City council tops up emergency service priorities

Calgary city council rubber stamped a plan Wednesday to fast track emergency services in the Saddle Ridge and Royal Oak communities.

Funding for the projects comes out of the $3 billion in infrastructure money from the province to the city for the next decade. Most of the money is already allocated to LRT expansion and recreation centres, but council voted unanimously Wednesday to dedicate $330 million to emergency services.

Of that, $50 million goes immediately into previously identified priority projects:

• New tri-services — or combined police, fire and emergency medical services stations — in Saddle Ridge and Royal Oak.
• A new emergency operations centre.
• New fire and EMS stations in the downtown.
• A new police station in the north.

"I think the strategic direction today from city council is unprecedented," said Mayor Dave Bronconnier. "It's very important. It was a unanimous decision. Yes, OK, this is the right priority."

Over the next seven months, council will decide on how the remaining $280 million will be spent in fire halls and ambulance stations.

"There's a lot of things that get horse-traded on around here," said Ald. Ric McIvor, regarding how much time councillors have to lobby for projects in their areas. "I would hope fire halls, police stations, EMS facilities don't ever get to the horse-trading stage."

The mayor said he's confident council will put aside their own preferences and follow the priorities as set out by the chiefs of police, fire and ambulance.

Because each of the new tri-services stations will cost at least $25 million, the city agreed to look at different funding options, including public-private partnerships. A report is expected this spring on the viability of those options.

City council also earmarked $165 million of the infrastructure money for potential arts and culture facilities, pending a report by Calgary Arts Development later this year.