Nenshi hopes to freeze Calgary Transit fares and recreation fees with surplus

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi is asking council to use a $30-million windfall to fund affordable housing projects, and to freeze transit and recreation fares next year.

Nenshi will make the motion to council on Monday.

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The mayor says the city's budget surplus is from "one-time" savings and efficiencies and likely won't happen again in 2016.

He wants roughly half $14.4 million to go towards affordable housing initiatives, the details of which will be worked out by February.

"I'm hoping this money can be used as seed capital for getting more stuff built," Nenshi told the CBC's Eyeopener on Friday.

Potential projects could include provincial and federal housing grants that need matching funds from the city, Nenshi said, oremergency funds for people faced with eviction.

Fare freeze

He wants another $8.8 million to freeze Calgary Transit fares at 2015 levels for the duration of 2016.

"It just felt like the right thing to do," Nenshisaid, adding the freeze would likely help middle-income families or people using transit while they look for work.

There is, however, one exception.Adult bus passes will increase to $103 in January because they have already been printed. They would revert to $99 starting in February, if the motion passes.

Emergency fund

Hewould also like to create a $5-million emergency fund to bail out non-profit organizations and city departments with falling revenues.

"A lot of non-profits in the city are feeling an enormous amount of demand. Or maybe they've lost a big donor that might have been an oil and gas company and they need a little help just getting through the rough patch," Nenshisaid.

The remaining$1.8 million would be used to ward off planned increases to parks and recreation fees until 2017.

The funds would normally flow into the city's reserve at year end, but Nenshi hopes council will vote on Monday to divert them to a Community Economic Resiliency Fund to help relieve pressure on residents during the downturn.