A City Growing—But Emergency Services Falling Behind
This week, I spoke with a Calgary firefighter while door-knocking in West Springs. In just a few minutes, he painted a stark picture: long shifts, rising call volumes, and a department stretched far too thin. He was exhausted—and it’s no wonder why.
Since 2015, the Calgary Fire Department has seen over $30 million in cuts, the loss of 185 positions, and the removal of five fire trucks. It’s now one of the most understaffed major fire services in Canada.
While recent funding boosts—like the $4.7 million added this year—have helped, they’re not enough. A 2022 report estimated the fire department would need over $200 million more annually just to meet national safety standards. We’re far from that goal.
Reinvesting $200 million into Calgary’s fire service doesn’t need to mean sacrificing service quality elsewhere.
Over the 2023–2026 budgeting period, the City of Calgary has committed substantial funding specifically to climate action. Across that four-year span, Council approved approximately:
- $3.5 million in base operating funds,
- $44.1 million in one‑time operating investments, and
- $207.8 million in capital spending for direct climate initiatives
An additional approximately $56 million has been spent since 2023 on expanding our pathway and bikeway network in that same period of time.
Redirecting even a portion of this spending would allow the City to invest where it matters most: in reducing response times and ensuring our emergency crews have the resources they need to protect Calgarians.
Our firefighters are doing more with less, but it’s not sustainable. We can’t afford to wait until it’s a crisis. If elected, I will prioritize funding for essential services like fire and police—because every second matters in a emergency.
Let’s fix the basics first.