Important decisions on the future of Calgary Transit

Today was an important day in our history as a growing city. Your City Council took steps to start building the seven priority projects from RouteAhead--our 30 year transit plan.

Today’s decision allows us to start taking real action on building better transit in every quadrant. With the $520 million Green Line fund (The “Green Line” being the southeast and north central transit corridors) and other funding sources such as investments from other levels of government, we have started down the road to complete substantial new transitway (dedicated bus routes) and bus rapid transit (BRT) projects in all quadrants of the city over the next seven years.

These projects include:

• The Green Line
  (Phase 1 SETWAY and North Central Transitways, which are the first steps toward ultimate LRT) 
• Southwest Transitway 
• 17th Avenue SE Transitway 
• Southwest Crosstown BRT 
• 16th Ave North Crosstown BRT 
• Phase 1 of the NW transit hub project around the U of C and Foothills Hospital 

This is a massive step forward in the realization of RouteAhead and will make an huge difference in ensuring Calgarians can more easily get around our city. You can see more detail about our long term plan, including these transit corridors, at www.Routeahead.ca.

- Mayor Naheed Nenshi

Happy Year of the Horse!

Xīn Nian Kuai Le! Gong Hei Fat Choi! Happy Year of the Horse to everyone! May your new year be wonderful and prosperous.

- Mayor Naheed Nenshi

Mayor Nenshi's office budget and expenses: January - December 2013

Below are the Mayor’s Office expenses for January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. This is part of City Council's disclosure policy and our ongoing commitment to transparency and openness.

The information includes:

• a budget summary
• details of the expenses in areas like travel, hosting, and communications
• a list of travel paid for by third-parties

Mayor's Office Operating Budget 2013

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

Mayor's Office Expense Report 2013

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

In 2013, Mayor Nenshi traveled during the course of his work. Those travel expenses are included in the above documents. However, some trips were paid for by third parties. Here is a list of third-party-paid travel for 2013:

• March 27 - April 3, 2013: World Economic Forum (WEF) "China International Urbanizations" in Shanghai, China.
  Expenses covered by the WEF.
• June 18-23, 2013: Be Part of the Energy Tour to Ottawa and Toronto.
  Expenses covered by Calgary Economic Development. (Tour cut short by 2013 floods)
• October 23, 2013: Dreams Take Flight trip to Disneyland (Anaheim, California).
  Expenses covered by Dreams Take Flight sponsors.
• November 12-17, 2013: 2013 Top Employer Summit in Toronto.
  Expenses covered by Mediacorp Canada. 

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Statement of Defence from Mayor Nenshi

On January 14, 2013, Mayor Nenshi filed a Statement of Defence in the lawsuit brought against him by Cal Wenzel. Here is the statement in its entirely:

Statement of Defence - Mayor Naheed Nenshi

- posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Live with Mayor Nenshi! Citizen Q&As

Mayor Nenshi and Erin Strate on Shaw TV Calgary

Over the past month, Mayor Nenshi has participated in two hour-long Q&A-style shows that took live questions (by Twitter, Facebook, email, and phone) directly from citizens.

The first was Shaw TV's "Live with Mayor Nenshi" special in mid-December 2013. Here are all five-parts:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

More recently, Mayor Nenshi joined Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson on CBC's Alberta @ Noon. You can listen to the full show here.

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team