Summary#

On May 26, 2026, Calgary City Council adopted Mayor Farkas’s revised notice of motion, carried 11 to 3. It directs City staff to prepare a report—not to establish a downtown police station—by the end of 2026. The stated goal is to consider options for a permanent police office or a multi-service public safety and community hub downtown.

• City staff must consult the Calgary Police Commission, Calgary Police Service and Government of Alberta, then present the report to the Community Development Committee.
• The report must review facility options, including City-owned or leased sites, new construction on City land and public/private partnerships. Priority is for options with visible street-level police presence and 24/7 public access.
• It must include capital and operating cost estimates, funding options, a proposed timeline, and whether the Police Commission supports a new facility or hub and in what form.

What it means for you#

• Downtown residents, workers, businesses and visitors: This decision does not open a new police facility or change police services now. It requires a report on possible options.
• City staff: They must prepare the report and consult the named organizations and government. The motion does not specify what input those parties must provide.
• The public and downtown organizations: The adopted motion does not require public engagement. It does not decide whether a facility will be built, where it would be, or what services it would offer.

Money#

No cost for preparing the report or for a future facility is provided in the available material.

• The report must estimate facility, security, staffing, equipment and vehicle-storage costs, and identify funding options.

What is unclear#

• The motion sets a report deadline of no later than Q4 2026 but gives no date for a decision on whether to proceed.
• It does not say how the public, businesses or community groups will be involved in developing the options.
• No site, service model, funding source or implementation date is chosen.

Case for#

• The motion’s background says the former Victoria Park Station closed in 2017 and that the existing community counter at 115 6 Ave SW does not provide 24/7 service, patrol deployment or arrest processing. A feasibility report could assess whether a different facility would address these stated gaps.
• The motion’s background also points to downtown crime and social disorder, and private security costs for businesses and property owners. Comparing facility options and costs could help Council decide whether a public facility is justified.

Case against#

• The decision requires a report, not a station or hub. It does not guarantee that Council will approve a facility or that one would address the concerns described in the motion.
• Councillors Atkinson, Chabot and Wyness voted against the motion; the minutes do not state their reasons.