Intergovernmental affairs committee unanimously endorses $845-million federal budget asks. In a 10-0 vote, members of the committee supported six advocacy items for the upcoming federal budget.
Committee Unanimously Backs Major Funding Requests
Calgary city council’s intergovernmental affairs committee voted unanimously on Thursday to endorse a request for the federal government to contribute more than $845 million toward key infrastructure priorities. The 10-0 vote supported six advocacy items for the upcoming federal budget, including the city’s long-sought plan for a multisport fieldhouse in Foothills Athletic Park and an extension of the Blue Line LRT toward the Calgary International Airport.
Details of the Funding Requests
The full list of requests includes $190 million to support the Bearspaw South feeder main replacement project, $150 million for the fieldhouse, $80 million to extend the Blue Line, and $255 million to help pay for a new bus maintenance and storage facility in Bonnybrook-Alyth-Manchester Industrial. The city’s federal ask also includes $170 million for “system stabilization” of five recreation centres and for Ottawa to fund one-third of the construction costs for Prairie Economic Gateway, the future inland port that will create a logistics, manufacturing and trade hub on Calgary’s southeast border with Rocky View County, along the CPKC rail line.
Councillor Optimistic About Federal Support
While acknowledging the request is significant, Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly said new leadership of the governing Liberal Party of Canada bodes well for Calgary’s federal advocacy priorities. “The federal government’s been really clear that they’re looking to invest in Canadian infrastructure in some major projects,” he told reporters after the meeting. “Here in Calgary, we have some significant major infrastructure projects. Will the federal government approve all of them? That’s up to them, but I’m certainly hopeful that the kinds of asks that we’re bringing forward are the kinds of things that they’re looking for from municipalities across the country, and certainly Calgary has a bigger need than, I would argue, most.”
Blue Line Extension Plans
The Blue Line’s northeast terminus is currently at Saddletowne Circle. The city wants to extend it approximately eight blocks north to 88th Avenue N.E., in the community of Savanna. After the next station is built at 88th Avenue, the city wants to eventually link the LRT with a future airport connector line that would run east-west along Airport Trail N.E. The city has received nearly $50 million from the Alberta government to support the Blue Line extension, particularly for design-related work.
Fieldhouse Funding Status
However, the last few provincial budgets have omitted support for the city’s proposed fieldhouse, which a 2023 cost estimate pegged at $380 million. The city has earmarked $109 million toward the project and is seeking funding from both the provincial and the federal governments. In the summer of 2024, a UCP cabinet minister said it was still premature to confirm whether — or how much — the Alberta government would chip in for the project, which is currently in the design phase.
