesn't even vote for (Montreal),' she said in an interview Monday. She added that several citizens have reached out to her about Calgary refluoridating its water. 'I'm happy for Calgary that they're putting it back into their water,' she said. 'But you know, Montreal is going to tell you, let's look at Sweden. They'll talk about the States — everybody's pulling out of fluoride in the States,' referring to possible examples cited by the city to justify not fluoridating. 'I like to look at Calgary and see that it was done in a democratic way.'
Cision Canada
3 days ago
- Cision Canada
WingsUp! Touches Down in Calgary
Popular QSR brand brings its fresh, never-frozen wings to Alberta—Vancouver and Surrey up next BURLINGTON, ON, June 2, 2025 /CNW/ - WingsUp!—one of Canada's fastest-growing names in the quick-service restaurant space—has officially landed in Calgary, bringing its signature fresh, never-frozen chicken wings to the heart of Alberta. This marks WingsUp!'s first location in the province, serving Calgarians a bold and crave-worthy menu that includes fan favourites like Medium BBQ, Jamaican Hot, Honey Garlic Parmesan, and Texas Tequila —each made to order for maximum flavour. WingsUp! sets the standard for comfort food. Chicken wings are 100% real, fresh, and never frozen —no fillers, no shortcuts, just unbeatable flavour. Every bite reflects the care and quality put into the food, and it's why loyal customers keep coming back. "Calgary is a natural next step for us," said Darren Czarnogorski, President of WingsUp!. "It's a city that loves great food, has a strong community spirit, and appreciates quality—everything WingsUp! stands for. We're excited to finally serve this market." WingsUp! is built for convenience, with a small-footprint model ideal for urban settings and high-efficiency service. In-house delivery ensures customers get their wings fast and hot—without third-party markups. And for those planning events, the brand offers catering for all occasions, from office lunches and birthdays to game nights and casual get-togethers. With 36 locations across Ontario, WingsUp! continues to expand west, with new franchise locations planned for Vancouver and Surrey by the end of summer. The Calgary opening is part of a broader national growth strategy, with the brand actively seeking entrepreneurs to join its thriving franchise system. WingsUp! offers a turnkey franchise model with low startup costs, hands-on training, and marketing support, making it an appealing opportunity for business-minded individuals looking to invest in a growing, proven brand. "Our goal has always been to bring WingsUp! to communities coast to coast," Czarnogorski added. "We're thrilled to be in Calgary—and we're just getting started."
