Calgary's new city manager to lay out his vision for city hall

It's been a time of change at Calgary city hall in recent months — and it's not over.

There have been budget and service cuts. Layoffs. Senior officials announcing their retirements. 

An overall lowering of expectations is the trend.

At Monday's city council meeting, the new city manager is expected to pull back the curtain on his plans for changes at the City of Calgary.

David Duckworth was named to the top bureaucrat job in mid-summer.

In an email sent to city employees last week, Duckworth wrote that he'll be sharing his short and medium term vision for the organization.

He also intends to lay out some of the strategies that the city is working on to support Calgary's economic recovery.

'There will be changes'

Several city councillors said they were looking forward to hearing what Duckworth's plans are during the strategic meeting.

Coun. Ward Sutherland said Duckworth has been talking with council members, senior staff and city employees alike since moving into the city manager's office.

"There will be changes and it's starting already," said Sutherland.

"Moving forward with less government and more efficient services. There's going to be lots of challenges with that and I hope that's part of the discussion."

Given the continuing uncertainty about the future of the energy industry, city council has already made a number of moves.

The city has overhauled its economic development strategy.

Council approved the $100-million Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund which is designed to lure companies and jobs to the city.

City council has also placed two big markers on the table to draw hotels and other businesses to the planned culture and entertainment district in Victoria Park.

It approved $166 million for the major expansion of the BMO Centre. That's its share of the half-a-billion dollar project that will turn the facility into a major convention centre.

In July, council approved co-funding a new arena with the owners of the Calgary Flames. Construction on the $550 million project to replace the Saddledome is expected to start in 2021.

This summer council also trimmed this year's budget by $60 million to help give a property tax cut to business property owners. That move resulted in a couple of hundred job cuts at the city, including the layoff of 115 city employees.

Not standing still

Over $600 million in savings were identified by Duckworth's predecessor over the past couple of years.

But people are still moving to Calgary and that only increases the demand for city services.

Council isn't standing pat because it knows in a somewhat sluggish and uncertain economy that there's little public appetite for tax hikes.

Coun. Jeff Davison said the city must examine what else it can do to help businesses.

"What are the other tools we have in the tool box in order to enable business, both to retain them here as well as attract them," said Davison.

"It's one thing to say you're a business-friendly city but when business and the environment around you doesn't perceive you as business friendly, you have some problems. So there needs to be some major adjustments there."