Two Calgary city councillors are reviving efforts to rescind the city's climate emergency declaration, arguing it is a symbolic gesture without tangible benefits. Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot and Ward 14 Coun. Landon Johnston plan to bring notices of motion next week to revoke the 2021 declaration, which stated Calgary is in a climate emergency. Their motions must pass through Tuesday's executive committee before a formal council debate.
Chabot's push for accountability
Chabot, who originally voted for the declaration in 2021, now seeks a full accounting of all climate-related spending since then. He wants an assessment of whether outcomes align with council priorities and recommendations to better align spending with core municipal responsibilities and financial sustainability. "If you can't demonstrate there's a benefit from doing something, then why are we doing it?" he said. Chabot noted that climate spending is fragmented across departmental budgets, making it hard for Calgarians to evaluate value for money.
Johnston's critique
Johnston, co-sponsoring a similar motion, called the declaration "performative" and claimed it brought no additional funding or global recognition. "By the administration's own terminology, it's a symbolic declaration," he said. He argued it cast a dark cloud over the city's actual environmental work, such as watershed improvement and flood mitigation.
Background on the declaration
The previous council approved the emergency declaration in a 13-2 vote in November 2021, following other Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Edmonton. It guided the adoption of Calgary's climate strategy aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050. Chabot said he initially expected the declaration to unlock funding from other governments, but that hasn't materialized. His motion includes investigating funds received from other orders of government and positive outcomes.
The debate over the climate emergency declaration continues to divide council, with proponents arguing it underscores urgency and opponents deeming it ineffective. The upcoming executive committee meeting will determine whether the motions proceed to a full council vote.
