Ward 7 Newsletter | January 2024 |

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January 2024

Happy New Year!

As we step into the new year, I am filled with hope and excitement for our city's future. Let's embrace the opportunities that lie ahead, work together to build a stronger community, and create positive change. Wishing everyone a happy and safe New Year!

in 2024, I will be addressing the priority needs as expressed by Calgarians of housing, affordability, and public safety. I have been appointed to the Calgary Police Commission which allows me to govern and provide oversight to policing as it addresses crime, safety, and public disorder and to the Silvera for Seniors Board which provides housing for our elders.

I will continue to listen, learn, and lead on the behalf of our communities and work towards a clean, safe, and secure Calgary.

As always; if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or feedback - please reach out to WARD7@Calgary.ca

Thank you - Terry

City Council News

Citywide Rezoning to RC-G Base District

The Ward 7 Office is committed to providing up-to-date accessible information for the April 22, 2024 public hearing on the citywide rezoning to an RC-G base district.

Please stay tuned to our communication channels for more information and important dates regarding events that will be hosted by the Ward 7 team in our communities to discuss the proposed rezoning as it comes forward.

For all of the information on the proposed changes, FAQ's, and to provide your thoughts - please visit Calgary.ca/rezoningforhousing and share your thoughts on the proposed changes to the Ward office directly at WARD7@Calgary.ca

Residential Tax Rebate

Councillor Wong recently brought forward a Notice of Motion to task administration to find $23.1m in savings to rebate the 2% shift within this years budget deliberations from non-residential to residential properties. This motion came up for debate on January 30th and was not implemented with a 8-7 vote against the motion.

Councillor understands that that households are becoming challenged with rising home and household costs due to rising municipal taxes, fees, utilities, and other non-municipal costs including insurance, food, rent, and consumer inflation. This Notice of Motion aimed to alleviate some of the financial pressure Calgarians are facing, by tasking administration to find savings within the City without losing funding for our key priorities in housing, affordability, and public safety as expressed by Calgarians.

While this motion was denied, Councillor Wong will continue to work to improve affordability for all Calgarians.

For more information on the vote results please visit here.

Repeal of Single-Use Items Bylaw

On January 30th, Council voted to repeal the Single-Use Items bylaw. Councillor Wong voted in favour of the repeal based on the immense amount of feedback from the community against the bylaw.

Next Steps: This bylaw will be in place until a Public Hearing Meeting is scheduled within the next few months where Council will be able to hear from the public and discuss options to reduce waste and promote environmentally friendly options that Calgarians will be in support of.

Community Information

Property Tax Assessments

On January 3, property tax assessment notices were sent out. If there are any inquires or concerns regarding your property's assessed value, or if the notice has not reached you, please connect with Assessment directly at 403-268-2888 or visit calgary.ca/assessment. The City's Customer Review Period extends from now until March 13, which is also the deadline for assessment appeals.

In November, Council approved a 7.8% increase to property taxes, which Councillor Wong did not support (see Councillor Wong's thoughts on the budget here). For more information on how taxes are assessed, and to use the property tax calculator please visit: calgary.ca/propertytaxes.

Secondary Suite Amnesty Program extended until Dec. 2026

The Secondary Suite Amnesty Program has been approved for extension until December 31, 2026. The amnesty program waives the fees for development permits and Secondary Suite Registries, other permit fees for utilities and building safety still apply.

The amnesty program aims to reduce the cost of producing secondary suites that are safe for all. For more information on secondary suites, please visit calgary.ca/suites.

Community Events / Engagement

Experience the Magic of Chinook Blast

Calgary’s ultimate winter festival returns Feb. 2-19, 2024. This year’s event will warm up our city with a celebration of community, culture, and civic pride, where the best of Calgary’s art, music, theatre, sport and recreation will be on display.

For the past three winters, Chinook Blast has captivated Calgarians and visitors by bringing downtown Calgary to life with an incredible lineup of activities and performances to help you beat the winter blues. This year will again feature a sizzling lineup of art installations, live music, thrilling winter sports, local markets, live shows and so much more.

Get ready to experience the magic as we transform the city into a winter wonderland. Mark your calendars and follow Chinook Blast on social media or at chinookblast.ca for the latest updates. It’s going to be a winter extravaganza like no other!

Chinook Blast 2024 is presented by The City of Calgary, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Arts Development and Calgary Economic Development, along with numerous other community partners and sponsors.

Calgary City Building

The City of Calgary is updating plans that will shape the Calgary of the future and make sure our city keeps on being a great place to live. As our city’s population approaches two million, we must prepare to support this growth. The City Building program will align and strengthen our plans and tools to create a place where every Calgarian can thrive.

The Calgary Plan will merge the Municipal Development Plan with the Calgary Transportation Plan to guide the way we move and use land across the city.

The new Zoning Bylaw (currently the Land Use Bylaw) will simplify the rules that govern the use of land and the form of buildings in the city.

The new Street Manual (currently the Complete Streets Policy & Guide) will provide updated direction for the design of Calgary’s streets to support safe travel options for all Calgarians.

All three of these documents will be created based on public feedback, existing policies, Council priorities, partnering with the Indigenous community, and extensive consultation with subject matter experts and interested parties. This effort will impact every Calgarian for the next 30 years.

The second phase of engagement will focus on the initial proposed direction of the Calgary Plan, Zoning Bylaw, and Street Manual. We invite all Calgarians to share their input, either in person or online, from Jan. 29 to March 3. Learn more and participate at calgary.ca/citybuilding

Ward 7 is situated in Calgary, a city renowned for community connections at the confluence where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy, made up of the Siksika, Piikani, Amskaapipiikani and Kainai First Nations; the Îethka Nakoda Wîcastabi First Nations, comprised of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations; and the Tsuut’ina First Nation. The city of Calgary is also homeland to the historic Northwest Métis and to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, Métis Nation Battle River Territory, Nose Hill Métis District 5, Elbow Métis District 6, and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.

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Ward 7, Office of the Councillor

Office of the Councillors P.O. Box 2100, Stn. M Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 2M5 Mail code: 8001

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