Calgary city budget: 5 things you need to know

The City of Calgary has presented a new four-year budget thatcould cost homeowners hundreds of dollars more each year until2018.

The budget which still has to be approved by council calls for a tax hike of 4.7 per cent in 2015, with similar increases in each of the following three years.

The average Calgary homeowner,based on the 2014 medianresidential assessment of $430,000,will see an increase of $75.60on their property tax bill next year if the proposed city budget is passed as is.

But that doesn't includeincreases in water and sewer rates, monthly blue cart charges andrecreation facility fees. Calgary residents also got a bit of abreak in 2014 after the city decided to return theunused portion ofthe provincial education property tax.

So with the $100 credit given on the 2014 property taxes in mind, the average Calgary homeowner will be paying $278 more to city hall in 2015 when factoring in theproperty tax hike and increases in blue cart recycling fees, water meter, wastewater and drainage.

Council understands that Calgarians demand these services, and they value these services, andwe have to find a way to keep providingthem," said Mayor NaheedNenshi.

Here are a few highlights from the budget that willaffect your daily life.

1) Costincreases

The cost of utilities in Calgary will continue to increase, including a big jump inwastewater costs.

Our water rates have to actually match the cost ofprovidingthatservice, said Nenshi.

The following is a break down of the proposed costs included in the draft budget:

• Property taxes: $6.30 a month or $75.60 a year
• Blue cart recycling: $0.20 a month or $2.40 a year.
• Water meter: $0.64 a month or $7.58 a year.
• Wastewater: $5.98 a month or $71.76 a year.
• Drainage: $1.76 a month or $21.12 a year.

The city says utilities, such as natural gas andelectricity, are also expected to increase at a higher rate than household inflation.

"The largest responses I'vegotten are people who say: 'You know, an extra $100 to $120a year for the services Iget for the city? I can live with that,'" saidNenshi.

Transit costs will also increase over the next few years. The cost of transit ticket increases from $3 to $3.15 next year for adults.

2) More transit

The city budget plans for the opening of the first section of theGreen Line, which will cost $52 million each year until 2018.

The budget allows for this bus-onlytransitwayto run from downtown to McKenzie Towne, and also some bus-only lanes on Centre Street in the city's north.

• Green Line transitway plans excite Calgary Transit riders

"So commuters in southeast Calgary and north-central Calgary will see significant improvements to their lives," said Nenshi.

There will also be the introduction of four-car C-Train service starting in late 2015, which Nenshi says will help alleviate congestionespecially on the north-south line.

• New C-Train cars worth $200M to hit the tracks in 2015

The city also plans to implement its electronic fare card systemin 2015.

There aremodest increases to Calgary Transit and Access Calgary hours in the draft budget, but the city has some concerns about funding in that regard.

"The increase in hours intransit that are in the budget right nowtakes us to onlyabout 40 per cent of target underRoute Ahead," said Nenshi, pointing to the city's 30-year transit plan.

The plan is to add190,000 hours of new service from 2015 to 2018.

3) Roads, bridges, parks, rec centres and library

The budget plans include replacingtwo city bridgesthe Inglewood bridge on Ninth Avenue by Fort Calgary and the bridge from Inglewood to the Calgary Zoo on 12th Street which are nearing the end of their service life.

There arealsoseveral major road reconstructions and the construction of three interchanges planned in the next four years:

• Widening McKnight Boulevardfrom 12thStreet to 19thStreet N.E.
• GlenmoreTrail and OgdenRoadinterchange
• Southwest and West ring road connections
• 194th Avenue crossing and CPR GradeSeparation
• Macleod Trail and 162nd Avenue interchange

There willbe upgrades to road and pedestrian access around Chinook Mall and the Motel Village area near McMahon Stadium as well.

Nenshi said he is excited to see the renewalof thePrairie Winds Park, but alsothe opening of the new Bowness Park.

"Which of course is something loved by many, many Calgarians," said Nenshi.

TheBowness Community Connection posted on Facebook that three-quarters of BownessPark will be open to the public by next Monday.

"The east end remains under construction (and will be fenced off)," said the group in the statement."But the entire west half of the park and the central area, including the deck overlooking the lagoon, the entrance road and parking lot, will be open for citizens use."

There are also new recreation centres planned or being built inQuarry Park, Great Plains, Seton andRocky Ridge.

• 4 new Calgary recreation centres move forward

Funding for the new central library is also on the books over the next few years.

4) More compost, recycling and snow cleanup

The city plans to implement its residential Green Cart compost program starting in 2017.

• Green cart pilot project a success, says city

"I have not yet figured out where I am going to put that third cart, but it will be great when it gets there," Nenshijoked.

There will also be multi-family recycling available to residents starting in February 2016,and the city plans to develop an industrialcommercial and institutional waste diversion strategy.

The city says severe weather events in 2013 and 2014 have had significant impacts to operational budgets, but there are still plans to expandsnow and ice control operations to include city-owned sidewalks, walkways andbikeways.

• Slippery city-owned sidewalks a 'double standard'

5)Public feedbackwanted

Calgarians can have their say on the budget later this month when city council debates it.

Councildeliberations on the budgetbegin onNov.24, so Calgarians have three weeks to weigh in on the proposed four-yearbudget.

There are several ways to participate:

• Comment online atcalgary.ca/actionplan.
• Sign up to present to council in-person during the public hearings until Nov.20.
• Submit written material or presentations for councils consideration to the city clerks office byNov13.
• Comment cards and completeActionPlan documents are available at every Calgary Public Library branch from November 4-19.
• Checkcalgary.ca/actionplanor contact 311 for more information.

The city says the budget was developed over a year with help from six strategic planning sessions. A public feedback processstarted engaging Calgariansin January to seewhat theywanted to see andhow much they were willing to pay.

No other governments do this. We have taken a very different approach, said Nenshi.

He said 2,400 Calgarianshave given feedback so far, and the city hopes to expand that.