Calgary’s climate emergency,
what it actually did.
On 15 November 2021, Calgary City Council declared a climate emergency. Four years later, a motion to rescind it was defeated 4-10. This case file walks through what the declaration directed, what got built, what it cost, and who actually paid.
The nine focus areas
The 2023-2026 Climate Implementation Plan organises that work into nine focus areas. Every dollar of climate spending is attached to one of them, and progress is reported against each one annually. The 2023-2026 cross-corporate climate budget, as the city tabulates it, totals roughly $432.7M: $384M capital and $46M one-time operating (both 4-year cumulative cash), plus $3.5M recurring base-operating add fully ramped by 2026 (annual; continues past 2026 — not 4-year cash). The bulk of capital sits in Mobility — the $165M Canada Infrastructure Bank loan plus the $325M Zero Emission Transit Fund grant for the EV bus program; the next tab breaks down who is actually paying.
Each tile below is one focus area; tile area is the cross-corporate climate budget allocated to it as the city reports it (capital + one-time operating + recurring base-operating add — see qualifier above). Hover any tile to see the focus area’s description and the capital / one-time / base-operating split. The size disparity is the story — Mobility alone is larger than the other eight combined, driven by the EV bus capital line.
All nine, with descriptions
- 01Governance, Capacity Building & Reporting $38.1M
Supporting the implementation of our climate strategies and plans and maintaining accountability to our climate commitments.
- 02City Design & Development $3.5M
Integrating climate considerations into city planning, urban design and city building.
- 03Buildings & Homes $39.1M
Achieving improved energy performance, carbon reduction and climate resilience of buildings and homes.
- 04Energy $15.6M
Increasing green and low-carbon energy sources, systems, and infrastructure.
- 05Mobility $283.8M
Supporting active transportation, public transit services, low-carbon vehicles, and transportation infrastructure to reduce GHG emissions.
- 06Waste & Consumption $11.0M
Reducing GHG emissions through waste reduction and diversion, reduced resource use and supporting the circular economy.
- 07Water $3.5M
Protecting our watersheds and water resources and reducing flood and drought risk.
- 08Nature & Ecology $32.9M
Protecting and enhancing ecosystems, biodiversity, natural infrastructure, and green space.
- 09People $5.3M
Improving equity, access to information, education, and the health and wellbeing of Calgarians to support community climate action and resilience.