I’ve heard from Calgarians across the city: I support keeping Calgary’s free fare zone. It makes downtown safer and more accessible. We need to support local businesses, and keep transit a practical option for workers, students, seniors, and visitors making short trips through our core.
Going for the first time since U of C days.
The City of Calgary will begin Stage B construction on the Bearspaw South Feeder Main (BSFM) replacement project in May 2026, installing a new parallel steel feeder main along 34 Avenue N.W., between 73 Street N.W. and 89 Street N.W. This stage of construction is expected to be completed in October 2026.
Construction will begin the week of May 11, 2026, with cross-connection work to connect the future replacement pipe to the wider water system in two locations:
83 Street N.W. between 33 and 34 Avenue N.W.
77 Street N.W. between 33 and 34 Avenue N.W.
Once cross-connection work is complete, we will begin construction for the feeder main on 34 Avenue N.W. in June 2026, starting at locations between 79 and 80 Street N.W., and between 85 and 86 Street N.W.
The City will use an open-cut construction method, excavating within the public right-of-way to install the new pipe. This method involves digging a trench and restoring the surface to its pre-construction state. An open-cut approach was selected for several operational reasons, including that it is the fastest option for urgently replacing the BSFM.
Residents in the area should expect traffic impacts, detours, noise, dust, temporary parking restrictions and short-term access changes during construction. Drivers are encouraged to follow posted detours and use extra care when travelling through residential streets.
The City is committed to providing timely, transparent updates, including advance notice of changes to access, parking and detours as construction progresses.
Stage A construction update
Stage A microtunneling construction, from the Shaganappi Pump Station to 73 Street N.W. on the west side of the Bow River, remains on track. Microtunneling between the shaft located at Sarcee Trail and the Bow River Shaft, located west of Bow River near Mainstreet Condominiums, began on April 27, 2026. Construction of the sixth and final tunnelling shaft on 16 Avenue N.W. is scheduled to begin May 11, 2026.
Due to ongoing construction, parking availability at Edworthy Park is significantly reduced. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and anticipate limited on‑site parking, particularly during peak periods.
Background
The City is accelerating the replacement of the BSFM due to the condition of the existing pipe. The project will add a parallel steel feeder main that will take over service from the current line, improving the reliability and resilience of Calgary’s water system. The overall replacement project is expected to be completed in December 2026.
More information
For project information and construction updates, visit calgary.ca/bearspawfeedermain.
To the kind strangers who bought Mother's Day breakfast for my mom and me at Phil’s Glenmore this morning, thank you. The staff wouldn’t tell me who you were, so this is the only way I know how to say it. That was incredibly thoughtful and completely unexpected. You genuinely made our morning.
Today we are happy to report that the PipeDiver assessment of the steel portion of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main was a success.
The PipeDiver test was conducted on Tuesday morning without issue, after which the robot and recovery net were retrieved from the pipe. We began refilling the feeder main on Wednesday afternoon and once full, all necessary water samples were collected. Water quality results came back on Thursday without concern and the feeder main has been returned to service.
We expect to receive the results of the PipeDiver assessment in approximately one month, which will be used to inform future plans.
Yesterday, Council joined a coalition of municipalities calling on the Province to pause changes to disability supports. I was proud to sponsor this motion with Councillor Schmidt. We need real consultation, clear data, and a plan that protects people from deeper poverty without shifting costs to cities.
CALGARY — The City of Calgary is beginning a structured leadership transition for its senior administrative team and launching a recruitment process for its next Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
City Council and current CAO David Duckworth have mutually agreed to begin a planned leadership transition from The City. CAO Duckworth’s last day will be December 1, 2026. If a successor is identified earlier, Mr. Duckworth will support a smooth transition in an advisory capacity.
Chief Operating Officer Stuart Dalgleish has also announced his retirement, with his final day on June 12, 2026.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas thanked both leaders for their service.
“Stuart and David have both made important contributions to this organization and to The City. I want to thank them for their leadership during a period of significant work and change,” said Farkas.
“This is a steady and planned leadership transition. Calgary is entering a new phase of growth, and we are taking this step to ensure our organization is well-positioned for the work ahead.”
Duckworth said he takes great pride being a civil servant and leading an amazing team.
“Public service has been central to my career, and it has been an honour to serve Calgarians and work alongside Calgary’s dedicated public servants,” said Duckworth. “I truly believe this is a natural time for this transition, as the organization enters its next phase. I remain focused on continuity, a smooth handover, and leaving the organization well positioned to serve Calgarians for generations to come.”
Dalgleish caps a career spanning nearly four decades.
“My 37 years at The City have been more than a career – they’ve reflected a personal calling and proud commitment to public service,” said Dalgleish. ”I am grateful to the people and teams, whether internal or external to The City, with whom I have had the privilege of working with and serving Calgarians together, and from whom I was fortunate to learn and become a better person. I’m confident our City team is well positioned to work towards an always bright and better future for Calgary.”
The transition comes at a time of significant progress across The City, including major infrastructure work to strengthen Calgary’s water system, ongoing service delivery, and continued management of complex operational challenges.
Calgary is approaching a milestone of two million residents and is entering a new four-year Council term. This transition is intended to align leadership with the city’s growth and long-term priorities.
City services will continue without disruption. A clear interim leadership structure is in place to ensure continuity.
The City will undertake a comprehensive recruitment process for the next CAO. The search will focus on identifying a leader with experience managing growth, delivering major infrastructure, and leading a high-performing municipal organization.
Further updates will be provided as the recruitment process progresses.
This is from about ten years ago right after I was elected Councillor. Was asked about this in another thread and thought it would warrant its own post.
Today we are relaunching the PipeDiver from a new position in the Bearspaw South Feeder Main.
It will take approximately two hours for the device to swim a two-kilometre section of the pipe and collect data. We expect to receive the results in approximately one month, which will provide an assessment of the pipe to inform future plans.
At the beginning of April, we attempted to use a PipeDiver to complete a proactive condition assessment of the steel section of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main. Unfortunately, the PipeDiver stopped moving near the beginning of its inspection and attempts to get it “swimming” again were unsuccessful.
Current operation of the feeder main is not affected, and there are no impacts to our ability to supply water to Calgary and the region. We do not anticipate any water restrictions will be needed as we complete our inspection.