City may be making changes to capital budget
Posted Nov 25, 2015 7:59 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A record $2.3-billion in infrastructure spending will be on the line Wednesday, as council deliberates making an adjustment to its capital budget.
It is a first for the city, which has never spent more than $1.5-billion in a capital year.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi says it increases spending without an increase in property tax.
“I will just say where this all came from, of course, was a real desire to find shovel-ready projects, to find things that could get started in 2015 and to accelerate existing things,” he said.
Nenshi adds the city can save money by making counter-cyclical investments now in infrastructure.
It may be approved yet, but Calgary and District Labour Council President Alexander Shevalier is already applauding the city’s direction.
Shevalier says in a written statement, “this is the approach all levels of government should be taking.”
He adds, the city can save up to 20 per cent and calls it a thought out and smart approach to infrastructure.
