$1B ask for feds for water pipes, LRT, civic projects in Calgary | Alberta Primetime

[00:00:02]Alberta Primetime with Michael Higgins.

[00:00:05]>> Welcome to Alberta Primetime. Ahead tonight, our Friday panel tracks spending estimates for the fall referendum. But first, big projects, big dollars.

[00:00:15]>> 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.

[00:00:23]>> 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.

[00:00:29]>> With a goal of securing significant federal budget funding, Calgary City Council will be asking Ottawa for nearly $1 billion to help cover costs for upgraded water pipes, LRT projects, and refurbished leisure centers. And joining us now to discuss this and more is the mayor of Calgary, Jeromy Farkas. Mr. Mayor, good to see you, sir. Welcome back.

[00:00:50]>> Yeah, thanks so much for having me.

[00:00:52]>> All right. Well, let let's start on the submission to the federal finance minister for some significant dollars.

[00:00:57]Uh it's a letter I I understand ultimately you have to sign off on. But why why split the ask up over multiple projects and not focus on one big one?

[00:01:08]>> Well, firstly, just appreciate the the partnership of the federal governments.

[00:01:12]Uh the prime minister, as well as the various ministers, have expressed an interest on these nation-building projects, stuff that we can get shovels in the ground as quickly as possible.

[00:01:20]So, when it comes to advancing a portfolio approach, that's really essential. Having uh say a billion-dollar ask is a lot harder than say many different smaller projects that can be out the door a lot quicker. But for us, it's not so much about asking for a handout, it's getting our fair share of investment from Ottawa back here in Alberta. So, it's not just making the case for what Calgary's needs are, but also uh arguing in favor of uh more predictable funding streams for municipalities. So, also Red Deer, Edmonton, other local areas that are uh bearing out most of the population growth. And And this is really connected as well. We We heard in some of the recent data that uh Calgary or Canada's population rather is overall staying flat or modestly declining, whereas Alberta as a province is continuing to boom. So, we need to have that federal investment where the the growth is occurring, particularly around services and infrastructure right here in Calgary, but also other major municipalities across the province.

[00:02:17]>> Well, now what what what degree of alignment does there need to be here where both the federal and the provincial government are concerned for this to be a successful ask?

[00:02:28]>> Well, well certainly here in Calgary we have about a $50 billion infrastructure deficit when it comes to our needs over the the next 10 years.

[00:02:36]Certainly, we're going to be advancing everything that we can within our own control municipally, but when you look at the overall revenues that are generated by levels of government, about 8 cents on the dollar are at the municipal level and the remaining 92 cents of property taxes or rather taxes and other revenues go to the provincial and the federal government.

[00:02:58]So, this is very much about arguing for Alberta's fair share of our contributions to Confederation to return back to our province, but it's also relating to to Calgary getting its fair share of investment from the from the provincial government. So, ways that we can work together with the province and feds, particularly around economic development, public safety, making ongoing operating costs more efficient, that's really essential to our ask.

[00:03:23]>> On the point of alignment, Council recently voted to put all downtown Green Line options back on the table. Why why push that when you know a tunnel is a no-go where the Smith government is concerned?

[00:03:35]>> Well, it's really about flexibility. The the provincial government has requested that we continue explore that elevated option, but we've heard resoundingly from 80, 90, 95% of local residents, businesses, major downtown office owners, uh local entrepreneurs about how this is just a no-go. We've heard a lot around the economic impacts of building it in this way, about the safety impacts of doing that, and just want to appreciate the the fact that we have a premier largely listens to local residents and businesses. So, uh they've signaled to us at the provincial government of flexibility in terms of how we could approach that alignment. Uh perhaps we don't build as far deep into the downtown, and we use some of the savings to go further into the southeast where we can drive some of the ridership and better sharpen our pencils in terms of what might be applicable downtown, but uh right now, based on the initial go from the provincial government to us, it's not tenable, particularly around the economic business case. We stand to lose potentially billions or tens of billions of dollars of assessed value if this green line were to be built this way through our downtown, and that would have significant ramifications on the property taxes. We don't just collect the municipal coffers, but also provincially. So, this is a matter of just measuring twice, uh cutting once, making sure that we get things right.

[00:04:56]And And again, just really appreciate the provincial government support on this because they're hearing the same things we are, particularly around the public safety and the economic impacts if we were to proceed this way.

[00:05:05]>> On the on the point of getting things right, members of council had a look this week at the Calgary plan, a a vision guiding the city uh to 2050 and beyond. What What does this vision say about tough conversations that are likely to lie ahead?

[00:05:20]>> Well, for the prospect of planning, it's very difficult to plan, say even 10, 20, let alone 50 years into the future. But if you If you fail to plan, you you you plan to fail. So, for us, we want to make sure that we we continue to invest in the capital needs for Calgarians, that we have the the rec center, the services, the the transit, the the transportation corridors where we need them, and also that we take a bit more more thoughtful approach to housing development. So, we heard through the course of the campaign that Calgarians didn't support a blanket zoning approach. So, we moved quickly to repeal that and we're going to be moving forward really focusing on those nodes and corridors, concentrating the development to happen near LRT stations, closer to education, employment, where the services and infrastructure are in place to support that.

[00:06:08]>> All right. I have to think there might have been a bit of a bounce in your step this week with with a new Leger poll suggesting 70% of Calgarians surveyed approve of the job you're doing as mayor, 14% disapprove. Surprised at all by that? Even even in light of how much you've pushed back against the Smith government adding a separation question to the October referendum.

[00:06:29]>> Well, I I certainly appreciate that broad support from both UCP voters and NDP voters and I think it rewards a pragmatic approach here at City Council.

[00:06:38]We really want to make City Hall boring again. We want to focus on the nuts and bolts. We want to pick up garbage on time. We want trains to run. We want public safety to be focused on and I really appreciate the the fact that Calgarians have supported me in that advocacy toward the provincial government and federal governments on the things that aren't going right. But, it also means I'm responsible for congratulating and supporting the premier on the things that she is doing right. So, again, really appreciate the flexibility that Calgarians have supported me in, but more so that the numbers are very impressive, particularly around the fact that Calgarians felt that our city was going in the right direction even if they may not believe that the province or the country or the world is. We really want here in Calgary to be that place of stability, that place of certainty. And I certainly appreciate the fact that the vast majority of Calgarians have supported me in speaking out about the economic risks that separation entails.

[00:07:32]We know that this is a huge distraction, has a huge negative impact on local economy and job creation here in Calgary. And I'm certainly going to be continuing to speak up about the impacts of that separation conversation, but I'm also going to continue to be fierce and advocate to minister on the needs here in Alberta. Sentencing and bail reform, access to energy markets and so on. So, this isn't a perfect country that we live in, but I'm not going to let anybody kick me out of my own country. We need to fix Canada and we need to step up as we always have in as Albertans to build this best country in the world. All right.

[00:08:08]>> We'll leave it there for time. As always we appreciate your time Mayor Farkas.

[00:08:11]Thank you, sir.

[00:08:13]>> Yeah, appreciate it. See you see you next time.

[00:08:15]>> That's Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas.

[00:08:17]>> [snorts]