City of Calgary seeking federal help of more than $800 million in project investments

Calgary city council is asking Ottawa for help cover costs on infrastructure, recreation and transit in the fall budget.

A City of Calgary intergovernmental affairs committee has signed off on submitting a letter to the federal finance minister asking for $845 million in support to push through shovel ready projects in the city.

The projects focus on critical infrastructure, recreation facilities, and transit.

The committee voted unanimously to have the letter sent by mayor Jeromy Farkas to minister Francois-Philippe Champagne ahead of the 2026 fall budget.

“I don’t believe we’re going to get everything, but we have to put forward the items that are a priority for us, and that’s what we’re going to do,” said ward 11 councillor Rob Ward.

“I know that they’ve said they’re committed to helping out municipalities to advance us in terms of infrastructure, transit and other items.”

The Bearspaw South feeder main replacement is one of the projects on the list.

The city is asking for $190 million, or half the cost from Ottawa to help provide redundancy and enable repairs for long term stability.

The money would be used to micro tunnel from Shaganappi Pump Station to 73 Street NW where construction has begun, costing $281 million.

The city is also asking for $50 million, or half the cost to open cut a trench from 73 Street NW to 89 Street NW that began construction last month.

When it comes to transit, the city wants Ottawa to cover one third or $80 million toward the Blue Line NE LRT extension to 88 Avenue,

It also wants Mark Carney’s government to provide $255 million, one-third of the total project cost, for a new bus maintenance and storage facility, and funding towards the $60 million annual deficit to procure new growth.

Also, part of the ask, is $320 million for recreation facilities and a new multisport fieldhouse.

The city is prioritizing upgrades to that would cost Ottawa $170 million towards the Forest Lawn Aquatic Centre, Rocky Ridge fieldhouse, Southland Leisure Centre, and Shouldice Arena and Athletic Park.

Jeff Clemens, president of the Calgary Seawolves water polo club says the city needs new swimming pools and upgraded pools to attract more talent but also grow next level swimmers.

“I found with booking pools and using pools in Calgary, there’s just not enough,” said Clemens.

“We have so many people who want to use these pools and a lot of talent in the city, and we just can’t compete if we can’t fit them in the pools.”

Clemens says swimming has become a popular sport, whether it be water polo, or underwater hockey, that Calgary needs investment to allow the best athletes in the country to train.

“Regularly we have a women’s water polo team in the Olympics every year, it looks like our men might make it this year as well. But we’ve given so much money towards women’s sports. Let’s do it on the pool side too,” said Clemens.

“We have Summer McIntosh, who’s one of the best swimmers in the world, probably the best swimmer in the world. And we could do that in Calgary as well. And we can have those swimmers coming out of Calgary.”

Ward 4 Councillor DJ Kelly believes recreation facilities are a major priority for the city.

“We’d be very happy to partner with other levels of government order to be able to get all of our recreation facilities updated, because at least in the case of Ward 4, most of our recreation facilities were built between the 60s and 80s, and they’re in need of some major upgrades right now,” said Kelly.

“Calgary is a place where athletes are born, athletes are created. I don’t think that there’s any Calgarians who can say that they grew up without meeting an Olympian, and that is a very unusual thing. And the reason why that’s the case here in Calgary is because, we had a history of having amazing recreation facilities for Calgarians to use.”

The city also wants $150 million towards the new Foothills Multisport Fieldhouse, that includes a full-size FIFA-sized pitch and running track.

The letter will be brought to council on June 30th, for mayor Jeromy Farkas to sign and submit to the finance minister.

Marie-France Faucher, a deputy spokesperson for the finance department in Ottawa, offered the following statement.

“The Department of Finance welcomes all suggestions from Canadians and stakeholders, which are given careful consideration in developing federal budgets and fiscal documents.

“The federal government will continue to focus on what it can control: building a strong Canadian economy, diversifying trade partners abroad, delivering responsible fiscal management, and supporting Canadians who are under pressure from everyday expenses.”