Calgary faces potential 20.2% property-tax increase under preliminary budget scenario

Calgary would need to increase property-tax revenue by 20.2 per cent in 2027 if city council approved every new spending request currently under consideration, according to confidential preliminary budget documents obtained by Global News. The requests from city departments and partner organizations total approximately $510 million and cover more than 100 proposals involving transit, roads, police, fire services and other municipal operations.

The figure is not an approved tax increase or even the city’s final proposal. Administration estimates Calgary has room to fund only $139 million in additional requests without raising taxes beyond the amount already required to maintain existing services. Even without approving the additional proposals, the documents estimate property-tax revenue would need to rise by 5.4 per cent next year. The 20.2-per-cent scenario would also be followed by projected increases of 8.5 per cent in 2028, nine per cent in 2029 and 8.9 per cent in 2030.

Mayor Jeromy Farkas said it is premature to predict the final increase, emphasizing that many requests will be scaled back or rejected as council prioritizes essential infrastructure and public safety. Council has already instructed administrators to refine the figures, with a subsequent internal scenario proposing increases of 15 per cent in 2027, 12.5 per cent in 2028, nine per cent in 2029 and six per cent in 2030. Calgary’s proposed four-year budget is expected to be released publicly on Nov. 10, followed by council deliberations beginning Nov. 23.