Summary#

Calgary City Council approved Safer Together: A Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan for Calgary, with added reporting requirements. City staff say the plan’s goal is to coordinate safety and wellbeing work, from emergency response to prevention and social development; approval does not guarantee particular results.

• City staff must engage with the Calgary Police Commission about the plan and report back to Council by Q1 2027.
• City staff must report by July 2026 on implementation details, including key performance measures and budget details.
• Starting in Q2 2027, City staff must report annually to Council on implementation and performance measures.
• Council defeated a motion to send the plan back for further work on a co-governance advisory body, a revised plan, evaluation, workplans and a public dashboard.

What it means for you#

• Calgarians: The plan sets a citywide direction for safety and wellbeing work. The decision does not create a new service, guarantee changes to front-line services, or give residents a new benefit or right.
• City staff: They must complete the three reports and engagement listed above.
• Community organizations and other partners: The plan describes coordination and partnerships, but this decision does not require a named outside organization to take part or provide funding.

Money#

The decision does not approve a specific amount of new spending.

• City staff say cross-department investments will be brought forward through the 2027–2030 business plan and budget process.
• City staff say delivery will require ongoing funding and staff capacity. The July 2026 report must include budget details.
• Calgary Public Library and community organizations that submitted letters said reliable, sustained funding would be needed for their work. The decision does not promise that funding.

What is unclear#

• The full plan attachment was not included in the supplied material, so its five priorities and 15 actions cannot be described or checked in detail.
• The decision does not set a budget, staffing level, or start date for implementation.
• It does not specify how the Calgary Police Commission or community partners will be involved beyond the required engagement with the Commission.
• The plan’s performance measures and how results will be assessed are not yet specified in the decision.

Case for#

• City staff say a shared approach could reduce fragmented work and duplication, and help coordinate incident response, risk intervention, prevention and social development.
• United Way of Calgary and Area supported the plan’s focus on coordination and prevention, saying it could build on existing work such as Community Hubs and Action Table Calgary.
• Calgary Public Library supported the plan’s balance of prevention and response, while stressing that its contribution depends on reliable funding.

Case against#

• City staff identify a risk that implementation will need sustained funding and staffing over the next four-year budget cycle and beyond; Council has not yet approved that funding.
• City staff also warn that results may take time, and residents may doubt the plan if safety perceptions do not improve quickly or crime increases.
• Councillor Wyness’s defeated referral motion sought a co-governance body, a revised plan, evaluation and a public dashboard. Council did not require that further work before approving the plan.
• Councillors Ward, Tyers, Johnston and McLean voted against the final motion. The minutes do not state their reasons.