Property tax
The issue of property taxes in Calgary is complex and is largely driven by factors such as economic cycles, downtown vacancies, and fiscal management challenges that appear to be present at City Hall.
Financial stewardship, and a “back to basics” approach, can balance these complexities while continuing to provide essential core services Calgary needs to run efficiently in a population growth environment.
It’s no longer sustainable to fund pet projects.
The focus must be on diversifying and promoting a fair business environment, cutting unnecessary spending, more diligent fiscal management, and determining other ways to reduce reliance on property tax revenue.
Making life more affordable for all Calgarians can only be done if we keep taxes low.
I support a short term freeze on property taxes while we get spending focused on core services.
Water services
Water is a core service and we cannot afford to skimp on investing in this area. The water main break of 2024 illustrated what happens when maintenance of a core service is neglected.
Downtown Strategy – office conversions
Revitalizing Calgary’s downtown core is essential to significantly boosting business activity and generating the economic growth that will power us forward with jobs and revenue.
Enhancing infrastructure, offering mixed-use development, ensuring safe and clean public spaces, and maintaining efficient and accessible transportation options are all key ingredients.
By attracting small, medium and large businesses back to our city centre, property tax revenue from commercial properties will increase and the tax burden on residential homeowners will decrease. If Calgary is to have a more balanced tax structure, downtown revitalization is the answer.
Conversions can play an important role in revitalizing underused spaces and strengthening our communities. To ensure long-term success and responsible use of public funds, these projects should be pursued in collaboration with skilled developers and implemented strategically. This approach helps maximize impact while minimizing the need for ongoing taxpayer support.
Blanket rezoning
Blanket rezoning increases the construction of generic, high-density buildings that diminish the character of more established neighbourhoods. It targets older communities with aging water and sewer infrastructure that cannot handle the strain of the added population without costly and time-consuming upgrades. It encourages speculative investors who build high-density, high-cost developments that are far from affordable. And it drives redevelopment of properties that already house low-income and vulnerable residents, in turn leading to a reduction of affordable housing options for those displaced.
In most cases, blanket rezoning is far from being an affordable housing strategy. It’s a one size fits all plan in a city that requires a more nuanced approach to urban planning.
Further densification is needed, but should be focused along transit corridors, under-utilized commercial districts such as the downtown core and in neighbourhoods already zoned high-density and with room to expand and grow.
I would support revoking the blanket RC-G zoning that was passed against the wishes of most Calgarians in 2024.