Happy New Year!

This past year has been amazing! Together we have accomplished so much and made Calgary a better city for all of us.

And the future of our great city continues to be so bright. From my family to yours, here's to a fantastic 2013!

- Mayor Naheed K. Nenshi

Year-end interviews with Mayor Nenshi

In mid-December, Mayor Nenshi sat down with CTV's Tara Nelson to conduct a long-form interview about the 2012 and the year ahead.

Click here to watch the video. 

UPDATE:

Here's the full Global TV year-end interview with Reid Fiest:

And here's the full QR77 year-end interview with Aurelio Perry.



- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Mayor Nenshi Reads "Llama Llama Holiday Drama"

In this special Christmas edition of "Mayor Nenshi Reads", we teamed up with CTV Calgary to film Mayor Nenshi reading Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney.

You can watch the video on CTV's website. 

From Mayor Nenshi and all of his team: Merry Christmas!

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Our generosity is what makes us successful

For many years, I've written a column for the Calgary Herald Christmas Fund. Here is my 2012 story:

At this festive time of year, our thoughts turn to family and fun, to great food and forgetting our diets, but also to faith and values, community and giving back.

Calgarians are among the most blessed people on Earth - living in a community of peace, respect and relative prosperity. We are also a generous people - some 85 per cent of us give to charity every year and countless others volunteer their time and talent.

But the most important part of our generosity - indeed, the key to our success - is of another kind. We are remarkably generous in sharing opportunity. We understand that the success of any one of us is the success of all of us, and that every Calgarian deserves a chance to succeed regardless of background or circumstance.

In my time as your mayor, I have been touched by how deeply this ethic is ingrained in Calgarians - how we know we are all family. From the little girl selling her art on Facebook to raise money for the homeless to the corporate CEO spending her time working on creative solutions to poverty, we're all in this together.

This means that we each have the power to make change. Certainly, government must play its part.

This is why I launched, in partnership with the United Way, the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative. The only requirement to participate? You have to be smart, and you have to care. I am very excited about the ideas coming from the initiative, and I look forward to our colleagues in the federal and provincial governments continuing to join the city at the table.

But truly helping those in need takes much more than government.

As much as we hope to change the system so that people don't stumble, we must also be there to catch them when they fall.

Every one of us has the power to make change. No one is too small, no one is too weak, no one has a voice too quiet to make the world better. That's the philosophy behind 3 Things for Calgary - that each of us has not only the power but the responsibility to use our hands, our minds, our hearts and our souls to work for others.

It's also the philosophy behind the Calgary Herald Christmas Fund. Every year, the Herald carefully curates a list of some of the very best non-profits in the community and gives us all the amazing opportunity to help them.

The fund won a well-deserved Generosity of Spirit award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals this year for helping to not only give, but to give well.

This year's portfolio of charities is as impressive as ever. These organizations do amazing work for our neighbours in need, whether their issues include addiction, violence, illness or poverty.

I particularly like this year's focus on mental-health issues through organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association (Calgary region), Wood's Homes, Alpha House, EvenStart and Youville Residence. Mental health issues, sometimes accompanied by addiction, remain one of the most intractable problems in our community.

There are other great organizations on the list - from the Boys and Girls Clubs to the Kerby Centre. They are there for us and our neighbours at every point in our lives. And even at the end, Hospice Calgary is there providing care, compassion, and love.

We are incredibly fortunate to live in a community that cares so much, that sees the inherent worth and dignity of each human being. And I thank all those who donate their time and resources, and all of those who have chosen to make their careers in the non-profit sector. It's a great and noble thing to dedicate your life to making the world better for others, and I salute you for it.

I hope that you'll all take the time this season to learn more about these amazing organizations. And I hope you will give, and give generously. Thank you. And from my family to yours: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

- Mayor Naheed Nenshi

Mayor Nenshi Reads "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

Back in Mayor Nenshi's first year on the job, CityTV's Breakfast Television pitched a novel idea: A video of the mayor reading a beloved children's book with the help of some of the show's favourite personalities.

That's definitely different than your usual mayoral video, but we figured we'd give it a try. The result... well, the result was this.

It was was enjoyed by so many people (including Mayor Nenshi, who enjoys reading to kids) that it was the very first of a series of "Mayor Nenshi Reads" videos. Since that first year, we've made a Mayor Nenshi Reads Christmas edition a tradition--one we'll keep doing as long as we can.

So, pull up a chair and grab some holiday baking and please enjoy this little treat!

- Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Interview: Mayor Nenshi and Y! Canada News

In early December, Mayor Nenshi chatted with Yahoo! Canada about a variety of topics. The full interview is here, but here are a few of the questions and answers:

Y! Canada News: You just recently celebrated your second anniversary as Calgary's mayor. Since coming into office, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

Mayor Nenshi: Probably the biggest thing … is the engagement and excitement about the city.

There was a survey done earlier this summer in which they asked people in Canada’s largest cities to talk about how they felt about their cities. And Calgary came first in quality of life in six out of seven measures.

And, when Calgarians were asked [if] your city on the rise, an incredible 90 per cent of them were optimistic and said their city on the rise.

To me that’s the biggest thing. Calgarians are feeling great about their community. They're feeling great about the level of service their municipal government gives and [they believe] only better things are on the horizon.

Y! Canada News: Cities across the country have asked for a long-term funding commitment from the federal government. You have spoken out about become less reliant on property taxes. So is there another way to fund city infrastructure?

Mayor Nenshi: Property taxes are one of the worst forms of taxation imaginable. It’s regressive, it’s particularly unfair to seniors and you simply can’t use them to fund capital and infrastructure.

Calgarians send about $4 billion a year more to the province than we get back in all provincial services. The federal government of that number is $10 billion. And our entire operating budget is only $3 billion.

So when I talk about funding from other orders of government, I talk about tax rebates on what we already pay because in order for people to want to live here, to invest here and to pay taxes here, the city has to be a great place to live.

And in order for it to be a great place to live we have to invest in things like public transit, sports facilities, recreation and so on.

I think that’s what the federal government needs to start.

Y! Canada News: You were in eastern Canada last year to head-hunt for ‘workers.’ You have a long-term labour crunch in your city. What’s your pitch to Canadians in other provinces to get them to come to Calgary?

Mayor Nenshi: This is an amazing place to live. It’s a city where as our official mission says ‘It’s a great place to make living, it’s a great place to make a life.’

Yes it’s economically doing great right now. But don’t come here just for a job. Come here because this is a place where you can be at the top of your profession, where you can live an amazing life and raise your family and also be doing world-leading things at work.

If that’s the kind of person you are — if you are willing to work hard and you bring a lot to the table, come to Calgary. Because, as I always say, here in Calgary nobody cares what you look like or who your daddy was or what your last name is or where you come from. They care about what you bring to the table. And if you have that drive to succeed, this community will help you succeed.

Read the full interview here.

(Photo courtesy of Big Rock, available online on Flickr)

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

ENMAX and The City of Calgary making good progress on streetlight outages

The following release was shared with the media on December 19, 2012.

ENMAX and The City of Calgary making good progress on streetlight outages

Calgary, Alta. – Several months after implementing enhanced processes to address burned out streetlights, ENMAX and The City of Calgary are pleased to announce a significant reduction in the back-log of repairs. In close cooperation with The City of Calgary Roads, the number of outages was reduced from an all-time high of 1,933 in mid-March 2012 to 517 and counting.

“ENMAX has been working hard together with the City to ensure Calgarians have access to reliable lighting throughout the year,” says Gianna Manes, ENMAX President and CEO. “After adjusting our operational practices and achieving efficiency gains earlier this year, I’m pleased to report that fewer than 1 per cent of Calgary’s 90,000 street lights are out of service today, which is well below the performance threshold set by the City for the percentage of outages at any one time.”

ENMAX's enhanced processes took into account The City's existing budget, addressing the issue with productivity gains instead of increased dollars. ENMAX crews were scheduled predominantly in the evening hours to avoid street traffic so that bulbs needing replacement could be seen easily and immediately addressed. Crews were also concentrated in smaller geographical areas to minimize driving time between identified locations.

“After hearing the concerns of many Calgarians about this backlog, I'm very pleased that The City and ENMAX were able to work together to repair many streetlights without increasing the budget,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “Well-lit streets are important to the comfort and safety of Calgarians, and I'm glad that we could work smarter, together, to make things better.”

Background

• There are approximately 90,000 streetlights in Calgary.
• The City of Calgary owns the streetlights and contracts ENMAX to maintain them.
• The number of streetlight repairs has increased by approximately 10 per cent annually since 2009 due in part to aging infrastructure and the increase in the number of street lights as Calgary continues to grow. The City's budgeted dollars for this maintenance is $3.6 million which covers all material, labour and escalations. The budget has not increased since 2009.
• Targeted timelines for repair are:
• Many lights out on major roads – within 7 days
• Single light out on residential road – within 30 days
• Residents can report an outage by calling 311. This generates an immediate service request which ENMAX receives the following day.

About ENMAX Power Corporation
ENMAX Power Corporation, a subsidiary of ENMAX Corporation, and its predecessors have provided Albertans with safe and reliable electricity for more than 100 years. One of the most reliable urban utilities in Canada, ENMAX Power owns, operates and maintains the distribution and much of the transmission network in and around Calgary, which are activities regulated by the Alberta Utilities Commission. Non-regulated subsidiaries of ENMAX Power provide engineering, procurement, and construction services as well as maintenance for electrical servicing of residential and commercial developments and light rail transit systems. Visit our website at www.enmaxpower.com.

-30-

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

A Better Calgary in Progress (2012)

Friends:

Over two years ago, Calgarians chose a new mayor and city council. We have been hard at work since then, and thought this would be a good time to share with you how we are doing and what work remains to be done.

So, how are we doing? Some changes were quick: removing the $3 park-and-ride fee, starting a pilot project on food trucks as an example of cutting red tape, halving the sprawl subsidy that was encouraging unsustainable growth, improving the system of snow removal. Some more systemic changes will take more time, but we have laid a strong groundwork that will make Calgary an even better place to live in the future. This document, A Better Calgary in Progress (view/download PDF), shares some of the changes we've made in the past two years based on Council’s Fiscal Plan for Calgary.

Here are some of the highlights:

Ensuring every Calgarian lives in a safe community and has the opportunity to succeed
Crime rates are the lowest in a generation, and Calgarians report that they feel that our city is safe. To ensure that all citizens have the opportunity to participate fully in their communities, we also launched the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative. I'm excited about the big ideas coming forth on how we can use existing community resources to help those most in need.

Investing in great communities and a vibrant urban fabric
I'm proud of the first investments from the new Community Investment Fund. We've been able to support parks, libraries, recreation and fire halls and equipment using these newly available funds. Soon, we will also see a new Central Library and four new recreation centres in parts of the city that are sorely lacking.

Moving people and goods throughout the city efficiently and sustainably
We have embarked on a major strategic, operational and customer service plan for Calgary Transit known as RouteAhead, and have dedicated major funds to reduce congestion on the existing LRT system and improve transit service to southeast Calgary. Major road projects like the airport trail tunnel remain on time and on budget, and the enhanced level of snow clearing has received rave reviews.

We are also making a modest, but important, investment in commuter cycling infrastructure. Improving safety and convenience for cyclists reduces congestion on our roads and on transit. Not only does it give people who would otherwise be in a car or on a train another transportation option, it also improves efficiency and safety for everyone by separating bike, vehicle, and pedestrian traffic.

City council continues to invest in public transit to make it a great transportation option for all Calgarians. This includes the addition of thousands of new hours of transit service (including the new West LRT), and, in the latest budget adjustments, increased access to transit for some 28,000 low-income Calgarians, including low-income senior citizens.

Making Calgary the best place in Canada for a business to start and flourish
The Cut Red Tape initiative is already yielding results, saving businesses who deal with The City many hours and thousands of dollars. Council also agreed to consolidate the business tax with the non-residential property tax, eliminating our stand-alone business tax and putting us on par with other Canadian cities.

Becoming a more effective and disciplined organization
We are undertaking a number of initiatives under the title of Transforming Government to create a culture of constant, relentless, citizen-focused improvements at The City. This includes the introduction of zero-based budget and operational reviews throughout the organization. We are also launching a major review of our city planning processes to streamline the system and make it easier to build great things.

Changing the rules of the game to ensure better financial capacity
As a city of well over a million people, we cannot rely on the whims of other levels of government to fund our capital needs. We require transparent, predictable funding for the long term. In transit alone, we will need up to $8 billion over the next 30 years to fund new capital projects, including new bus rapid transit and LRT lines. Planning for a project of this scope is challenging when we have no idea what funds will be available to finance its construction.That’s why we have signed a memorandum of understanding and are continuing conversations with the provincial government about getting a city charter for Calgary.

We will continue to work on all of these issues in the final year of our term. Three major examples of ongoing work include:

Calgary Transit’s RouteAhead
With RouteAhead, we are creating (for the first time), an integrated 30-year capital, operational, and customer service plan that will make transit better for all riders in the city.

Transforming Planning
Through imagineCALGARY and Plan It, Calgarians have told Council they want a more sustainable and vibrant city with more walkable communities where anyone can live. We have also heard that our planning system is too slow, too complex, and isn't producing the city we all want. The Transforming Planning initiative is focused on building a planning system that is effective, efficient, and that will deliver on the vision set out in imagineCALGARY.

City Charter
While this sounds dry, it is probably the most important thing your Council is working on. Getting this right will ensure that our city can continue to grow and be prosperous, free of bickering and buck passing between governments.

I'm proud of what your Council has accomplished, but much work remains. Long-term projects require vision and focus. We must be diligent in our stewardship.

The opportunity to be Mayor of Calgary is humbling. While I may have a few more grey hairs, I wake up every morning thrilled at this chance to make a difference and serve all the citizens of this city. Thank you for giving me that opportunity.

Sincerely,

Mayor Naheed K. Nenshi

Savvy budgeting improves life for Calgarians

I write a regular column in the Calgary Herald. Here is the full text of my December story: 

Towards the end of each year, your city council creates the budget for the next year. This is one of the most important things that we do, and I believe that we do so in a far more transparent and accessible way than any other government in Canada.

First, some background: the City of Calgary creates three-year business plans and budgets, but we approve our budget each year. At the beginning of the three-year cycle last year, we engaged in an unprecedented (and award-winning) citizen engagement program, and more than 23,000 Calgarians participated in helping us set priorities.

This year, we examined what had changed — did we still have faith in our economic forecasts, are we offering the right level of services at the right times, are citizens satisfied? — and then we looked at changes and adjustments that we needed to make.

The news is generally good: our forecasts have been prudent, our annual citizen survey shows incredibly high levels of satisfaction with city services, and our property taxes remain the lowest of any major city in Canada. Unlike other orders of government, we must (and do) live within our means. There is no budget deficit (and never has been).

But thanks to slightly higher than expected revenues and some efficiencies, we were able to reduce the planned tax increase slightly, while investing in important priorities for the community. These include more 911 operators, funding the new emergency operations centre and expanding transit service hours.

The biggest thing we did, though, was something I am particularly happy about, and very proud that my council colleagues, especially Ald. Brian Pincott, brought this forward. For a relatively modest investment, we were able to increase access to transit for some 28,000 people, including a large number of the working poor.

The largest subsidy is for low-income seniors, who still pay $1.25 a month ($15 per year) for unlimited transit. We also increased the income threshold for this pass, so about 6,000 more seniors will be eligible in 2013.

The second-biggest subsidy is for seniors earning above the poverty line, who will be paying under $8 per month ($95 per year) for their pass. This is a big increase — $3 per month — but it allows us to continue to offer better rates for low-income people.

Low-income people who are not seniors pay about half the regular rate for their passes — $44 per month in 2013. For a number of years, we have only been able to offer this discount to very poor people, missing out on a number of people with disability income as well as a lot of working poor people who were earning between 75 per cent and 100 per cent of the poverty line income. Council agreed that, by 2014, we should cover everyone living under the poverty line. I am convinced this was the right thing to do and that it will make a huge difference in the lives of many people.

The other big change was the assignment of $10.2 million per year to help us optimize our existing assets: we’re investing in increasing the reliability of Calgary Transit and making breakdowns less frequent, and in smart, targeted congestion solutions (think about the revised lights at Macleod Trail and Lake Fraser Gate during the morning rush hour).

We’re also creating a dedicated fund to maintain city-owned buildings. And, thanks to the leadership of Ald. Gian-Carlo Carra, we’re rebuilding sidewalks, curbs and gutters in older neighbourhoods, and no longer requiring homeowners to pay 50 per cent of the cost of these replacements.

All of this is done with a small increase to the property tax rate. In 2012, you paid $345.65 for every $100,000 your house is worth. In 2013, it will be $354.43. This remains one of the lowest property tax rates in Canada. (For interest sake, this number was $439.35 10 years ago in 2002).

It’s not all rosy, though. The city continues to rely on the regressive property tax to provide the services that Calgarians need, which is particularly unfair to seniors. As the city grows, we will find ourselves increasingly stretched.

Part of the answer to this is doing things better. There are many millions of dollars in efficiencies in the current three-year budget, and I am hopeful that our new zero-based review process will identify smarter ways of doing things.

The real answer, though, is fundamental tax reform. All five parties in the last provincial election promised this, and we have commenced conversations with the provincial government on a new city charter. This is going to take a lot of hard work on both sides, but I remain hopeful we will find a solution that will secure the future for our grandchildren and their grandchildren.

For now, though, let’s all enjoy the holiday season. From my family to yours: all the very best. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

- Mayor Naheed K. Nenshi

Great work by my City of Calgary colleagues: Crowchild Trail water main repair

I am very impressed with so many of my colleagues at The City of Calgary.

On Saturday evening, we discovered one of the largest water main breaks ever experienced in Calgary underneath Crowchild Trail which caused the shutdown of that road.

We needed to fix the problem as quickly as possible, and Calgarians (including university students writing final exams) needed to know what was happening and what alternate travel plans they should make.

I’m proud that a number of City of Calgary departments and partners came together, under the direction of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, to solve this potentially disastrous situation. Water Services, Water Resources, Roads, Customer Service & Communications, Calgary Transit, Corporate Security, Infrastructure and Information Services, Information Technology, Calgary Fire Department, and the Calgary Police Service, as well as ATCO all worked around the clock to make sure the work was done well and quickly and that all Calgarians were well-informed. I'm proud of how well my City colleagues responded to this crisis and how well they got the job done.

It’s worth noting that citizens noticed. My office has been flooded, not with complaints, but with compliments for how well The City communicated and how quickly the road was re-opened.

Thank you to Calgarians for their patience during this situation.

Thank you especially to my colleagues at The City of Calgary. I'm proud of you today, and every day.

- Mayor Naheed K. Nenshi

Video: Live with Mayor Nenshi

On December 10, 2012, Mayor Nenshi participated in a live Q&A on Shaw TV. Questions came from a studio audience, callers, online, and the host. They ranged from funding non-profit organizations to snow ploughing to transit. It aired live on TV and online.

You can watch the whole thing here or go here to watch specific questions and answers.

- Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Mayor Nenshi's meetings: November 2012

Below is a list of external meetings hosted by the Mayor during the month of November 2012.

For an explanation of why this list exists and who is on it, please visit our post about highlighting accountability in the Mayor's Office.

November meetings included:

• Neil Schwartz, CCWE – November 1, 2012
• Terry Rock, Calgary Arts Development Authority – November 7, 2012
• Andrea Goertz, HR, Telus – November 8, 2012
• Ian Gillespie, Westbank Projects Corp. – November 8, 2012
• Wayne Barwise, Exec. VP, Cadillac Fairview Corp. – November 8, 2012
• Niall Collins, Sr. VP, Cadillac Fairview Corp. – November 8, 2012
• Lyle Edwards, CMLC – November 8, 2012
• Michael Brown, CMLC – November 8, 2012
• Mayor Peter Brown, Mayor of Airdrie – November 22, 2012
• Lorne Stevens, Dir. Community Infrastructure, Airdrie – November 22, 2012
• Mayor Patricia Matthews, Mayor of Chestermere – November 22, 2012
• Mayor Truper McBride, Mayor of Cochrane – November 22, 2012
• Mayor Steve Grajczyk, Mayor of Strathmore – November 22, 2012
• Wendelin Fraser, Airport Authority Board – November 27, 2012
• Police Commission - November 29, 2012

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

You can help every Calgarian find a home

To coincide with National Housing Day, I co-wrote the following article in the Calgary Herald. We need to continue to work hard at ending homelessness in our great city. If our fellow citizens can not afford to buy or rent a home or are plagued by poverty, we are all lesser.

Calgary is a vibrant and prospering city, playing a key role in the economic strength and social health of our province and the nation as a whole. And yet, amidst this prosperity, housing is out of reach for some. In a count done the night of Aug. 15, more than 3,500 people were homeless in Calgary. And migration to Calgary is driving the need for homeless shelter spaces up, with as many as 250 additional beds needed this winter.

Although our city is ranked as one of Canada’s most affordable big cities, this measure is relative. Not everyone can generate the income to buy a home, with prices averaging well over $400,000. Rent is equally challenging, with a one-bedroom apartment in Calgary priced at around $1,000 per month and the vacancy rate hovering at around two per cent.

In the first three months of this year, more than 14,000 people from outside of Alberta came to the province looking for work — many of those to Calgary. It’s important they have access to the quality of life that makes Calgary such an appealing place to live and work, including suitable shelter, where their families can live in comfort, safety and pride.

One recent survey suggests Canadians don’t fully realize the urgent need for affordable housing. An estimated 1.5 million Canadian families live in “core housing need,” yet only 11 per cent of Canadians think of affordable housing as an issue in their neighbourhood. A study done by the U of C’s faculty of social work found that about 14,000 rental households in Calgary are at high risk of becoming homeless because more than half of their income goes to rent and they make less than $20,000 per year.

Lack of affordable housing can cause increased stress, limited sense of belonging and overall feelings of insecurity. It can also hinder an individual’s education and career paths, which further perpetuates the cycle of poverty. Poverty and homelessness are also expensive for Alberta taxpayers. Simply managing poverty will cost the government of Alberta up to $9.5 billion per year in public services, like health care, in crime, and in lost economic opportunities for children and people living in poverty, according to a study by A. Briggs and C.R. Lee done this year.

Affordable housing leads to healthier and more productive communities. Areas of health, education and financial and emotional well-being are improved. Good housing attracts economic investment, and contributes to thriving schools and community organizations.

The City of Calgary and other organizations are finding ways to close the gap, even as the city grows. The 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness, a partnership between the Calgary Homeless Foundation and the Calgary Action Committee on Housing and Homelessness, is one example in which agencies work to provide people with housing and support rather than trying to manage homelessness through emergency measures.

Calgary was the first city to have a 10-year plan and Alberta was the first province in Canada to follow suit. In the first four years of Calgary’s 10-year plan, more than 4,000 people received housing and support. Another example is the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative, launched in the spring, which aims to reduce the number of people living in poverty.

Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta’s home ownership model is another example. Habitat uses volunteer labour and donated funds and building materials to build safe, decent homes that are sold to low-income families with mortgage payments they can afford. This “hand-up” approach enables families to end their dependency on social housing subsidies. They save money, contribute to the economy and pay between $1,100 and $2,300 each year in property taxes.

Today, National Housing Day, provides Canadians with an opportunity to reflect on the importance of affordable housing in our communities. We need to acknowledge there is a desperate need for adequate housing. We know Calgarians are action-oriented and find such disparity unacceptable. So, this is a call to act. We need volunteers and funds to meet these goals, but we also need the less tangible gifts that will make the seemingly impossible happen. Some of it will involve cutting unnecessary red tape and clearing the way for such easy, short-term approaches as legalizing secondary suites in more communities.

At other times, it will be an engineering solution, such as the clever micro-house designs in development that can fit on small lots or, in some cases, even remain mobile. Or it may include providing land on which to build affordable homes. Forward-thinking community planners have had success including affordable housing in new developments.

The authors of this piece each have their own causes, but are united in their belief that shelter is a basic right. The City of Calgary, Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta, the Calgary Homeless Foundation, The Calgary Action Committee on Housing and Homelessness and Calgary’s Realtors all share the belief that every Calgarian has the right to live in safety and security.

History has shown time and again that the citizens of this city feel the same way — and have the heart and drive to make things happen. Let your elected official know affordable housing is important to you. And share your ideas, time, money and household items so we can turn this ideal into a reality.

The Authors

Bob Jablonski is president of the Calgary Real Estate Board
Naheed Nenshi is mayor of Calgary
John Rook is president and CEO of the Calgary Homeless Foundation
Walter Twiddy is chair of the Calgary Action Committee on Housing and Homelessness
Leslie Tamagi is president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta

- Mayor Naheed Nenshi

Support the 24th Annual Mayor's Christmas Food Drive (with video)

Today is the official launch of the 24th Annual Mayor's Christmas Food Drive!

(UPDATE: View the Calgary Food Bank news release and fact sheet about the food drive.)

As we get closer to a season of giving, it is so important that we reflect on what we can do for our community and our neighbours. I hope that we can use the Christmas season to continue (or start) a tradition of giving in our families or workplaces to make Calgary a great place to live for all of us. Think of it as one of your 3 Things for Calgary.

Sadly, too many Calgarians need to use the emergency food. Last year, 136,000 of our fellow citizens needed to use the Emergency Food Hamper Program. However, if there is a silver lining with this statistic, it is that this is a seven per cent drop from the year before (source). One thing about the Food Bank is that it is always working hard to put itself out of business.

Your donation of food or funds will help Calgarians when they most need our support. Last year, we raised more than $450,000 worth of food and cash donations (with more than $7.5 million raised since the Mayor's Christmas Food Drive started in 1997).

Please join me in beating that amount this year. Together, we can ensure that no Calgarian--not a single one of our friends or neighbours--goes hungry. You can donate food at any of our partner locations or make a cash donation online.

If you are making a cash donation online, please select the "Mayor's Food Drive" option when filling out the forms.

Donation locations:

• Office of the Mayor (Historic City Hall)
• Calgary Police Stations
• Calgary Municipal Building
• all Calgary Safeway stores
• participating Calgary Motor Dealers
• participating schools
• participating community associations

Thanks so much to all the partners who make this important annual program happen:

• City of Calgary 
• Safeway 
• Calgary Motor Dealers Association 
• Calgary Board of Education 
• Calgary Separate School District 
• Calgary and District Dental Society 
• Federation of Calgary Communities 
• CUPE Local 38 
• Fluor 
• Canstruction Jr. 
• Calgary Science Network

PS: I'm also hoping many Torontonians are thinking about our food bank. They're likely to be donating to it after Sunday's 100th Grey Cup.

- Mayor Naheed Nenshi

(Photo courtesy Calgary Food Bank)

Will the federal government step up for cities?

I write a regular column in the Calgary Herald. Here is the full text of my November story: 

This week, my mind is on the federal government and what it can do to help Canadian cities be more competitive, attract the top people from around the world, and continue to be engines of social and economic development for the nation.

Two important events are spurring my thinking this week: I met in Ottawa with the other big city mayors to discuss the federal government's plans for a new long-term infrastructure program, and there is a federal by-election in Calgary which, if the polls are to be believed, could be very interesting.

First, some numbers: taxpayers in the city of Calgary send about $10 billion more per year to the federal government than we get back in all federal programs and services. I'm not begrudging this: we, along with other cities, are the engine of the economy, and we should pay our fair share for national programs and ensure our fellow citizens in less-populated areas receive fundamental services that their tax base cannot support.

However, we have to also recognize that cities produce tax revenue precisely because people want to live, work, and invest in them. We should never forget—as I always remind people outside of Calgary—that the oil sands are not, in fact, located beneath downtown, and that the Calgary Tower is not actually a derrick. Indeed, the head office jobs we have could just as easily be performed in Houston or Shanghai.

The reason the head office are located here is because Calgary is a terrific place in which to live and do business. To continue that advantage, we need infrastructure that works: an efficient road network, excellent public transit, affordable housing, and clean water every minute of every day.

This stuff costs serious money. A southeast leg of the LRT alone will be up to $3 billion -- or the total City annual operating budget. Without stable and predictable revenue, it's impossible to budget for projects like this. We can't rely only on the property tax, which is also regressive and doesn't take into account people's ability to pay. And while both provincial and federal governments have been generous to cities in recent years, we also cannot—and should not— rely on their whim to fund major projects.

I'm not asking for a $3 billion cheque for an LRT line today; that would be unreasonable. But I am asking for predictability -- if we know that we will get a certain amount of money every year forever, we can take out a mortgage to build that LRT, knowing how it will be paid back. We can't do that now without taking on extraordinary and irresponsible risk.

That's why I am joining with my colleagues at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in calling for the federal government to establish a new long-term infrastructure program focused on things we city-dwellers need most: cutting commute times through better roads and transit, investing in wastewater facilities, and maintaining and enhancing core infrastructure that makes cities work. This would be accomplished through indexing the current gas tax fund to inflation, and through a series of cash transfers to municipalities.

This is not a handout; it's a small tax rebate on the money that Calgarians already pay, so that we can continue to be vibrant and generate economic growth for the nation.

But it’s not just my voice the federal government is hearing. Calgarians have a unique opportunity to let the federal government know what they think in the very near future. On November 26, the people of Calgary Centre vote in a federal by-election. While some have written off this race as a foregone conclusion, a recent poll indicates that there is in fact a three-way race for the seat. The result is true democratic discussion and a battle of competing visions for the country.

It seems as though Calgarians are willing to look at issues rather than the parties. This is not unusual in a by-election; since voters know the government will not change, they often vote on issues over party or to send a message to the government of the day.

I encourage all Calgarians to ask the candidates tough questions about their party's commitment to this city. Where do they stand on a national transit strategy? What was their position on Calgary losing $100 million in federal funding for our new recreation centres? Do they agree with the proposal for a long-term infrastructure fund?

A number of community associations and the Calgary Public Library are sponsoring a special Cities Matter candidates' forum on Sunday, November 18 at 12:30pm at the John Dutton Theatre at the Central Library. As I write this, candidates from three major parties have confirmed their attendance. We're still waiting on Conservative Joan Crockatt, but I can't imagine why she would want to miss this opportunity to discuss the government's commitment to Calgary. I encourage all Calgary Centre voters to attend.

Let's get the needs of Calgary on the national agenda.

Video: Mayor Nenshi's City Status Report

On October 30, 2012, Mayor Nenshi shared his update on The City of Calgary after two years of his three-year mandate. This full video (nearly an hour) captures his speech to the Chamber of Commerce including his slideshow and frank Q&A with the audience.

It also includes the line: "No, dude, give me the lightning round!"

Here is a description of this sold out event:

It’s been 24 months since this City Council was elected to serve Calgarians and steward a growing Calgary. As he enters the last year of this Council’s term, Mayor Naheed Nenshi is asking: how have we made Calgary better? With its Fiscal Plan for Calgary, Council set out a path to make Calgary a great place in which to make a living and a life. Nenshi will share where we are along that path and where that path leads next—addressing some of the most important issues affecting the better Calgary of tomorrow. Over the course of his presentation, Nenshi will discuss:

• Progress on the six principles of Council’s Fiscal Plan for Calgary
• What citizens are saying about the future of Calgary
• The Mayor’s three priorities for the next year and how these priorities are critical to the future of Calgary (also discussed in this column)

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Have your say on City budget tweaks

The City of Calgary has released its Proposed Adjustments to 2013-2014 business plans and budgets in advance of Council deliberations, which begin on November 26.

Overall the economy and social outlook for Calgary have remained stable and there have been no major changes since the 2012-2014 Business Plan & Budget was approved by Council. As a result of this stability, Administration is proposing that adjustments be made only to the most critical areas so the previously approved tax rates of 5.7% and 6.1% for 2013 and 2014, can be maintained.

The proposed adjustments released today, maintain the focus on key priority areas identified in Council’s Fiscal Plan and reflects feedback from citizens.

“We had extensive citizen engagement and a lot of input from City Council into creating our three year budget through something called Council’s fiscal plan. Our goal for this year was to make sure that Calgary’s economy hadn’t changed very much, that we could still capture the millions of dollars in savings from efficiencies that Council approved the last time”, said Mayor Nenshi.

Back in June 2012, The City talked to citizens again to see if Calgarians’ priorities had changed. Then Administration used that feedback to develop the proposed adjustments.

Mayor Nenshi said that “because we think that Calgary’s economy is stable and things are going well, we are only making adjustments in very critical areas. We believe that these investments in areas like 9-1-1 for example, can fit within the funds available now. In short, we can make sure that the previously approved property tax will stay the same even while we make some more investments in things that are important.”

Meeting the demands of growth while balancing affordability with resources needed to deliver front-line services remains a challenge for The City. The demand for City services continues to rise at the same time as The City experiences increasing costs for materials and equipment, and increased competitiveness in the labour market.

Growth in the assessment base has resulted in slightly higher property tax revenues than originally predicted partially offset by higher costs and lower than anticipated franchise fees from the water utility. The net result is an increase in available base funding of $8.5 million in 2013 and $10.4 million in 2014. Administration has proposed adjustments of equal net amounts, resulting in a balanced budget in 2013 and 2014 with no change in the previously-approved tax rates.

Total spending proposed on the adjusted operating budgets is approximately $3.0 billion for 2013 and 3.1 billion for 2014.

The City of Calgary is interested in citizen feedback. The next phase of engagement on the budget adjustment process begins today. There are a variety of opportunities for citizens:

• Visit www.calgary.ca/ourfuture to view the highlights of the proposed adjustments to 2013-2014 business plans and budgets or download an electronic copy of the document.
• Provide input on specific adjustments through the comment box at the bottom of the “Let’s Talk” page at www.calgary.ca/ourfuture or contact 311.
• Make a submission to Council.

Submissions to Council may be written or verbal. Verbal submissions will be heard after an opening presentation to Council on November 26. Anyone wishing to address Council may do so for a maximum of five minutes and may bring 35 copies of their materials for distribution.

Calgarians who are unable to attend the meeting and/or would like their submission to be distributed with the Council meeting agenda, must deliver their submission to the City Clerk on or before November 15, 2012:

Mail to: City Clerk, #8007,
City of Calgary
P.O. Box 2100,
Postal Station M
Calgary, Alberta T2P 2M5

Fax: (403) 268.2362
Email: cityclerks@calgary.ca

Hand deliver to: City Clerk’s
Main Floor, Historic City Hall
700 Macleod Trail S.E.

For questions regarding meeting procedures or to schedule a time to address Council during the Public Hearing on November 26, contact the City Clerk’s Office at (403) 268.5827 by 4:30 p.m., Friday, November 23.

City Council will review the operating and capital budgets beginning on November 26 at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chamber.

- reposted from The Calgary City News Blog

Mayor Nenshi's meetings: October 2012

Below is a list of external meetings hosted by the Mayor during the month of October 2012.

For an explanation of why this list exists and who is on it, please visit our post about highlighting accountability in the Mayor's Office.

October meetings included:

• Minister Griffiths, Municipal Affairs – October 2, 2012
• Chief Rick Hanson , Mike Shaikh, Brian Ferguson, Calgary Police Foundation – October 3, 2012
• H.E. Philippe Zeller, Ambassador of France – October 4, 2012
• Daniel Doz, Alberta College of Art – October 4, 2012
• H.E. Leslie B. Gatan, Philippine Ambassador – October 9, 2012
• Eric Tamayo, Consul – October 9, 2012
• Kari Giddings, Calgary Aboriginal Urban Advisory Committee – October 9, 2012
• Lynn Coates – October 10, 2012
• Mary Moran and Annie Korver, Calgary Economic Development – October 11, 2012
• David Laycock, Attainable Homes Association – October 11, 2012
• Susan Trapnell, Alberta Ballet – October 12, 2012
• Gianna Manes, ENMAX – October 18, 2012
• Roberto Ibarra, Chilean Ambassador – October 12, 2012
• Greg Melchin, ENMAX – October 18, 2012
• Ron Ghitter, Tennis Canada – October 23, 2012
• H.E. Ngoran Kouame, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) – October 30, 2012
• Gordon Smith, Ambrose University – October 31, 2012
• Victoria Crowchild - October 31, 2012

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Mayor Nenshi Reads "Halloween Good Night"

In this Halloween edition of the Mayor Nenshi Reads series, Mayor Nenshi tackles the very serious issue of how monsters and aliens say goodnight to their parents. This one was a bit of a team effort with the sound effect assistance of me and Franca.

Please enjoy our presentation of Halloween Good Night by Doug Cushman and have a safe and fun Halloween!

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Video: Leader/Citizen/Leader: community building as nation building

Recently, Mayor Nenshi was invited to give the annual Galbraith Lecture at The Harris Centre at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland. Here's the description of his presentation:

Our strength is in our citizens. Let's explore the potential of citizens to take leadership and understand how we can create more powerful communities of citizen leaders—people who take action and use their own hearts, hands, and minds to make their communities better every day. 

Join Calgary Mayor, Naheed Nenshi, for a discussion and question and answer session as the Harris Centre presents the 2012 John Kenneth Galbraith Lecture in Public Policy.

You can watch the full video (90 minutes) here.

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Survey says... we're happy Calgarians!

Today, Mayor Nenshi joined with Ipsos to release the latest Citizen Satisfaction survey. This annual survey is a great third-party, statistically accurate way to measure how Calgarians feel about The City and the services it provides.

The short of it: we're a happy bunch who feel Calgary is on the road to been an even greater city. You can see the full results (and participate in the #heartyyc contest!) here.

Here's the release that was given to media this morning:

CITY CELEBRATES THE CITIZEN SATISFACTION SURVEY RESULTS WITH "HEARTYYC" CONTEST

Calgary, AB – The 2012 Citizen Satisfaction Survey results are in and 81 per cent of Calgarians believe that The City of Calgary fosters a city that is inclusive and accepting of all.

“The survey shows that Calgarians are happy with their municipal government—with increases in satisfaction since 2010,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

Other notable highlights include:

• 88 per cent say the quality of life in Calgary is ‘good.’
• 83 per cent of Calgarians rated The City’s quality of service as consistently high.
• 81 per cent of Calgarians say they are satisfied with City programs and services.
• 74 per cent believe that Calgary is moving in the right direction to ensure a high quality of life for future generations.

“This year we’ve received the highest overall satisfaction rating with 95 per cent of Calgarians recognizing the work The City does every day,” says City Manager, Owen Tobert.

The survey proves to be an encouraging report card for City employees.

“We strive to put citizens at the centre of everything we do,” said City Manager, Owen Tobert. “We are proud of The City employees’ efforts to provide quality services.”

The survey also found that 89 per cent of citizens are proud to be Calgarians. “It’s no secret that Calgarians love this city and love living here,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

To celebrate, The City of Calgary is having a HeartYYC contest and inviting Calgarians to post why they love living in Calgary on The City’s Facebook page. Contest judges include Karen Ball, Kris Demeanor, and Simon Mallett—well-known individuals who continue to make Calgary the best place to live. Visit Calgary.ca for more information.

The complete survey findings are available on calgary.ca (opens as PDF)

Onward/ The Citizen Satisfaction survey is an important measure of how well we are doing./ By 2020, The City will continue to deliver services and programs through a culture that supports innovation and is adaptable to Calgary’s changing needs.

---

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Video: Transforming Government with Mayor Nenshi

In The City of Calgary's latest Report to Calgarians on Global TV, Mayor Nenshi talks about how The City is transforming government to make life better for all of us.

To learn about the latest Transforming Government projects and services, please visit TransformingGov.ca.

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Video: Is Calgary the "city of the future"?

In early October, Toronto Star reporter Christopher Hume visited Calgary and had a chat with Mayor Nenshi. In this video, Hume suggests that Calgary may just be the Canadian city of the future. His discussion with Mayor Nenshi includes talk about the greatest challenge facing all Canadian cities: paying for the infrastructure we need to support the more than 80% of Canadians who live in cities. 

Here's a quote from Mayor Nenshi in this interview:

When you have a great city, people invest in it and you actually grow the economy. And if we can't continue to provide cities that are attractive for people to live in, then we lose that economic engine.

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Video: Cutting red tape at City Hall

In this edition of Shaw TV's City Matters, Mayor Nenshi speaks with Phoenix Phillips about The City of Calgary's Cut Red Tape initiative. 

To share your own experiences with red tape and your suggestions on how to cut it, please fill out this survey before November 15, 2012.

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Making Calgary even better

I write a regular column in the Calgary Herald. Here is the full text of my October story: 

Nearly two years ago, Calgarians elected a new mayor and city council with a mandate for real change. As I did last year, I thought it would be helpful to provide a progress report on what’s been done and what work remains for the final year of our term.

In 2011, your council unanimously passed our fiscal plan for Calgary after consulting with more than 20,000 citizens. The plan begins with these words:

Calgarians have always been innovative, confident, entrepreneurial, and willing to make things better. They expect no less from their city council. We need to continue to transform government, becoming better at delivering the services Calgarians need. We do that by valuing City of Calgary employees as colleagues, and by empowering them to do their jobs better. We will strive to be more efficient and more effective, while focusing on transparency and engagement with all Calgarians.

So, how are we doing? Some changes were quick: finally getting a direct bus to the airport, starting a pilot project on cutting red tape by approving food trucks, halving the sprawl subsidy that encouraged unsustainable growth, and improving snow removal.

Some of the more systemic changes will take longer to implement, but we have laid a strong groundwork to make Calgary an even better place to live in the future, while maintaining our property tax rates among the lowest in Canada.

Significant progress has been made on each of the five main elements of the plan.

First: ensuring every Calgarian lives in a safe community and has the opportunity to succeed. Crime rates are the lowest in a generation, and Calgarians report that they feel that our city is safe. To ensure that all citizens have the opportunity to participate fully in their communities, we also launched the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative. I'm excited about the big ideas coming forth on how we can use existing community resources to help those most in need.

Second: investing in great communities and a vibrant urban fabric. I'm proud of the first investments from the new Community Investment Fund. We've been able to support parks, libraries, recreation and fire halls and equipment using these newly available funds. Soon, we will also see a new Central Library and four new recreation centres in parts of the city that are sorely lacking.

Third: moving people and goods throughout the city efficiently and sustainably. We have embarked on a major strategic, operational and customer service plan for Calgary Transit known as RouteAhead, and have dedicated major funds — pending provincial government release of the money — to reduce congestion on the existing LRT system and improve transit service to southeast Calgary. Major road projects like the airport tunnel remain on time and on budget, and the enhanced level of snow clearing has received rave reviews.

We are also making a modest, but important, investment in commuter cycling infrastructure. Improving safety and convenience for cyclists reduces congestion on our roads and on transit. Not only does it give people who would otherwise be in a car or on a train another transportation option, it also improves efficiency for everyone by separating bike, vehicle, and pedestrian traffic.

Fourth: making Calgary the best place in Canada for a business to start and flourish. The cut red tape initiative is already yielding results, saving businesses who deal with the city many hours and thousands of dollars. Council also agreed to consolidate the business tax with the non-residential property tax, eliminating our stand-alone business tax and putting us on par with other Canadian cities.

Fifth: becoming a more effective and disciplined organization. We are undertaking a number of initiatives under the title of “transforming government” to create a culture of constant, relentless, citizen-focused improvements at the city. This includes the introduction of zero-based budget and operational reviews throughout the organization. We are also launching a major review of our city planning processes to streamline the system and make it easier to build great things.

Finally, we must focus on changing the rules of the game to ensure better financial capacity. As a city of well over a million people, we cannot rely on the whims of other levels of government to fund our capital needs. We require transparent, predictable funding for the long term. In transit alone, we will need up to $8 billion over the next 30 years to fund new capital projects, including new bus rapid transit and LRT lines. Planning for a project of this scope is challenging when we have no idea what funds will be available to finance its construction.

That’s why we are having conversations with the provincial government about getting a city charter for Calgary. While this sounds dry, it is probably the most important thing your council is working on. Getting this right will ensure that the city can continue to grow and be prosperous, free of bickering and buck passing between governments. 

I'm proud of what your council has accomplished, but much work remains. Long-term projects require vision and focus. We must be diligent in our stewardship.

The opportunity to be mayor of Calgary is humbling. Thank you for giving me this chance.

- Mayor Naheed Nenshi

You can visit the Calgary Herald online version of this story here.

Mayor Nenshi's office budget and expenses: Jan. 1, 2012 - Sept. 30, 2012

Below are the Mayor’s Office expenses for January 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012. This is part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and openness.

The below document includes a budget summary as well as the details of the expenses in areas like travel, hosting, and communications.

Overall, the Mayor's Office is under budget for the year to date.

Mayor's Office Budget January 1, 2012 - September 30, 2012 

(Click here to download/view the above budget document using Google Drive)

Mayor's Office expense reports January 1, 2012 - September 30, 2012 

(Click here to download/view the above expenses document using Google Drive)

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Your Turn to Cut Red Tape at City Hall

City of Calgary launches Cut Red Tape survey

Calgarians asked for solutions to their red tape experiences

Calgary, AB: Today, Mayor Naheed Nenshi unveiled The City of Calgary’s latest step to continue to cut red tape at City Hall. The Council-supported Cut Red Tape initiative is a chance for all Calgarians to share their solutions to cut red tape based on their own experiences working with The City.

Citizens can complete the Cut Red Tape survey at www.cutredtape.ca or by calling 3-1-1. The survey will run until November 15, 2012.

“By cutting red tape, we’re making it easier and better for citizens to interact with The City,” said Mayor Nenshi. “The best solutions to red tape often come from those who experience it directly—that’s why it’s so important to ask citizens for their ideas.”

Every red tape experience and related solution will be reviewed and considered for implementation. Updates will be provided at www.cutredtape.ca.

Mayor Nenshi and Alderman Demong literally cut red tape
to launch the new survey.

Phase One of the Cut Red Tape initiative was launched in March 2011 and included asking City of Calgary employees what they felt could be done to improve customer service at The City of Calgary by cutting red tape. More than 180 submissions were received over two weeks and a handful of recommendations are being implemented and many business units are including many of the other recommendations in future work plans.

For Phase Two, Mayor Nenshi brought together a host of business advocacy organizations to collaborate on solutions to cut red tape. This involved asking the various organization memberships for red tape solutions and determining, as an advisory group, the next steps for implementing short, medium, and long-term recommendations. More than 200 submissions were received during this phase.

Since this initiative began, The City of Calgary has implemented a number of improvements to remove anything obsolete, redundant, wasteful or confusing that diminishes Calgary’s economic and lifestyle competitiveness. Examples of these changes include:

• Increased (and continue to increase) the number of online 3-1-1 Service Requests from 40 to now over 100
• Increased ability for citizens to register for recreation classes by training 50 staff across the city to make it easy to register for recreation courses right at the facility
• Made it possible to book inspections through 3-1-1 with simply giving a permit number or address
• Made it possible for business customers and the trades industry to book appointments online (eAppointment)

A longer list of changes can be seen on the below backgrounder.

To submit a suggestion to cut red tape, or learn more about the program, visit www.cutredtape.ca.

-30-

BACKGROUNDER

In Phases One and Two of the Cut Red Tape initiative (www.cutredtape.ca), we asked City of Calgary employees and the Calgary business community, respectively, what red tape could be cut. We received hundreds of great suggestions and some changes are already being made (e.g. more online services, easier recreation registration, improving 3-1-1, etc). We are planning to implement as many cut red tape improvements as we can in the coming months.

Phase Three of the Cut Red Tape initiative asks all Calgarians to recommend ways to improve how The City of Calgary works with citizens.

Examples of improvements made through this initiative include:

3-1-1 Improvements

• Increased (and continue to increase) the number of online Service Requests from 40 to now over 100.
• Simplified various Service Requests to reduce the number of questions a caller is asked.
• Increased the number of Service Requests that don't require the caller’s name (unless needed).
• Improved status reporting specifically related to Roads requests.

Development & Building Approvals

• Created ability for citizens to book appointments with Development and Building Approvals.
• Created capability to book inspections through 3-1-1.
• Allowing trades and businesses to see the estimated fees prior to completing online applications.
• Enabled counter employees to provide customers with up to five free photocopies.
• Enabled 3-1-1 access to view trade permits online.
• Created trade show licenses have been changed from show-specific licences to venue-specific licences, shifting the ownership of adhering to planning and fire requirements on the venue instead of each individual trade show that comes to Calgary.

Recreation Registration

• Increased ability for citizens to register for recreation classes by training 50 staff across the city to complete the registration at the facility counter.
• Created three "how to..." videos for online customers.
• Installed kiosks in recreation centres so citizens can register for classes themselves.

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Mayor Nenshi's meetings: September 2012

Below is a list of external meetings hosted by the Mayor during the month of September 2012.

For an explanation of why this list exists and who is on it, please visit our post about highlighting accountability in the Mayor's Office.

September meetings included:

• Peter Kujawinski, US Consul General - September 4, 2012
• Greg Turnbull, Calgary Zoological Society - September 4, 2012
• Clement Lanthier, Calgary Zoological Society - September 4, 2012
• Mike Shaik, Calgary Police Commission - September 5, 2012
• H. E. Zhang, Ambassador of China - September 5, 2012
• Governor Mark Carney, Bank of Canada - September 6, 2012
• Jack Redekop, Seton Sport, Recreation, Culture and Wellness Society - September 11, 2012
• Vern Kimball, Calgary Stampede - September 11, 2012
• Mike Casey, Calgary Stampede - September 11, 2012
• Arif Lalani, Ambassador of Canada to the United Arab Emirates - September 11, 2012
  
• Julianne McKinnon, Stratavera Partners - September 12, 2012
• Mike Urquhart, Stratavera Partners - September 12, 2012
• John Rook, Calgary Homeless Foundation - September 12, 2012
• Rick Farrell, Calgary Homeless Foundation - September 12, 2012
• Paige Douglass, The Clearing - September 13, 2012
• Patti Engstrom, The Clearing - September 13, 2012
• Alison T. Love, Calgary Foundation/Kahanoff Centre - September 13, 2012
• Vicki Willis, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks - September 13, 2012
• Glenn McMurray, Calgary Foundation/Kahanoff Centre - September 13, 2012
• Kathi Sundstrom, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks - September 13, 2012
• Eva Frieson, Calgary Foundation - September 13, 2012
• David Swanson, YYC Airport Authority - September 13, 2012
• Garth Atkinson, YYC Airport Authority - September 13, 2012
• Gianna Manes, Enmax - September 19, 2012
• Greg Melchin, Enmax - September 19, 2012
• Paul Zed, Cisco - September 19, 2012
• Greg Masniuk, Cisco - September 19, 2012
• Mahyar Khosravi, Cisco - September 19, 2012
• Shirley Stunzi, Cisco - September 19, 2012
• John Hall, Accenture - September 19, 2012
• Harvey Lam, Tri-Sector Forum, September 20, 2012
• Matthew Thomas, Tri-Sector Forum, September 20, 2012
• Ryan Meili - September 25, 2012
• Woolsey Smith, Craigavon Borough Council, Northern Ireland - September 25, 2012
• David Smith - September 25, 2012

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Is this Calgary's future transit network?

On September 17, the team behind RouteAhead (Calgary Transit's 30-year plan) presented a public update to City Council and it included this draft map of our future rapid transit network. This map is based on citizen ideas, plans for future growth, and best practices from around the world. 

Is this the shape of Calgary Transit to come? RouteAhead wants you to tell them what you think, and they will be hosting public engagement sessions throughout the fall (check into RouteAhead.ca for the latest).

The presentation to Council included more than just a draft rapid transit map. It also covered a snapshot of RouteAhead's public engagement, the core principles for the development of the final RouteAhead plan, and draft evaluation criteria for rapid transit capital projects. The evaluation criteria will assist in prioritizing future projects as funding becomes available.

If you have 3.5 hours available, you can even watch the whole presentation (including Council debate) online.

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Drawn off topic: Mayor Nenshi and the death of cash

Globe and Mail illustrator and journalist Anthony Jenkins interviewed Mayor Nenshi earlier in 2012 on the non-municipal issue of "the death of cash". The result is some amusing musing about the disappearance of the penny and the predominance of plastic and electronic payment options. What follows is an excerpt, but I recommend reading the full interview here.

The penny has recently been abolished. Will you miss it?

I don’t think I’m going to miss the penny. I think people will get used to it, but I don’t know how I will ask people for their thoughts any more.

What are your thoughts worth now?

At least two pennies. I guess we’ll have to go to a nickel.

How much cash do you have on you right now – change and bills?

I don’t have any change in my pocket. I usually throw it into the cupholder in my car. In my wallet, I have 700 pesos from a recent conference in Mexico, $50 U.S. from a recent trip to Houston – and absolutely no Canadian cash.

Remind me not to ask you to lunch!

I have always been like this. I’m a guy who never has any cash in his wallet. I’m a debit and credit kind of guy and, if I suddenly have to use cash only, I find myself scrambling in my cupholder.

Is change a bother?

The problem is I tend to jingle it in my pockets. When I’m in public or making speeches, the people I work with have made it very clear that I am not to have anything that jingles in my pockets. They take away my keys and any change and they usually take my wallet, too.

Sounds like robbery without a gun.

They are usually pretty good about giving it back, but I do notice one staff member is wearing pretty nice ties these days.

In other countries, Japan and Australia to name two, cash is less prominent. Debit and credit and digital transactions are more the norm.

I have always been a gadget guy. I’m interested to read about some of the stuff that is under way right now. Ebay and PayPal were doing a pilot project where it is Bluetoothed to your phone, but your phone never leaves your pocket. Your photo shows up on the till and they determine if it is really you and it just gets charged to your phone. Interesting. I don’t know how well it would work, but I’m willing to try new technology...

Read the complete interview (including the surprise ending!)

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team
- Illustration by Anthony Jenkins

Mayor Nenshi on what makes Calgary awesome

In early September, Mayor Nenshi sat down with Calgary is Awesome to chat about, well, why Calgary is awesome. In a just a short time, the interview covered a wide range of topics from the importance of citizen participation, 3 Things for Calgary, chicken wings, The Avengers, and the year ahead in Council.

You can read the full article here, but here's an excerpt:

Q: You’ve lived in a variety of different cities. What do you find unique about Calgary and Calgarians among the places you’ve lived?

A: One of the things that’s really great about Calgary is that we’re at a really interesting size and a really interesting point in our evolution. You can do anything in the city. The arts scene is amazing, the cultural scene is amazing, but you can still kind of get your head around it – get a sense of what’s the great stuff going on, which I think is particularly exciting.

I was at the Betty Mitchell awards recently, the theatre awards, and I said something I really believe – which is that the quality of the work we put on stage in this city is as good as anywhere in the English-speaking world. It’s something that we can be very, very proud of. So, that’s just part of the great things that are going on in this city.

You know, a survey was done recently that said something like 91 per cent of Calgarians thought the city was on the rise. That sort of optimism is actually pretty unique to Calgary. Those of us who live here don’t always see it, and don’t always see how incredibly welcoming the city is, how easy it is for people to succeed as something unique, but it’s very unique and something we should celebrate.

Q: Speaking of that survey, you guys have done a number of public-input surveys recently – the Route Ahead survey, the food trucks survey, the parks and recreation questionnaire, to name a few. That kind of interaction is very new to Calgary – what has public feedback been like?

A: Really, really, really good. We just won a big international award for the work we’re doing with the budget feedback stuff. To me it’s really important. I always say, “Look. The 13 or 14 people sitting around city council table don’t have all the answers. The 15,000 people working for the city don’t have all the answers. But the 1.1 million people who live here really are the experts.” Everyone’s an expert in their own life, an expert in living in a great city. So I think reaching out to those people, asking “How can we make the city work for you?” is really important.

...

Q: Do you have any advice for the average citizen who wants to improve the city or their community?

A: We have to stop relying on government, or business, or non-profits, or somebody else to make our communities better. Every single one of us has the power in our own hands, our own hearts, our own souls to make the community better. That was really one of my first principles when I started here.

During the 2010 election, people got really engaged in politics, a lot of people for the first time. One of the things I was trying to figure out was “How do we keep that going? How do we keep that positive energy moving?” So I pulled together a group of volunteers and they called themselves the “Mayors Committee on Civic Engagement” – terrible name. They came up with this great idea. I always wear this number three for Three Things for Calgary.

The whole idea behind Three Things for Calgary is that every Calgarian has the power to make the community better. This is the year for every single person to do three things for the community. Maybe big things – you might take on a new volunteer role, join a non-profit, join a board of directors. Or they could be small things. My favourite example is the guy who said “I’m gonna have a barbecue. But I’m going to have it in my front yard instead of my back yard. And I’m going to invite my neighbours who I don’t really know.”

Kids across schools have adopted three things. “I’m going to pick up litter in my school yard, I’m going to be nice to my little brother.” It really matters. If we get this right – these three things by the way, there’s actually a fourth thing. And the fourth thing is that when you finish your three things, you talk about it. Tell people about it. Encourage three other people to do the same. If we do this right, that means there will be three million acts of city building – big ones and small ones – over the course of this year in Calgary. Things that change the city forever. And I think people have the opportunity to say, “Look, if you see something wrong, don’t expect anyone else to fix it. Just fix it. Use your own skills and your own resources and your own past to make things better.”

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Q: One question that people wanted to know was what is your favourite movie, or if you ever get the chance to go out to the theatre?

A: I’m actually a huge film buff! One of the real problems in this job is that I haven’t had as much time to see as many movies as I normally do. When I was a professor, one year I saw 30 plus movies at the Calgary International Film Festival. So it’s been hard for me.

But this year’s been a little lacklustre! I sort of liked the Avengers. There haven’t been a lot of huge, intellectually stimulating stuff yet. We’re getting into Oscar season now, so it might be a bit better.

I will say, though, that I’ve seen a lot of superhero movies lately and there’s one thing I want to know – what is with all the destruction of urban infrastructure?! I feel like the evil aliens, or warlords, or demigods just don’t think! You have to deliver clean water. How are you gonna do that when you’re blowing up the water mains? When you’re blowing up the streets? How is that subway going to keep going?!

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Q: Anyway, the question we always like to end off on is – what makes Calgary awesome?

A: So many things make Calgary awesome! The physical environment, the built environment, the public space… but of course, the thing that makes Calgary the most awesome is the people. The attitude of Calgarians about being welcoming, about being open, about helping other people succeed, and just about building a great place together.

Check out the full interview (including a peak at Mayor Nenshi's bobblehead) here.

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team
- Photo by Angie Hung (included because it's also awesome)