Calgary homeowners face 5.4% property tax hike under new budget preview

Calgary homeowners are set to see a 5.4 per cent increase in property taxes as part of the city’s latest budget adjustments, unveiled Wednesday by city administration.

While the overall tax increase remains at 3.6 per cent—as previously approved by City Council—the burden will fall more heavily on residential property owners.

Non-residential properties will see a more modest increase of 1.3 per cent.

“We’ve tried really hard to balance affordability with a rapidly growing city that’s been facing significant inflation over the previous years,” said David Duckworth, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Calgary.

The budget preview outlines increased investment in four key areas: housing, infrastructure, public safety, and transit. Mayor Jyoti Gondek emphasized the value Calgarians receive for their tax dollars, noting that between taxes and utilities, residents pay about $13 a day for city services.

“That’s a pretty good value for your dollar,” Gondek said. “But we need to be much better at explaining what you get for the property taxes that you pay.”

Outgoing City Councillor Peter Demong, one of the longest-serving members of council, offered perspective on the tax increase, reflecting on previous years of minimal hikes.

“Taxes—city taxes, anyway—almost always have to go up,” Demong said. “We went through three years back in 2021/22, where we increased it by a little more than 1 per cent. I think we even had a decrease at one point, but we had to pay for that three years later.”

City planning to add $260 million in spending

Funded by the increase in property taxes, the City of Calgary is planning to add $260 million in spending to its upcoming budget to support areas it says matter most to taxpayers.

Affordable housing is set to get a $78 million investment for various projects, including a 260-unit downtown office-to-residential conversion in Southview; there’s $61 million earmarked for downtown safety initiatives recommended by the Downtown Safety Leadership Table, including daytime resources and outreach for vulnerable Calgarians, investments in 911 operations, and funding for the Calgary Police Service (CPS); and $59 million to increase transit service frequency, fare affordability programs, and maintenance and safety programs.

Lastly, Budget 2026 has tentatively planned $68 million for investments in pavement, streetlights, parks, facilities, and the Plus 15.

An additional $1.1 billion is planned for water infrastructure, the city says.

In total, the City of Calgary is proposing $4.6 billion in operating spending and $3.6 billion in capital investments for 2026.

“We know Calgarians are feeling today’s economic challenges, which is why we are focused on investing in what matters most to Calgarians,” said Chief Administrative Officer David Duckworth. “This budget balances affordability with the demands of a growing city, allowing us to continue to deliver high-quality programs and services that meet the needs of our community.”

This year marks the final adjustments to the original 2023-2026 Service Plans & Budgets that were originally approved by Council in 2022. The city says it updates its budget annually to respond to changing conditions and priorities, while staying aligned with long-term goals.

Have your say

Starting this week, Calgarians are able to provide feedback on the proposed 2026 budget.

The comments will help inform council’s decisions and ensure the needs and priorities of the community are met.

The full budget will be presented to council on Nov. 10. Public deliberations will start Nov. 24.

Calgarians can view the budget preview, register to speak or submit comments at calgary.ca/budget