Summary#

Calgary City Council approved a direction to City staff to establish targets for sidewalk condition and safety hazards. The decision does not set a deadline or approve new funding; Council is to consider funding in the 2027–2030 budget process. City staff say the aim is to improve safety, accessibility and the condition of concrete infrastructure.

• City staff must establish a service level with 54 per cent of sidewalks in good condition, zero per cent in poor condition, and 72 per cent fewer safety hazard locations.
• Council is to consider a funding level in the 2027–2030 business plans and budget process, informed by the City’s 10-year capital plan.
• The Infrastructure and Planning Committee removed the original “by 2036” deadline. Council then approved the amended recommendation on the consent agenda, 15–0.

What it means for you#

• People who use sidewalks: The decision sets condition and safety targets for City staff to establish. It does not require a repair at any particular address or set a schedule for individual repairs.
• Taxpayers: No new tax or fee is approved. The amount of future funding is left for the budget process.
• City staff: They must establish the service level. The decision does not specify how they must reach it.

Money#

The decision does not approve a funding amount, and the available material gives no estimate of the cost of meeting the targets.

• City staff report that the concrete rehabilitation budget has averaged $5 million a year over the past eight years. That is existing funding, not a new amount approved by this decision.
• City staff estimate the sidewalk safety-hazard backlog at $246 million. They say it could reach $265 million by 2036 at current funding levels.

What is unclear#

• The final decision sets no deadline for achieving the targets. The original recommendation included “by 2036,” but a committee amendment removed it.
• The decision does not define “good condition,” “poor condition” or “safety hazard locations.”
• It does not say how much funding would be needed, or what level Council will consider in the 2027–2030 budget process.
• The report discusses both sidewalks and curbs and gutters, but the final target wording refers to sidewalks and safety hazards. The precise scope of the service level is not fully clear from the decision.
• City staff say they intend to provide regular updates, but the decision does not set a reporting schedule or require a particular implementation plan.

Case for#

• City staff say the targets would address a growing safety-hazard backlog and help maintain accessible, smooth walking surfaces.
• City staff report that Calgary’s sidewalk network is about 6,245 kilometres long, and that 2 per cent is currently in poor condition. They forecast that, at current funding, the share in good condition will fall from 67 per cent to 48 per cent by 2036.
• In the City’s Spring 2026 survey, 77 per cent of respondents agreed that improving residential and community sidewalk surfaces should be a priority.

Case against#

• The final decision gives no deadline for reaching the targets, so it is unclear when residents could expect the stated improvements. Councillors Ward and Wyness voted against the committee amendment that removed the 2036 deadline; the Council vote on the final item was 15–0.
• The survey’s average preference was for 67 per cent of sidewalks to be in good condition, while the approved target is 54 per cent. That difference may matter to residents judging whether the target meets their expectations.
• Because Council has not approved a funding amount, the target may not be achievable on a defined schedule. City staff also say the ability to meet service targets will depend on future budget decisions.