December 2, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Calgary city council has reduced the anticipated 2026 property tax increase from 3.6 per cent to approximately 1.6 per cent — and potentially lower — as budget deliberations continue.
Debate stretched late into Monday evening, with councillors still working through dozens of amendments. Several measures already approved have contributed to the tax reduction, including redirecting $50 million of city investment income toward tax relief and halting a proposed one per cent tax shift from non-residential to residential properties.
“At the heart of it, council has made a thoughtful, strategic direction to give more money back to Calgarian taxpayers — not just business owners but also homeowners,” said Mayor Jeromy Farkas.
While proposals to eliminate the free fare zone and end the free rides for children 12 and under on Calgary Transit were defeated, council did pass an amendment reversing the 2023 fare freeze. Combined with the previously approved transit fare increase for 2026, an adult single-use fare will rise to $4.
As of Monday night, the estimated overall tax increase sits at 1.14 per cent, though that number may continue to shift. Coun. John Pantazopoulos has signalled an amendment that could bring the tax increase down to zero.
Additional suggestions under consideration include using grant dollars, reallocating funding from the downtown office-to-housing conversion program, and altering mental health and addictions funding from ongoing support to a single-year allocation.
With more than 30 amendments on the table, council’s final decision is still evolving.
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