Date: Thu Nov 20 19:11:13 2008
Subject: CITY COUNCIL APPROVES 2009-2011 BUSINESS PLAN AND BUDGET
From: Citynewsroom

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             CITYBEAT - CITY OF CALGARY PRESS RELEASE
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(Calgary) – Today, Council approved the 2009-2011 business
plans, budgets and performance measures and adopted the 2009
operating and capital budgets.  The approved business plans
and budgets provide much-needed staff for front-line services
in key areas like police, fire, transit, waste and recycling,
while responding to citizens’ views and trimming the property
tax rate increase substantially. 

After four days of discussions, Council approved a number of
amendments to the 2009-2011 business plans and budgets
proposed by Administration. Council’s decisions add resources
for protective services while making significant reductions
in other areas to help to ease the tax burden on Calgarians. 

Together Council’s changes resulted in a reduction of more
than $35 million from the proposed 2009 operating budget
alone, including:

•	$15.1 million reduced funding for Emergency Medical
Services to recognize its transition to provincial government
responsibility as of 2009 April 1 
•	$5.0 million reduction to budgeted staff overtime 
•	$2.5 million decrease in the Pay-As-You-Go
contribution to capital financing 
•	$950,000 decrease in the number of additional
transit security officers 
•	$840,000 decrease in the number of new hires in
Human Resources 
•	$600,000 decrease in the Information Technology
budget request 
•	$500,000 decrease in The City’s advertising budget 

•	$500,000 decrease in additional funding for water
treatment plants and processes
•	$500,000 reduction in the Council Strategic
Initiatives fund 
•	$480,000 decrease in additional resources requested
for parks maintenance 
•	$350,000 decrease in consulting costs for Corporate
Properties & Buildings
•	$350,000 decrease in funding for Infrastructure
Services and Corporate Properties & Buildings by delaying
hiring of new employees for six months
•	$300,000 decrease in additional resources requested
for boulevard grass cutting 
•	$190,000 decrease in funding for the Aldermanic
Office and Audit Committee 
•	$125,000 redirected to a fee assistance program for
Waste & Recycling services for low-income Calgarians.

Council also recognized an increase of $8.0 million in The
City’s operating budget from the ENMAX dividend. 

As a result of these cutbacks Council has trimmed the
property tax increase to 
•	5.3% in 2009,  $4.50 per month for the average
Calgary household
•	6.1% in 2010,  $5.50 per month 
•	6.7% in 2011,  $6.50 per month 

The property tax rates for 2010 and 2011 will be reviewed as
part of the annual adjustment process. 

Council also directed that the proposed utility rate
increases be reduced to 5.9% from 7.6% per year for water,
and 5.0% from 8.5% per year for wastewater; the utility rate
bylaw will be reviewed by Council at its next meeting, on
December 8.  New user fees were approved as recommended.

Calgarians will still pay the lowest residential property
taxes among all major Canadian cities. 

Service highlights from the three-year budget include: 
Community Safety 
•	242 Police positions to increase public safety in
our growing community
•	130 firefighters and new fire halls to improve Fire
response to community growth and a denser city centre
•	16 additional Animal & Bylaw Officers 
•	30 Emergency Communications Officers to maintain 
9-1-1 call taking and dispatch handling times
•	21 security officers to improve the safety and
security of transit. 

Transportation
•	290,000 hours of additional Transit service to  
respond to growth in population and geographic area 
•	Continued provision of a universal low-income
transit pass
•	32 staff to provide clean, well maintained public
transit
•	Support for Access Calgary to cover increased taxi
fares
•	Additional roads maintenance.

Protecting the Environment
•	A city-wide residential blue cart recycling program
to 300,000 households 
•	Waste and recycling service to 20,000 new homes 
•	Financially sustainable waste and recycling services
which meet environmental, regulatory and land-fill permit
requirements
•	Resources to maintain 400 additional hectares of
parkland.


The City will continue to monitor current economic events and
their impact on municipal services. The multi-year business
planning and budget process allows The City to react to
unforeseen changes by providing opportunities twice each year
to adjust plans and budgets in response to changing economic
circumstances. The flexibility built in to the three-year
approach allows Council to make necessary changes from a
position of knowing what is critical and adjusting the
business plans and budgets to retain a longer-term
perspective. 









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Public Contact Information:

3-1-1

Public Email Contact: 

    3-1-1contactus@calgary.ca

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