Calgary Council Receives Quarterly CAO Report

Summary#

On September 8, 2026, Calgary’s Executive Committee carried a motion to receive the Chief Administrative Officer’s third-quarter performance check-in report for the corporate record. The report describes an existing quarterly check-in process; the committee’s motion did not approve a performance finding or direct a new action.

  • The check-ins follow Council’s January 2026 direction to monitor the Chief Administrative Officer’s progress against agreed performance objectives.
  • The report says provincial law requires Council to give the Chief Administrative Officer an annual written performance evaluation.
  • City staff recommended keeping closed-meeting discussions confidential, but the motion that carried only says to receive the report.
  • The motion was moved by Councillor Dhaliwal and carried 6–0.

What it means for you#

  • For the Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Committee: The report supports the quarterly check-in process. This decision does not state how the Chief Administrative Officer performed or set new objectives.
  • For the public: The report was received for the corporate record, but it does not provide performance results. City staff said public communication or engagement was not required.

Money#

City staff reported no anticipated financial impact.

  • The report gives no separate estimate of staff time or other resources used for the check-ins.

What is unclear#

  • The report does not state the Chief Administrative Officer’s progress against the agreed objectives.
  • The carried motion does not include staff’s recommendation about keeping closed-meeting discussions confidential; the available record does not explain how those discussions were handled.

Case for#

  • City staff say quarterly check-ins help Executive Committee monitor progress against agreed objectives.
  • City staff say the process supports transparency, good governance and documentation, alongside the annual written evaluation required by provincial law.

Case against#

  • The report gives no performance results for the public to assess, and the committee’s recorded decision only received the report.
  • The report does not explain how the public can learn about progress if check-in discussions take place in a closed meeting.

Votes

Executive Committee, item 7.12 (Chief Administrative Officer – 2026 Q3 Performance Evaluation Check-in, EC2026-0707): That with respect to Report EC2026-0707, the following be approved: That Executive Committee receive the report for the Corporate Record.

For (100%)