Summary#

Council adopted Councillor Kelly’s motion on March 31, 2026, directing City staff to prepare a Municipal Fiscal Gap Report. This is a direction to report, not a funding transfer or a change to taxes or services. The stated goal is to show the direct financial impacts of provincial decisions on Calgary.

• City staff must draw on earlier Municipal Fiscal Gap Reports and current budget documents.
• The report must outline those impacts, including provincial funding shortfalls that may be covered within the municipal budget and costs downloaded onto the City.
• The first report is due by the end of the second quarter of 2026.

What it means for you#

• City taxpayers and residents: The report is intended to explain financial effects on the City. The motion does not itself change your taxes, City services, or the amount of provincial funding.
• City staff: They must prepare and release the report by the stated deadline.

Money#

The decision requires staff work, but the supplied material gives no cost estimate.

• It does not approve funding or require a transfer of money between the Province and the City.

What is unclear#

• The motion does not define how staff should measure “direct financial impacts,” funding shortfalls, or costs downloaded onto the City.
• It does not set out the report’s method, level of detail, or how provincial decisions will be selected for inclusion.
• It requires a first report but does not say whether further reports must be produced.
• It does not direct the City to seek provincial funding or change the municipal budget based on the report.

Case for#

• The notice cites earlier City reports that identified funding shortfalls of more than $311 million in 2023 and $436.9 million in 2024. A new report could show how the picture has changed using current budget information.
• The notice says the City and Province share responsibilities, including for infrastructure, housing, and transit. A report could help explain the financial effects of provincial decisions on the City.

Case against#

• The report would provide information but would not itself recover provincial funding or change the municipal budget.
• The motion does not specify how staff should define or calculate the impacts. That could leave readers unsure how to compare the figures or what they include.
• No opposing arguments appear in the supplied material; Council carried the motion 15–0.