Calgary is facing a significant infrastructure deficit in the upcoming decade, and Ottawa has announced a fresh investment in the city’s water system on Tuesday. The federal government is allocating up to $29 million to the initial phase of the North Calgary Water Servicing project. This project consists of a 22-kilometre water feeder main and several support facilities to accommodate the city’s growth and address water needs in the northwest area.
An earlier city report estimated that around $49 billion is necessary for constructing, replacing, or maintaining Calgary’s capital infrastructure over the next ten years. Mayor Jeromy Farkas emphasized the importance of the federal contribution, stating that there is still much work to be done to close the infrastructure deficit gap, particularly as Calgary nears a population of two million residents.
Construction on the project commenced last autumn and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2029. The city is also investing $94 million in the project, which is expected to deliver 100 million liters of water daily to northwest Calgary upon completion.
The initial phase of the project involves the installation of seven kilometers of linear feeder main to link the Top Hill and Big Hill East reservoirs, along with boosting pumping capacity at the Mountain View Pump Station. Calgary Confederation MP Corey Hogan highlighted that this phase will enhance redundancy to ensure continuous water services during emergencies and planned maintenance.
The federal funding is part of Ottawa’s “Build Communities Strong Fund,” which is earmarking $51 billion for infrastructure projects nationwide. This financial injection coincides with Calgary’s ongoing efforts to replace the Bearspaw south feeder main following two major pipe ruptures, with the most recent incident occurring at the close of last year. The city recently completed the initial phase of the Bearspaw’s replacement.
Municipal officials in Calgary, including Mayor Farkas and city councillors, have consistently stressed the critical nature of infrastructure concerns, especially in anticipation of the upcoming four-year budget deliberations this fall. The city has come under fire for historically underfunding its water infrastructure.
Due to Alberta’s Provincial Priorities Act, any agreements between Ottawa and an Alberta municipality must undergo scrutiny by the provincial government. Federal funding can only be disbursed once authorization is granted by Alberta’s Municipal Affairs ministry.
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