u/JeromyYYC

There’s some exciting news on high-speed rail between Calgary and Edmonton. The province is getting ready to ask the private sector for proposals, and the federal government has committed to working with Alberta through its Major Projects Office.

The idea is to connect downtown Calgary, Red Deer and downtown Edmonton with trains travelling up to 320 kilometres an hour. That would put Calgary and Edmonton about one hour and 45 minutes apart.

Think about what that would mean for our economy.

Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton are home to roughly 80 per cent of Alberta’s population. Bringing those communities closer together would make it easier for people to work, study, visit family and do business across the province.

For Calgary, though, there’s another piece that I think we need to get right.

If we’re going to make this kind of investment, we should make sure it connects properly into Calgary itself. That means connecting with Calgary Transit, getting people into our downtown and, importantly, finally establishing a passenger rail connection to the Calgary International Airport.

We’re heading toward a province of six million people, and Calgary itself is growing toward two million.

We need transportation infrastructure that matches that growth.

This is a big opportunity for Calgary, for Edmonton and for Alberta. We have an opportunity to build infrastructure for the city we're becoming, not the city we used to be.

Calgary is growing. Alberta is growing.

Let's build like it.

We need to talk about what the provincial government is doing to Calgary’s firefighters.

From January to July, they responded to 5,941 overdose calls. That is more than twice the number they responded to in all of last year. In July alone, Calgary firefighters responded to more than 35 overdose calls every single day.

And I want to be clear. This is not a criticism of our paramedics or EMS workers. They are doing their best in a provincial system under enormous pressure.

But the Province has made choices about where health care resources go. Increasingly, the focus has shifted toward rural Alberta while Calgary is left relying on firefighters to fill the gaps.

If a firefighter is the only person available when someone calls for help, our firefighters will go. That is who they are.

But Calgary taxpayers should not be shortchanged on health care because the Province thinks our firefighters will always step up and pick up the slack.

I first raised this issue in 2019, when I was a city councillor.

Calgary Fire should be compensated for answering medical calls, says Calgary councillor

Even then, Calgary Fire was responding to tens of thousands of medical calls every year without compensation from the provincial health system.

Seven years later, the problem has gotten worse.

And the evidence increasingly suggests Calgary is being taken for granted by the provincial government.

Health care is a provincial responsibility. But more of that responsibility is landing on Calgary property taxpayers and on the backs of our already stretched firefighters.

It is costing our city millions of dollars. And every hour our firefighters spend filling gaps in the health system is time they are also needed for fires, crashes and other emergencies.

We need a fair conversation with the Province about fixing this together.

We also need a serious conversation with both the provincial and federal governments about their policies that have led to this surge in overdoses.

Our firefighters will keep showing up for Calgarians.

Calgarians will keep doing our part.

It’s time for our provincial government to do its part, too.

I’m not Canadian only if there’s a pipeline being built or if there's a Conservative prime minister in Ottawa. I’m Canadian no matter who is in government.

That’s why I think we need to push back when separation is treated like a harmless protest. Calgary has a lot at stake. Our city depends on investment, trade, talent and connections across Canada and around the world. Separation is creating major uncertainty around all of that.

Calgary’s future is as a globally connected city, and I believe being part of Canada strengthens that future.

Councillor Rob Ward and I have sent a letter to the Government of Alberta requesting the public release of the air-quality testing results from ECCO Recycling landfill fire.

Residents have raised understandable questions about the smoke affecting their communities. They deserve clear, verified information and full transparency from the provincial authorities responsible for environment monitoring.

We have requested an urgent response and will share further information as soon as it is provided.

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I just finished meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal Cabinet here in Banff.

Having the Prime Minister and the entire federal Cabinet here in Alberta matters.

Prime Minister Carney and Premier Smith deserve credit for building a more constructive relationship at a time when our country needs it.

Alberta is the economic engine of Canada. Calgary is at the heart of that engine.

And with Calgary growing toward two million people, our relationship with both orders of government has never been more important.

We need investment in infrastructure. We need a strong economy. We need to get major projects built. We need public safety.

And we need governments working together instead of fighting each other.

I'll have more to say soon, but I came away from today encouraged that Calgary has a seat at the table. That Alberta has a seat at the table.

And when Alberta and Canada work together, our entire country is stronger.

Our world changed on December 30. That was the day the Bearspaw South Feeder Main broke again.

And suddenly, I was facing something no Mayor ever wants to face.

A city of nearly two million people at risk of not having enough water, for homes, for hospitals, for fire hydrants. To be honest, it scared the hell out of me. And it changed how I think about infrastructure.

Because we’ve had warnings before. In 2018, people heard cracking at Fairview Arena. They evacuated the building and within hours, the roof collapsed. Thank God nobody died. But we cannot keep relying on getting lucky.

For too long, Calgary grew faster than the infrastructure underneath it. The good news is that we’re changing that.

In our 2025 budget, Council prioritized public safety to catch up. And now you’re seeing real results.

In Rocky Ridge, we’re finishing two new artificial turf fields this fall, with lighting for more playing time and a longer season. 

In northeast Calgary, we’re starting a major athletic complex with four outdoor fields, an indoor fieldhouse, and Calgary’s first cricket pitch designed for major competition.

In Symons Valley, we’re building a new 15,000-square-foot library that will eventually join housing, shops and transit in a larger community hub.

In Belmont, we’re building a 10,000-square-foot library alongside a year-round fieldhouse, opening in 2027.

We’re also upgrading Munro Park with a new play area, community plaza and basketball court.

And at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, we’re building the Chinese Market Gardens to recognize the Chinese families who once farmed this land and helped feed Calgary.

That’s progress. But we are still behind. And Calgary is heading toward two million people. So we have some hard choices coming.

Just like we did last year, we’ll find savings. We’ll fight for our fair share from other governments. Growth needs to pay its fair share.

But I refuse to tell you that we can keep ignoring, delaying and hoping nothing goes wrong.

We know what happens. Pipes break. Roofs collapse. Essential services get put at risk. And eventually, somebody might not get lucky.

I’d rather tell you the truth about what this city needs now, than stand in front of you after a disaster and explain why we knew better and still didn’t act.

Our world changed on December 30.  We’re going to maintain what we have.

We’re going to catch up. And we’re going to keep pace with growth.

Because I’m not willing to bet your safety on getting lucky again.

UPDATE 2026 09 08 6am

On September 6th, 2026, the Calgary Fire Department (CFD) began fire operations at the ECCO Recycling site in southeast Calgary. Crews maintained continuous suppression operations at the site with the assistance of City of Calgary Waste and Recycling (CoCWR), contractors from CoCWR, Alberta Environment and employees of ECCO. In the evening of September 7th, 2026, the CFD was able to bring the incident under control and release the scene back to ECCO for continued monitoring and work maintaining the site.

The smoke from the site has been reduced significantly and there is no longer a plume drifting into adjacent communities. The cooperation of citizens has been pivotal during this operation and conditions should return to normal.

Through the night, CFD crews will be demobilizing in the area and returning to regular service. Please be aware of fire crews working in the Shepard area this evening as conditions return to normal.

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I want to update you on the large fire burning at the ECCO Recycling private landfill in southeast Calgary.

Calgary Fire started receiving calls around 6 p.m. yesterday reporting smoke and flames near Barlow Trail and Shepard Road SE.

When firefighters arrived, they found a large fire burning on the east side of the landfill.

Getting to the fire has been difficult. Crews are dealing with poor roads, wet conditions and extremely limited access inside the landfill.

Because they could not safely get equipment directly to parts of the fire, crews moved to a neighbouring business east of the landfill and set up defensive operations. Their immediate priority has been containing the fire to the area where it started and preventing it from spreading.

That work continued through the night and into today.

Landfill staff are supporting the response. City Waste and Recycling Services has also brought equipment and expertise to the site to help get this fire under control and eventually extinguish it.

There is also an air-quality issue we are watching closely. A large plume of smoke is rising from the site and drifting southeast.

Calgary Fire’s Hazardous Materials team is sampling the air and modelling where that smoke is travelling. We are also working with Alberta Environment to continuously monitor conditions.

If you live or work in Douglasdale, Quarry Park, East Shepard, McKenzie Towne, New Brighton or Copperfield, the smoke could cause irritation. If you smell smoke, close your windows and stay indoors where possible.

This is expected to be a long-duration incident. Firefighters will remain on scene working to contain and extinguish it.

Thank you to our Calgary firefighters who have been working around the clock, our Waste and Recycling crews, landfill staff and everyone supporting this response.

We will keep you updated as conditions change.

It’s time to cut through the bullshit again, this time about your property taxes.

By now, you’ve probably seen a huge number leaked out of City Hall, and a rage-farming City politician thinks that you are stupid and will believe that this is the tax increase coming your way.

That’s the first piece of bullshit.

As reported in the media, the number is what you get when you take every department request, every proposed program, every spending increase, every want and every wish, every downloaded responsibility from the provincial government, add them all together.

That’s a wish list, not a tax increase. 

The second piece of bullshit is the accusation that Council desperately wanted to keep this secret from you.

When private personal information involved, we don’t have a choice. As mayor, I’m leading a serious budget process that is looking at everything. Potential cuts. Staffing changes. Contracts. Negotiations. Agreements with outside partners. There are real people and real livelihoods behind those numbers. This is information we are legally required to protect.

We do not get to throw somebody’s private information into the public because a politician thinks you are too stupid to read past the headline. And ignoring those obligations puts you, the taxpayer on the hook for potentially major legal claims and liabilities. 

The third piece of bullshit is pretending this number is inevitable.

We heard that same garbage when this Council took office. We started with a number around 6% and brought it down to 1.2%.

We went through the budget. We challenged assumptions. We found savings. We made choices about what Calgary needs and what City Hall simply wants. We prioritized public safety and we made hard decisions to fund the replacement to the Bearspaw Feedermain.

But what isn’t bullshit is our record. We brought that 6% number all the way down to a 1.2% municipal tax increase, while the provincial government increased their share by more than 20%. 

Calgary families are under pressure. Your groceries cost more. Your mortgage or rent costs more. Your utilities cost more.

At the same time, we need police officers responding to calls. We need firefighters showing up when you need them. We need buses and trains running. We need roads maintained and clean water coming out of your tap.

Those are the kinds of needs we’re going to fight like hell to prioritize.

Thanks to Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal government, we’re building Calgary’s water system for our two millionth Calgarian and beyond.

While a lot of attention has been on replacing the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, there’s another major project underway.

Today, much of the water leaving Bearspaw has to travel south through Bowness. To permanently fix this bottleneck, we need another way to move water out of Bearspaw. So we’re building one north.

The North Calgary Water Servicing Project includes 22 kilometres of new feeder main. Canada is investing $29 million in the first phase, alongside $94 million from the City.

Crews have already installed about six kilometres of pipe. Early next year, this phase will move another 30 million litres of water every day. By 2029, the full system will move another 100 million litres a day.

I also want to recognize Councillor Jennifer Wyness, who pushed for this infrastructure years ago and helped get the ball rolling. Long before today’s challenges put our water system in the spotlight, she was advocating for more capacity and redundancy in north Calgary. Her work helped get this project moving, and she deserves real credit for it.

Replacing the Bearspaw feeder main is critical, and we’re on track to finish by the end of the year. But fixing this bottleneck for good means building another way out of the plant.

Thank you again to Parliamentary Secretary Corey Hogan and the federal government for stepping up for Calgary.

Council is back from our summer constituency break, and I wanted to give you an update on some major improvements we’re making to Calgary Transit.

We’ve modernized the behind-the-scenes technology that tracks and manages our fleet of more than 1,000 buses and shuttles across Calgary.

The new system connects operators with our Transit Control Centre. It provides better navigation, construction and detour information, and better communication when there’s an incident or emergency.
Crucially, this means you’ll be seeing much more accurate bus locations and arrival times when you’re planning your trip.

You’ll also start seeing new information screens onboard. They show upcoming stops, estimated arrival times, requested stops and service updates.

They’re already installed on 100 buses and shuttles. Starting in October, we’ll begin installing them across the entire fleet.

We’ve also launched the new 503 Symons Valley Express between Sage Hill and downtown.

It makes fewer stops and runs in both directions throughout the day. That’s a change from the old express model, which was mostly built around getting people downtown during the morning rush and back home at the end of the day.

The new 500-series will run throughout the day and connect into transit hubs and local routes, so it works for more than the traditional downtown commute.

The 503 is the first route. We’ll be watching how it performs as we look at bringing this type of express service to other parts of Calgary.

Lastly. We are getting more out of the service we have, but we need more of it, period.

We know there’s tremendous need for more service, especially along the Green Line corridor. The Calgary region has been adding around 100,000 people a year, and our transit service needs to keep up.

That’s why, as we head into the budget, I’m working to get a net increase in transit funding overall, with a particular focus on the Green Line corridor.

Thanks Calgary. There’s more work underway, and I’ll keep you posted.

With kids heading back to school, thousands of kids are walking, biking and getting dropped off every day.

I wanted to give you an update on what we’ve been doing to make those trips safer.

This year, the City completed safety improvements around 50 Calgary schools.

We’ve added new pedestrian crossings, curb extensions, flashing beacons, speed cushions and other improvements to slow traffic and make kids easier to see.

At 17 schools, we’ve installed new speed cushions and speed humps. And the evidence shows these changes make a difference.

When curb extensions and flashing pedestrian beacons are combined, collisions at intersections drop by 70 to 80 per cent.

But there’s something every one of us needs to do too.

Slow down in playground zones. Put your phone away. Keep crosswalks and corners clear. Give yourself a little more time during the morning and afternoon rush.

Kids will sometimes step out when you don’t expect it. They’ll get distracted. They’ll be excited to see their friends.

They’re kids. It’s our responsibility as adults to look out for them.

So please slow down, stay alert and help every Calgary kid get to school and home safely.

More information on Vision Zero: Vision Zero

The U.S. has introduced new tariffs. Prime Minister Carney has responded, and as Mayor of Calgary, I strongly support his response.

Canada must stand up for Canadian workers, Canadian businesses and Canadian consumers. We will defend our interests and we will not be pushed around.

Here in Calgary, we’re preparing now.

We received the full tariff list this week. Our team is working through the impact across the City.

The Green Line. Water infrastructure. Fire equipment. Our broader supply chain.

We’re identifying where Calgary is exposed, where costs will hit us and what we can do to protect taxpayers and keep our projects moving.

We don’t have a reliable dollar figure yet, but we are preparing for significant impacts.

We expect the first numbers early next week. Council will be briefed, and the analysis will come forward publicly on September 8.

Calgarians deserve to know that their city is prepared. Calgary will be ready for whatever comes next.

We will protect your tax dollars. We will protect the services you depend on. We will keep building the infrastructure this growing city needs.

We will stand up for Calgary. We will stand up for Canada.

Hey r/Calgary, Jeromy here.

Four years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to walk the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, to honour my granny Liz who spent her life teaching in east Calgary. I originally planned to cover nearly 4,300 km in 100 days, basically a marathon a day. This was an excellent plan devised by someone who had never thru-hiked before. It took 172 days. I lived out of a tent, carried everything on my back, and somehow made it to Canada. Along the way, we raised more than $250,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary.

I crossed blistering deserts, snow-covered mountain passes, rushing rivers, and wildfire zones, experiencing some of the most beautiful and unforgiving terrain in North America. I met trail angels, fellow hikers, and small-town communities whose generosity and kindness became the true heart of the trail.

I filmed the whole thing. For the past few years, I’ve gone back through hundreds of hours of footage, thousands of photos, and the trail journal I wrote every single day. The documentary includes plenty I never shared at the time: the failures, setbacks, friendships, ridiculous moments, and days when Canada felt impossibly far away. Somehow, all of that has become a full-length documentary.

On September 16 at 6 p.m., we’re putting it on the big screen in Calgary for one night only, with proceeds supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters. Details are at bbbscalgary.ca.

So, Ask Me Anything. I have made enough questionable life choices that we should have plenty to discuss!

Our water supply is strong, but I want to give you an early heads-up that we might need temporary outdoor water restrictions for less than a week in September.

This is planned work. It’s not because Calgary is running short of water.

We need to temporarily shut down the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant to complete electrical work for a new pumping station.

This is part of the North Calgary Water Servicing Project. We’re building 22 kilometres of new water pipe and 10 supporting facilities to serve our growing city and give us more backup when parts of the system are down.

Whether we need restrictions in September will depend on the weather and how much water Calgarians are using. If restrictions are needed, we expect some outdoor water use would still be allowed.

Then comes the big work in October.

We’re on track to complete the replacement of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main in a single year. That is the fastest a project of this size and complexity has been delivered in Canada, and likely anywhere in North America.

This is the pipe that carries about 60 per cent of Calgary’s daily water supply. Replacing it normally would take years. Instead, crews have been working around the clock to get the new pipe built and connected as quickly as possible.

To make that final connection in October, we will need Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions and indoor water conservation for about four weeks.

Until then, the existing Bearspaw South Feeder Main remains stable but is operating at a lower capacity. We strengthened parts of it this spring, but the risk of another break remains until the new pipe is connected.

Right now, our reservoirs and rivers are at normal levels for August, and water use remains within the normal seasonal range.

We’ll keep Calgarians updated on the September work, and well ahead of the October connection.

Starting this month, we’re making improvements at 15 storm ponds that have been identified as the highest priority for additional safety measures.

https://preview.redd.it/h38hggr757kh1.png?width=1039&format=png&auto=webp&s=cb87eca1de64a81899152063daf3c734ea3b2d3b

Depending on the location, that means replacing older warning signs, adding new signs that explain the risks, installing permanent or seasonal fencing, and planting thicker, thornier vegetation to create a barrier around the water.

Storm ponds are found in communities across Calgary. They collect and manage stormwater, helping protect our communities and infrastructure during heavy rain and snowmelt.

But they’re working pieces of infrastructure, not recreational ponds.

The water level and depth can change quickly. There can be strong currents around inlet and outlet pipes. And in the winter, moving water underneath the surface means the ice thickness can change without warning.

So please, no swimming, boating, skating or walking on the ice. Stay off storm ponds year-round.

We’re also continuing field assessments across Calgary to identify other locations where additional safety improvements are needed.

And if you ever see someone in trouble in the water, call 911. Throw them something that floats or reach out with something they can grab if you’re able to do so safely. Don’t enter the water unless you’re trained in water rescue.

These ponds are in a lot of our neighbourhoods, so please talk to your kids about them too. Enjoy the paths and green spaces around them, but give the water some space and stay off the ponds year-round.

Thanks, Calgary. Stay safe out there!

For more information on safety around storm ponds, visit calgary.ca/stormpondsafety.