Calgary’s mayor said they’ll need to see more details on how some of the promised funding flows from the federal government’s latest budget, but he’s pleased to see potential funding for municipalities.
The federal budget outlines $115 billion in infrastructure over the next four years, including $19 billion in year two specifically geared towards Indigenous Communities and Municipal Infrastructure.
There’s an additional $91 billion in years three and four for infrastructure, with core public infrastructure like water and wastewater and transit projects used as examples. The budget highlights the Build Communities Strong Fund, which earmarks $51 billion over 10 years, followed by $3 billion each year after.
“Budget 2025 is an investment budget – a confident Canada taking control of its own future. Central to that mission is building local infrastructure, so we can empower Canadians with faster commutes, better careers, and lower costs,” said Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a prepared media release.
“With a new investment of over $50 billion, we are building stronger communities to build Canada strong.”
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said that the budget has to translate into real, predictable and accessible funding to support municipal infrastructure, transit-oriented development and affordable housing.
“We approach today’s budget with cautious optimism, and we welcome further conversation on supporting Calgary’s priorities, namely on infrastructure, public safety and affordable housing,” Farkas said on Tuesday.
“Today’s promises are encouraging, but Calgarians will judge this budget by actions on the ground, not words on paper.”
The devil is in the details, Farkas said.
“What we’ll be seeking in the coming days and weeks is more detailed exactly in terms of how those funds will be rolled out the door,” he told reporters.
Housing funds at risk?
The federal budget’s housing fund also commits $25 billion over the next five years to build homes at scale.
Farkas was asked if he anticipated that a potential repeal of citywide rezoning would impact federal cash from the Housing Accelerator Fund.
With many of the elected councillors campaigning on a repeal of the rezoning bylaw, it’s likely there will be some movement on the issue.
“In early conversation with my council colleagues, there’s a broad consensus amongst our colleagues that the blanket rezoning approach hasn’t worked,” Farkas said.
“It hasn’t delivered the amount of housing that’s required at the right price points and in the right locations and at the speed and scale required to actually address our housing challenges.”
Mayor Farkas said that thus far he believes that the federal government just wants homes built.
“Specifically, to the early conversations with our federal counterparts, my understanding is that so long as the units are built, so long as the housing is delivered for the Canadians who need it, the federal government ideally should be agnostic in terms of how we get there.”
There’s no Calgary sell job needed to put Calgary on PM Carney’s funding map, Farkas said.
“I don’t think the Prime Minister needs to be sold on Calgary,” he said.
“I think just by demonstration of the commitment in this budget to funding local municipalities, providing the needed funding around infrastructure, around housing and safety, I’m quite optimistic that the federal government has heard firsthand the needs of major municipalities in terms of filling that gap.”
