The City of Calgary is preparing to ask the province for more than $1.2 billion for water infrastructure, transit, recreation and other priorities in Alberta’s 2027 budget. The draft submission goes before the city’s intergovernmental affairs committee Wednesday. It could still be revised and would require council approval before being formally sent to the province. The five requests with specified dollar figures total $1.235 billion. The submission also contains several unpriced requests, including provincial support for the Prairie Economic Gateway and the full Green Line LRT. Transit Transit is the largest category, with Calgary seeking up to $448 million in capital funding. This consists of $255 million for the construction of a new bus maintenance and storage facility, $166 million for the MAX Green bus rapid transit project on Centre Street North and $27 million for extending the Blue Line LRT. The city is also hoping to obtain support from the province in order to connect Calgary Transit with future passenger rail service. Water infrastructure The second-largest request is $418.1 million for water and wastewater infrastructure. The draft says Calgary faces a $56-billion infrastructure deficit over the next decade, with some of the greatest risks involving drinking water and wastewater systems. Almost $178 million will be allocated to the North Calgary Water Servicing Project, which includes a new 22-kilometre feeder main and several supporting facilities. When the project is fully completed in 2029, it’s expected to add an additional 100 million litres of daily water capacity to north Calgary. The draft provincial submission also requests $118.6 million for a south Calgary feeder main and $17 million for the Nose Creek Sanitary Trunk. Another $104.9 million would be divided between upgrades at the Bearspaw and Glenmore water treatment plants. Other asks: recreation, transit passes and emergency response The city is also asking for $320 million to cover the first phase of GamePLAN, its 25-year recreation strategy. At least $150 million would go toward the proposed Foothills Multisport Fieldhouse. The remaining $170 million would support five recreation projects, potentially including redevelopments at the Forest Lawn and Foothills aquatic centres, renovations at Southland Leisure Centre, a new Rocky Ridge fieldhouse and upgrades at Shouldice Athletic Park. Another $25 million would support the Low-Income Transit Pass in 2027 and 2028. The city is also seeking $23.9 million to reimburse the Calgary Fire Department for responding to critical medical incidents in 2025 and the first half of 2026. The submission also asks the province to cover one-third of the cost of the Prairie Economic Gateway, but does not specify an amount.
