Canada’s federal government has awarded a chunk of change to ensure Calgary’s water system is reliable today and prepared for tomorrow.
Corey Hogan, parliamentary secretary for the federal minister of energy and natural resources, joined Mayor Jeromy Farkas on the morning of Sept. 1 to announce a federal investment of up to $29 million in the initial phase of the North Calgary Water Servicing project, which is slated for completion by early 2027.
Investments in the city’s water system follow the Bearspaw South feeder main rupturing multiple times over the last two years, with construction efforts ramping up earlier this year. Hogan said that the funding is intended to strengthen the reliability of Calgary’s water system.
“What infrastructure is usually, at its best, invisible infrastructure. We don’t think about it; it just works,” he said.
“But as Calgarians, we unfortunately know too well it’s not always mundane — it’s mundane until reliability and availability is challenged.”
The funding is part of the Direct Delivery stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund, which totals $51 billion in infrastructure investments across Canada over the next 10 years, including projects related to housing, sports, education, health, transit, and climate.
Phase one of the project will construct a new 22 km-long water feeder main pipe and upgrade three existing facilities: the Top Hill Reservoir, the Big Hill East Reservoir, and the Mount View Pump Station.
With the addition of a new seven kilometre feeder main, the first two reservoirs will soon be connected, eliminating bottlenecks and ensuring that residents have access to water during planned or emergency repairs.
Upgrades to the latter reservoir will increase the city’s pumping capacity to 30 million litres of water each day, particularly in the north and bedroom communities. Come 2029, when the entire project is expected to be finished, the goal is to increase this to 100 million litres per day.
Water infrastructure upgrades support growing population
Mayor Farkas said that the project will eventually enable new housing developments, as more reliable infrastructure would no longer make potential strain a cause for concern. He said that this is increasingly important given the city’s rising population.
“Calgary is growing faster than almost anywhere in the continent, and today our federal government is recognizing that growth and helping us prepare for it,” said Farkas.
“Governments need to focus on the things people should be able to count on: You turn on the tap, clean water comes out; you flush the toilet, it works; a new neighbourhood goes up, the water system is ready.”
Calgary currently ranks among the fastest-growing municipalities across the country, with its population estimated at just under 1.7 million. Farkas said that making the city able to handle this influx will ultimately improve its industrial contributions.
“Our federal government sees what’s happening here today. They see a city that’s growing quickly. They see the pressure that puts on housing and infrastructure,” he said.
“They recognize that when Calgary succeeds, Canada succeeds, and here in Calgary, we recognize and appreciate that.”
Although the federal investment was not included in the city’s 2026 budget submission, Farkas said it is “critical,” noting it will be “game-changing” for the city, which has already put forward $94 million in contributions toward the same project.
Amid the continued economic uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs, the city’s acting water utility chief operating officer, Michael Thompson, was pleased to clarify that the steel used for the project has avoided additional costs by being sourced from Mexico.
Thompson said that, despite this success, residents may be subject to temporary outdoor water restrictions sometime in mid-September. He said that this date is weather-dependent and recommended that residents check the city’s website for the latest updates.
