Summary#

Calgary City Council approved a direction to City staff on September 22, 2026, as part of the consent agenda. Staff must establish a concrete quality service level targeting 54 per cent of sidewalks in good condition, zero per cent in poor condition, and a 72 per cent reduction in safety hazard locations; the stated aim is safer, more accessible concrete infrastructure.

• The approved direction does not set a deadline. A committee amendment removed the proposed “by 2036” date; Councillors Ward and Wyness voted against that amendment. Council later approved the item 15–0.
• Council also directed staff to consider funding for this approach in the 2027–2030 business plans and budget process, informed by the City’s 10-year Capital Infrastructure Plan. This does not approve funding.
• The staff report discusses sidewalks and curb and gutter, but the approved targets refer to sidewalks and safety hazards; it does not set a separate curb-and-gutter target.

What it means for you#

• People who walk or use sidewalks: The targets guide City staff in setting a service level. The decision does not guarantee a repair at a particular location or create a new way to request one.
• Taxpayers: Council has not approved a tax increase or a specific spending amount. Funding will be considered through a future budget process.
• City staff: They must establish the service level described in the decision. The decision does not specify how it will be measured or reported.

Money#

No new funding amount is approved, and the available materials do not state the annual amount needed to meet the targets.

• The staff report says the City’s concrete rehabilitation budget has averaged $5 million a year over the past eight years. It estimates the sidewalk safety-hazard backlog at $246 million.
• The report warns that achieving the target depends on future funding decisions.

What is unclear#

• The target has no deadline; the proposed 2036 date was removed before Council’s approval.
• The annual investment needed: No publicly available information.
• The decision does not set repair priorities, timelines for individual repairs, or a process for residents to seek repairs.
• The decision does not explain how progress will be measured or how often it will be reported.

Case for#

• City staff say the current funding level is not keeping up with sidewalk deterioration and growth. Their forecast says the share of sidewalks in good condition would fall from 67 per cent to 48 per cent by 2036 at current funding.
• Staff say early repairs can maintain usable walking surfaces and help avoid more costly work later.
• In the City’s spring 2026 survey, 77 per cent of respondents said improving residential and community sidewalk conditions should be a priority.

Case against#

• The direction sets targets but no deadline, so it is unclear when residents should expect them to be met.
• Council did not approve the funding needed to pursue the targets. Staff say service outcomes depend on future budget decisions.
• The approved direction does not specify how the 72 per cent reduction in safety hazards will be measured, or how staff will choose which hazards to address first.