Councillor George Chahal’s 2019 WARD 5 UPDATE Castleridge / Cityscape / Cornerstone / Falconridge / Martindale / Redstone / Saddle Ridge / Skyview Ranch / Taradale Connect with us: t 403.268.2430 [email protected] w GeorgeChahal.ca chahalgeorge Greetings Ward 5 The last two years have been a ü Advocated for the planned Future Ward 5 Recreational tremendous experience, having had Facility and Library to be included as a priority in funding decisions. the honour and privilege of serving ü Continued Chai with Chahal where residents and business you, and all Calgarians, as The City owners connected with me about things that matter Councillor for Ward 5. This 2019 Ward to them. 5 Update is meant to serve as a year in ü Worked with community leaders to undertake community review for the second year of my term cleanups throughout the ward and in our parks. to let you know how things are going At the mid-point of representing you as Councillor, at The City and within our communities. This past year has I encourage you to get involved in some of the many provided many great successes. I would like to thank you for the wonderful initiatives going on around Ward 5. emails, letters, phone calls, conversations and ideas that you have It is through our community member’s support and shared with my office. Your contributions continue to keep our enthusiastic participation that we make great strides communities thriving. and accomplishments for all of us. A few of the items I have championed and worked with you and Your Voice Matters! City Administration to move forward include: Please stay in touch and reach out to our office ü Advocating for changes to the Mortgage Stress Test to make housing at [email protected] or visit my website more affordable and attainable for Calgarians and get people back at GeorgeChahal.ca. to work. ü Pushing for a more transparent and equitable budgeting process for Thank you for an enjoyable year and I wish you and your The City’s four-year business plan and budget. family a Happy New Year! ü Ensuring that our communities have adequate park space to serve the needs of our residents. Sincerely, ü Having much needed bus routes planned and extended to meet the needs of our residents. ü Continuing to push for the installation of the approved and needed outdoor artificial turf field at the Genesis Centre. ü Chairing the Foothills Athletic Park Redevelopment Assessment Committee to help direct the development of a much-needed multi- sport fieldhouse in our city. George Chahal ü Increasing community safety by having new traffic lights, crosswalks and traffic-calming measures installed. Councillor Chahal’s 2018-2019 Committees ü Reviewing pension plans at The City to ensure sustainability, affordability and fairness. Standing Policy Committees Advocating for clean communities by hosting my second annual ü • Transportation and Transit Ward 5 Community Clean Up with over 600 volunteers participating. • Utilities and Corporate Services ü Advocating for the continuation of the Low Income Transit Pass and for making transit free for those aged 70+ and under 18. Standing Specialized Committees ü Continuing to work with City Administration to develop a new • Intergovernmental Affairs Committee approach to engagement and communications in ethnically diverse areas of the city. Other Boards, Commissions and Committees ü Hosting a highly successful Public Safety & Community Violence • Chair of Inter-Municipal Committee – Rocky View Townhall with over 200 attendees. • Chair of Foothills Athletic Park Redevelopment ü Called for transparency about the finances behind the deal for a new Assessment Committee Event Centre (Arena) • Chair of Goods Movement Committee Opened the new northeast Calgary Skatepark at the Genesis Centre. ü • Calgary Metropolitan Region Board Advocacy Committee Launched the Ward 5 Sports Council to bring together northeast ü • Nominations Committee Calgary’s diverse sport groups. • Canadian Urban Transit Association ü Spoke out against Quebec’s controversial Bill 21 with a formal Resolution approved by Council. Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries ü Took a stand against increased gun violence in Calgary’s northeast by • Attainable Homes Calgary Corporation demanding a multi-faceted approach. • Calgary Municipal Land Corporation 2 Ward 5 Update 2019 City Council Updates A few of the items I have championed of eliminating transit user fees for seniors and reducing the cost of youth fares. I believe that these types of changes are and worked with you to move needed to help the youngest and oldest people in our city forward include: access transit more easily. Mortgage Stress Test 2020 Budget Adjustments In February, I brought forward a Notice of Motion to Council In November 2019, I was actively involved in the budget that requested our federal and provincial governments adjustment discussions. I advocated for a more transparent eliminate the “mortgage stress test policy” and have a made and fair process for residents of Ward 5 and all Calgarians. We in Alberta solution. This policy has had a negative impact need to ensure that our essential services are in place while on our local economy. It is important we stand united in also looking for efficiencies and savings by reducing City supporting our real estate and construction industries that expenditures. At the end of the budget debate, I voted against provide many jobs locally and continued opportunities for the overall budget that will unfairly increase the tax rate for homeownership. The Motion was supported by Council and Calgary homeowners and businesses over the next year. advocacy works to the provincial and federal governments will Businesses and residents both are dealing with hardship and be ongoing until this policy is either amended significantly we as Council need to find a way to balance the tax burden as or repealed. The motion was also unanimously passed by the much as possible. Although I voted against the budget, I was Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and Federation of in favour of a tax shift that decreased the burden on business Canadian Municipalities. I am proud to have had many other owners. I fully believe that we should not be increasing municipalities follow our lead and join the fight against this the burden on taxpayers by increasing property taxes on stress test policy. those who are already struggling from the downturn in the economy. A more balanced approach to the tax shift should be used that does not unfairly penalize homeowners. We need Low Income Transit Pass to be good fiscal stewards and must make tough decisions I successfully brought forward a Motion to City Council to during tough times by finding more efficiencies and cost increase advocacy for the importance of the Low Income savings within City Administration first. Further, we should Transit Pass to the province. I am happy to announce that also be advocating to the provincial government for tax the province has recently announced their support for low reforms that address the challenges associated with absentee income transit by funding it in their budget. The Motion also multinational REIT and Pension Fund owners of downtown asked City Administration to examine the financial impacts office towers. Resolution Against Quebec’s Controversial Bill 21 I successfully brought forward a Resolution to City Council that took a strong stance against Quebec’s controversial Bill 21. The Resolution was supported by Council unanimously. Passing the Resolution shows City Council’s opposition to the Bill and its dedication to building a welcoming city where everyone has access to opportunity and prosperity. Bill 21 is not about secularism, nor does it reflect Canadian values of tolerance and generosity. I thank my Council colleagues and the many communities that supported this Resolution. We are stonger together. t 403.268.2430 [email protected] w GeorgeChahal.ca chahalgeorge 3 Fiscal Stewardship, Accountability and Transparency I brought forward a Notice of Motion in April 2019 that asked for a review of our Public Sector Pension Plans to ensure sustainability, affordability and fairness for the employer and employees. These need to be the core principles of our decision-making moving forward. I believe that we must strive to keep improving and focus on delivering the best services at the lowest cost. I have been persistent in my search for finding more efficiencies within City Hall to reflect the realities that ordinary Calgarians and business owners are facing. I do not want to leave any stone unturned which means asking tough questions about topics such as the Public Sector Pension Plans. Goods Movement, Transportation New Event Centre (Arena) and Logistics Hub The Event Centre (Arena) was approved by City Council in July 2019. The $275 million Event Centre deal was originally I have been working with other orders of government, the presented to Council at the same time as significant cuts to Calgary International Airport, and many different businesses the operational budget were being approved. I voted against to support and foster a Transportation and Logistics hub the proposal as I believe we required more time for due within Ward 5. Our collective vision will provide critical pieces diligence to evaluate the details and make sure taxpayers of infrastructure that will boost jobs and the economy, not got the best deal possible. City Council’s approach to this only in Ward 5 but for the Greater Calgary Area as well. We process and decision was a litmus test for fiscal accountability. have successfully created the Goods Movement Strategy Unfortunately, many of the questions I posed to the Committee through Council that will steward The City’s Good negotiating team were inadequately answered. I am for an Movement Strategy. The Strategy will focus on things such as Event Centre that makes sense for taxpayers and this deal did improving efficiency and congestion through infrastructure not.