"Cut Red Tape is working"

Since Mayor Nenshi was first elected, he has worked hard with citizens, businesses, and City of Calgary employees to cut red tape at City Hall. In a recent news release from the Calgary Home Builders' Association - Calgary Region (which is also one of the industry partners working on the Cut Red Tape committee), the group applauds how red tape has been cut so far. Here's the release (cross-posted from its website):

Kudos to City’s ePermits

Posted February 5, 2014

The City of Calgary’s commitment to Cut Red Tape is working – and it’s making it easier for our industry to do business.

The new online building permit system, implemented as of January 1 this year, has resulted in significant time savings and an easier way to do business with the City of Calgary, says one of the largest city builders.

“This has been a great initiative by the City, which I believe has had instant payback in both the building industry and the City of Calgary,” says Devin Dyler, design manager, Calgary Homes, for Brookfield Residential.

Brookfield was one of the companies chosen to test the new process, a new e-permitting process implemented through years of collaboration with City staff and Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Calgary Region volunteers on the Technical Council.

“Up until late November (last year), each week a design member from Brookfield would book off a half day to travel to the City and apply for numerous permits,” says Dyler. “Not only was this lost time, there was an obscene amount of paper documentation involved for each permit, parking and travel mileage.”

It is now faster and easier to apply for a residential permit.

“Thanks to the input of our customers, volunteer home builders and our employees, we’ve developed, tested and enhanced an online tool that is not only efficient but easy to use,” says the City on its website www.calgary.ca.

A total of 17,500 building permits were issued by the City of Calgary last year and 50,000 trade permits. See the infographic below for more information on the activities through the City’s Planning and Development services.

“The City has been very responsive to our comments and suggestions to improve this new system,” Dyler says.

“This has translated to significant time and cost savings,” adds Wendy Jabusch, vice-president of Calgary Homes for Brookfield.

Mayor's Office meeting register: July - December 2013

Since Mayor Naheed Nenshi was first elected, he has published monthly lists of meetings he's taken in his office. This was a voluntary action in the absence of a formal policy. In July 2013, at his urging, Council agreed to publish quarterly lists of meetings held with members of the public (ie: not City of Calgary employees) in the offices of the mayor and councillors.

Click here to view a list of meetings with Mayor Nenshi.

Click here to view a list of meetings with Mayor Nenshi's staff.

The details of the new disclosure policy can be found in the Ethical Conduct Policy for Members of Council. Here is the specific quote related to disclosing meetings:

All visitors shall be encouraged to sign a form with appropriate language allowing release of their names as per Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation. Members of Council and their staff shall disclose a list of those external visitors to The City (excluding Media), with whom they have met in their offices quarterly.

- Posted by Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team

Olympics edition Mayor Nenshi Reads: Lucy Tries Luge

With the Winter Olympic Games just around the corner, it's time for an appropriately-themed Mayor Nenshi Reads!

Lucy Tries Luge is written by Calgarian journalist Lisa Bowes and illustrated by James Hearne. Profits from the sales of the book go to the Canadian Olympic Luge Team, and you can purchase yours at many Chapters or Indigo stores or online at Monkey Shines Books or Owl's Nest Books (you can buy them in-store in those places too).

And, of course, from everyone on Mayor Nenshi's team:

Go, Team Canada, Go!

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