Calgary council seeks property tax hikes totaling 42.5% over four years
Council narrowly voted to request a preliminary budget preview showing steep tax increases from 2027–2030, though final numbers won't come until November.
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Calgary city council voted 8-7 Wednesday to request a four-year budget preview from administration showing cumulative property tax revenue growth of 42.5% between 2027 and 2030.
The preliminary numbers show year-over-year increases of 15 per cent in 2027, 12.5 per cent in 2028, 9 per cent in 2029, and 6 per cent in 2030. The city emphasized these are not approved or final numbers and do not represent actual tax change on individual properties.
The vote came from a closed-door meeting earlier this summer. Council has requested the preview for September 22, with the complete budget document to be released in November.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas said council hasn't proposed any property tax increase at this point, framing the numbers as requests submitted by civic, community, and third-party partners. "When you take a look at all of the requests that the city council has received, it certainly adds up to a big number," Farkas said Wednesday outside council chambers. "Just because you ask for something doesn't mean that you get it."
The underlying pressure stems from competing demands: an infrastructure deficit pegged at $55 billion, with the city's acting COO telling councillors Calgary infrastructure spending must rise to $5 billion annually. The province has also downloaded the Low-Income Transit pass to the city, adding to operating costs.
Ward 9 Coun. Harrison Clark raised longstanding concerns about spending decisions. "We've watched a number of things happen over the course of the last number of years, money being spent in ways that I personally wouldn't have spent it, and we've landed in a place where the Bears Paw feeder main is broken twice in 18 months," Clark said.
Farkas repeatedly stated the city needs more money from the provincial government, noting that 42 cents of every property tax dollar goes to the province. HighOnCity reported in July that city council had already signaled property tax increases looming for the 2027 budget.
Why did the vote split 8-7, and which councillors opposed the budget-preview request?
Which civic and community partners submitted requests totaling the full 42.5%, and what specific programs or services did they propose?
Has the province indicated willingness to increase funding to Calgary, or will the city absorb costs without provincial relief?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
What property tax increase did Calgary council vote to request?
Calgary city council voted to request a four-year budget preview showing cumulative property tax revenue growth of 42.5% between 2027 and 2030.
What are the year-over-year tax increase percentages in the preliminary numbers?
The preliminary preview shows 15% in 2027, 12.5% in 2028, 9% in 2029, and 6% in 2030.
When will Calgary release its complete budget document?
The complete budget document will be released in November.
What is Calgary's infrastructure deficit?
Calgary's infrastructure deficit is pegged at $55 billion, with the city's acting COO stating that Calgary infrastructure spending must rise to $5 billion annually.
