The City of Calgary has unveiled a sneak peek at its 2026 budget, outlining a plan to increase spending to address the growing population in the city. Due to the upcoming municipal election in October 2025, the current council will not have the final say on the budget, leaving the decision to the new council in November.
The proposed budget includes an additional $318.2 million in spending, with over $260 million allocated to support housing, public safety, transit, and infrastructure. The city has seen a significant influx of approximately 220,000 new residents from 2020 to 2024, with nearly 100,000 newcomers in the past year alone.
To fund these expansions, the city plans to utilize a mix of one-time operating, ongoing operating, and capital funding sources, including tax growth, reserve funds, projected surpluses, corporate contingencies, investment income, and the Enmax dividend. Existing taxpayers can expect a 3.6% increase in taxes, a figure previously approved by the council as part of the city’s four-year budget plan.
As part of an effort to balance residential and non-residential tax burdens, property tax rates are set to rise by 5.4% for residential properties and 1.3% for non-residential properties. Additionally, water, wastewater, and stormwater rates are projected to increase by 3.8%.
The city’s budget preview also highlights a focus on affordable housing and water infrastructure, with $78 million allocated to housing initiatives and $61 million dedicated to downtown safety measures, including support for the Calgary Police Service. Transit services will receive a $59-million boost to enhance service frequency, maintenance, safety upgrades, and fare affordability programs.
Furthermore, the budget sets aside $68 million for the maintenance of various city assets, while major projects like the Green Line and Scotia Place are earmarked for $1.1 billion in funding. Overall, the proposed budget outlines $4.6 billion in operating spending and $3.6 billion in capital investments for the year 2026.
As Calgary continues to grow, the city council recognizes the necessity of tax increases to support essential services and address the evolving needs of its residents. Mayor Jyoti Gondek emphasized the importance of early budget disclosure for both Calgarians and future council members, with the full budget set to be presented to council on November 10, followed by public deliberations starting on November 24.
