Transportation infrastructure: Calgary ponders how to raise $1.4B
CBC News | Posted: May 20, 2015 12:46 PM | Last Updated: May 21, 2015
Council committee looks at options such as car rental levies, toll roads to raise money over the next decade
A Calgary council committee is trying to come up with innovative ways of raising money for city transportation projects.
- Naheed Nenshi wants federal funds to stimulate Calgary
- North-central LRT routes through downtown up for debate
Property taxes are the biggest source of city funds. But a report suggests more cash could be available if the province allows the city to enact new measures such as a fuel tax, car rental levies and toll roads.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi says council asked for a menu of options in a bid to establish the most effective way to pay for new LRT lines and future roads.
But with the election of a new provincial NDP government — and changes coming from Ottawa — there could be less urgency to impose new fees and taxes, Nenshi says.
"We have a new provincial government that has suggested that they're going to put a lot of the carbon money into transit. We have a federal government that has now announced for the first time ever a new national federal transit strategy," he said.
"And so one of our big questions is — looking at those two things — how big is that shortfall now? It may be less than it was before but it's still an awful lot of money."
The city needs $1.4 billion in additional revenue to complete its transportation infrastructure needs over the next 10 years.