Calgary councillors split over downtown office-to-residential conversion funding
Posted Nov 27, 2025 6:49 pm.
As Calgary City Council continues its budget deliberations, a proposed $40 million allocation for downtown office-to-residential conversions has sparked debate among councillors.
Just last week, city officials were touting the program as a model for other municipalities and unveiled new details about nine new conversion projects.
“Cities across North America and around the world are looking to Calgary as a leader in modernizing and revitalizing office-heavy downtown,” said Alecia Peters, Manager of Business Strategy and Analytics for the City of Calgary.
But on Thursday, some councillors questioned whether taxpayer dollars should be used to support the conversions.
“What specific gap or need is this funding addressing that the private sector is not already meeting?” asked Ward 12 Coun. Mike Jamieson.
The city’s 2026 budget includes a one-time $40 million operating adjustment for the program. Coun. Jennifer Wyness argued that the money could be better spent elsewhere.
“It’s prioritization of the spending Calgarians are asking for,” she said. “When we have spent millions of dollars in the downtown core, it’s not like that area of the city hasn’t been invested in.”
Not all members of the council share that view. Mayor Jeromy Farkas defended the program, calling downtown revitalization essential.
“There’s no such thing as an exit strategy for our downtown. We have to continue to push for the needed measures to keep downtown safe, to keep it vibrant and affordable. Downtown conversions are one piece of that,” he said.
Coun. Myke Atkinson also voiced support, noting that previous incentives had failed to spur conversions.
“We had many incentives before the money came in, and we weren’t seeing those residential conversions taking place. This money has allowed for that to happen,” Atkinson said.
Council will continue its budget discussions on Friday, with administration expected to field more questions about spending priorities, including the future of the downtown conversion program.
