4 days ago
Calgary council approves nearly $100 million in budget spending boost
Calgary will dip into reserves and use much of the expected surplus for 2025 to increase this year's budget spending, but it won't mean a property tax increase above what's already been approved.
Calgary will dip into reserves and use much of the expected surplus for 2025 to increase this year's budget spending, but it won't mean a property tax increase above what's already been approved.
Councillors approved the upped spending Tuesday afternoon after hours of closed-door discussions.
'We were very clear today that we have funding available to invest in maintenance projects, to make sure we've got fire halls coming on, that we've got upgrades to recreational facilities and that we are doing the work that Calgarians have asked us for based on what we have seen in our survey results,' said Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
Reserves will help cover more than $13.5 million to help pay for cost escalations on projects already approved, including several fire stations and upgrades to the MNP leisure centre.
The rest of the cost escalations, along with major maintenance and paving projects, will total $82 million and be covered by a projected budget surplus.
Tuesday's vote also formally approves $15 million in funding to upgrade protective barriers for transit operators.
The money came in the weeks after a Calgary bus driver was attacked and stabbed.
Council had previously approved a 3.6 per cent overall property tax increase for this year.
