- Population (April, 2013)
1,149,552
- Population growth
2.62%
- Median age
36.4
- City area
848 km²
- Unemployment rate
4.8%
- Total building permits issued
18,849
- Single family housing starts
5,915
- MLS Average Selling Price
$456,695
- Transit Ridership
107.5 M
- City Pathways
800 KM
- City-supported events
270
© The City of Calgary
WE ARE ONE.
JUNE 22, 2013
Stories, pictures and videos quickly spread throughout Calgary and across the world. A narrative, amid the destruction, unfolded: This was a community pulling together.
Early images were surreal. A powerless downtown core pitched into darkness. City landmarks filled up with the equivalent of dozens of Olympic-sized swimming pools. River pathways and bridges were swallowed and swept away.
Calgary was under a state of local emergency. Public safety was the first priority for emergency officials.
Eighty-thousand Calgarians were quickly evacuated from their homes. Days later, when 50,000 residents were given the OK to return and assess the damage, countless volunteers, often strangers, arrived at flood victims’ doors. Armed with shovels, smiles and hugs, they asked: “How can we help?”
Skilled City crews distinguished themselves through long hours and compassion. They evacuated citizens who needed help, served at evacuation and community centres and shored up river banks. Faced with the muddiest inflow of river water on record, staff treated it, and delivered high quality drinking water throughout the event.
This year’s annual report, as it does each year, provides consolidated financial information for The City of Calgary. It also provides highlights and achievements that improve our quality of life.
In so many cases - like our flood efforts - it is this past year’s engagement between citizens and City staff that stands out. This partnership works. Indeed, in our annual Citizen Satisfaction survey, nine in 10 Calgarians agree we are on track to becoming a better city.
The survey, an important voice for Calgarians, was conducted in August and September. When citizens were asked if they were satisfied with The City’s long-term plan to restore and rebuild City services and infrastructure affected by the flood, the response was resounding – 96 per cent said yes.
As the annual report shows, our city got back on its feet quickly despite the flood’s devastation. It also notes there’s much work ahead, with a need to build greater resiliency to reduce the impact of future risks.
As we move into 2014, building a better city remains the story.
JUNE 25, 2013
When I look back at the past year, I’ve never been prouder to be a Calgarian.
The June flooding caused extraordinary destruction and much pain for many. But we made it through. We made it because we’re blessed to have nearly 20,000 City of Calgary employees – my colleagues – who worked hard to keep us safe and rebuild our community.
From first responders like police and fire, to the folks in Waste and Recycling Services who brought cleanliness and normalcy to flood-ravaged neighbourhoods, to the people safeguarding our water supply, and all the rest, City crews showed us true public service.
While it’s impossible to name all those responsible for the work they did, I’m pleased to acknowledge the leadership of City Manager Owen Tobert. Mr. Tobert is and has been an extraordinary public servant for 32 years, and he was a true hero of the flood. We wish him the best in his retirement.
My fondest memories of the past year are of everyday Calgarians using their own hands, hearts, and minds to help our neighbours and, so often, strangers. It’s part of what makes our community work. It’s what we do.
I’m also proud of many other accomplishments we made throughout the year – commitments and plans to make Calgary even better.
The annual report shows how we’re taking real action in partnership with citizens. The Transforming Planning initiative will help us build better neighbourhoods with stakeholders. RouteAhead, a 30-year transit strategy, details how we’ll provide excellent transit service that best meets the needs of our citizens.
Through tremendous consultation, we’re excited to help lead the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative. Another plan, Fair Calgary, is working to ensure all citizens have ease of access to City programs and services they need.
New recreation facilities, new libraries, new apps, and new technology continue to improve the great quality of life we have in Calgary. It’s a standard that puts us on the map. For example, the Economist this year again ranked Calgary as one of the five most-livable cities in the world. MoneySense magazine said we’re the best place in Canada to raise kids. And our citizen satisfaction survey shows Calgarians are feeling it – results have never been better.
It’s high praise for a community, one we continue working to make even better.
Mayor
Accordingly, City Council members sit on a variety of boards, commissions and committees. Their participation provides a critical link between Calgary’s communities, agencies and the workings of the municipal government. The City has implemented significant corporate governance in line with the current best practices following the Corporate governance guidelines of the Canadian Securities Administrators to the extent they may be applicable to municipalities. City Council is comprised of 14 Councillors, each representing a ward, and the Mayor, representing the entire city. They are elected by and accountable to the people of Calgary. The Mayor and Councillors hold office for four year terms. After every civic election, the City Clerk and City Solicitor brief new Members of Council on the responsibilities of their office, the Procedures Bylaw, and other information pertinent to their positions, including ethical guidelines which require them to excuse themselves from all discussions involving issues in which they have a pecuniary interest. Throughout their term in office, Members of Council pursue ongoing training and education. Council meets on two Mondays each month (except in August). One of these meetings is a regular Council meeting where the recommendations from the standing policy committees are approved and the results of any strategic planning sessions are shared. The other meeting is a combined Council meeting and public hearing where planning matters are also discussed. Regular and open communication with Administration is central to setting and achieving The Corporation’s mission, vision, goals, strategies and actions.
In 2013, Council set priorities, established policy and made decisions through the Standing Policy Committees (SPC), which include the SPC on Community & Protective Services, SPC on Planning and Urban Development, SPC on Transportation & Transit, and SPC on Utilities and Corporate Services, along with Council Strategic Sessions, the Priorities and Finance Committee (PFC) chaired by the Mayor, the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, the Gas, Power and Telecommunications Committee, the Audit Committee, and the Land and Asset Strategy Committee. The public is welcome to attend the SPCs and to make presentations at these meetings. The decisions and directions that come out of committee meetings are forwarded to City Council for final approval. The Priorities and Finance Committee meets twice monthly, and during 2013, PFC oversaw the nominations and appointments to various boards, committees, commissions and other bodies, and created and maintained a process for the regular review and reporting of Council’s legislative governance practices.
The Priorities Finance Committee also provided annual written performance evaluations and ongoing monitoring of the City Manager as required by the Municipal Government Act. The Audit Committee oversees the activities of the City Auditor’s office, the Legislative resource group, the external auditors, and The City’s internal controls and management information systems. This helps ensure Administration’s accountability to Council and adherence to the Integrated Risk Management Policy.
The Council Compensation Review Committee is responsible for making recommendations to Council regarding its remuneration, pension, benefits and other forms and levels of compensation. This committee is comprised of five independent external advisors, including professional representation from labour, business and law.
Council establishes policies for governing The City and administration provides employee conduct policies. The City’s Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest policies, which apply equally to all City employees and provide guidelines for employee conduct in fulfilling their day-to-day responsibilities. The Code of Conduct includes a suite of policies directing employee behaviour in the workplace including the Acceptable use of City Technology Resources Policy, Occupational Health and Safety Policy and a Respectful Workplace Policy that is committed to creating and sustaining a healthy, safe, and caring work environment where all employees are treated with respect, honesty and dignity. The Council-approved Whistle-Blower Policy is also a part of The City’s ongoing efforts to support open, ethical, accountable and transparent local government. This policy provides additional mechanisms to ensure processes are in place to prevent, detect, report and investigate any suspected acts of waste or wrongdoing.
Council employs a Triple Bottom Line decision-making approach, under the umbrella of the Sustainability 20/20 direction, that takes into account the potential environmental, social and economic impacts of The City’s actions and operations. The City’s enviroSystem, our ISO 14001-registered environmental Management System, helps identify, track and continually improve The City’s performance and decision-making. The City’s Sustainable Environmental and Ethical Procurement Policy also supports the purchase of products and services that minimize any negative impact on society and the environment, while obtaining good value for money. Public availability of The City’s financial information is a cornerstone of transparency and accountability. Council leads an accountable and transparent business planning and budget preparation process by directing Administration with early guidelines for spending on services and revenue generation, and by providing opportunities for public review, engagement and comment on the budget prior to approval.
Currently, The City of Calgary employs a multi-year business planning and budgeting process, which was approved in November of 2011 for the 2012 – 2014 cycle. In November of 2013, Council approved the 2014 adjustments to the current business plans and budgets. All this information is available on calgary.ca. With The City’s engage! Policy, Council assigns priority to informing and involving citizens and other stakeholders early on, and throughout the planning and process, when decisions impact their lives. Through an annual survey of Calgary’s citizens, Council is able to regularly monitor public satisfaction with the delivery of services, and consider citizen preferences for the nature and delivery of future services to the public.
For more information about City Council, the various boards, foundations and committees, and any of the policies referenced here, visit calgary.ca
June 22, 2013
JUNE 25, 2013
The annual report provides consolidated financial statements required by law that detail The City’s financial position as of Dec. 31, 2013. It also presents a picture of the programs and services we provide through the use of public funds.
Over time, it becomes something else – a historical document. One, that when we look back at an extraordinary year, shows a community pulling together in response to the costliest natural disaster ever recorded in Canada.
How we responded, and continue to recover, is a tribute to City employees and Calgarians.
During the flood’s first difficult days when the power was out, roads and bridges washed away, City crews responded with an immediacy that kept the public safe.
Many of our employees, about 2,800, were displaced and redeployed because their own workplaces were affected. Across business units, staff accepted roles beyond their job descriptions where 16-hour days became the norm.
This report speaks to how crews evacuated about 80,000 citizens, effectively repaired roads and rails, staffed evacuation and community centres, provided clean drinking water and within the first month, inspected about 18,000 homes and businesses.
The enormity of the event was unparalleled. So too, was the participation of citizens who took in the great majority of evacuees and then helped in a massive cleanup.
Two images capture that great sense of community: the call-out for volunteers at McMahon Stadium when we needed 600 people and more than 3,000 showed up; and the ubiquitous photos on social media of mud-caked, rubber-booted volunteers – by the thousands – who helped exhausted flood victims clean up their homes.
In this year’s annual report, that theme – an engaged population – is evident throughout. Whether it was flood related, or in many other achievements, it’s a story of citizens working with municipal government to make our lives better.
For City employees, it’s a privilege to partner with such great citizens – to create an exceptional and enviable place to live, work and raise a family.
City Manager (Interim)
The City’s Audit Committee oversees the activities of the external auditor and the City Auditor’s Office to assist in ensuring City Administration’s accountability to City Council. The Audit Committee engages independent external auditors in order to fulfill The City’s legislated financial audit requirements. The current external auditor for The City is Deloitte LLP.
Deloitte LLP carried out the audit of The City of Calgary’s 2013 financial accounts in accordance with Canadian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, and had full and unrestricted access to the Audit Committee to discuss the audit and related findings. This external audit function adds assurance to the integrity of The City’s financial statements and reporting processes. Audit Committee reviews The City’s Annual Financial Statements and recommends City Council approval of The City’s financial statements as audited by the external auditor and presented in this 2013 Annual Report.
The City Auditor’s Office is independent from City Administration and reports to City Council through the Audit Committee. The City Auditor’s independence and terms of reference are provided for in the City Auditor’s Bylaw and City Auditor’s Office Charter. The City Auditor’s Office is the independent internal audit of The City of Calgary. The City Auditor submits an annual work plan to the Audit Committee for approval. Audit Committee can add items to the City Auditor’s work plan; however, the Audit Committee can not remove items from the work plan. Open disclosure is encouraged and all audit reports by the City Auditor’s Office are provided to the Audit Committee to review when completed. Audit reports are a matter of public record.
The City Auditor’s Office oversees the Whistleblower Program, which may include concerns from City employees and members of the public. The City Auditor’s Office reports on those concerns and the outcomes, subject to confidentiality, to the Audit Committee.
In 2013, major areas of focus for Audit Committee, in addition to those areas already noted, included the evaluation and recommendation of an external auditor to City Council, the evaluation and recommendation of a new City Auditor to City Council, implementation of a new Audit Resource Management area, and review and recommendation of a revised City Auditor Bylaw and City Auditor’s Office Charter. The Audit Committee also provided oversight of The City’s integrated risk management framework, financial disclosure and accounting practices, code of conduct, legal compliance and control environment.The Audit Committee coordinated its governance responsibilities with audit committees of The City’s major autonomous civic entities as determined by the Audit Committee.
The Audit Committee maintains a review of the Audit Committee Bylaw on a regular basis to ensure the Audit Committee Bylaw and the terms of reference therein reflect best practices in audit governance. The Audit Committee Bylaw came into effect in October 2013 and was most recently reviewed and amended in December 2013.
The Audit Committee has been successful in ensuring that the right professionals and appropriate level of resources are in place to continue to fulfill the Audit Committee’s mandate.
Ward 6 Councillor
Chair, Audit Committee
It is Administration’s responsibility to provide, manage and sustain civic infrastructure, facilities and programs that support the quality of life that is so much a part of Calgary’s appeal. City Administration anticipates changes and identifies potential opportunities, then puts in place the municipal services that will enable those opportunities to become realities. The City of Calgary is constantly evolving to ensure the needs and values of its citizens are reflected in its services.
The City Manager leads the Administrative Leadership Team (ALT) and works closely with Council. The City Manager implements the decisions of Council, provides advice and manages City Administration. He is responsible and accountable for ensuring all City work, projects, operations and services comply with Council’s policies, priorities and direction.
The ALT oversees all City operations and strategic management, leading, managing and co-ordinating The City’s programs, projects and initiatives. The ALT also plays a major role in developing and implementing public policy, balancing the priorities and best interests of the community with The City’s corporate goals and available resources.
June 23, 2013
On July 3, two days before Stampede officially began, the LRT line reopened.
Transit carried 107.5 million customers, 5.5 million more than in 2012. To build future capacity we expanded eight more CTrain platforms to accommodate four-car trains (by 2015) from the current three cars. To increase reliability, we added 20 new 40-foot buses, 10 articulated buses and 20 shuttle buses to our fleet.
In March, Council approved the RouteAhead plan, a public transit strategy for the next 30 years. Beginning in April 2012, City staff listened in person to more than 4,000 citizens and stakeholders. The public’s ideas for transit’s future were also captured online.
Opened in July, after four months of public engagement, the 7 Street S.W. cycle track was an instant hit. In its first two months, more than 1,000 cyclists a day used the track, doubling our original projections.
Our interactive map on calgary.ca shows major road closures, incidents, traffic cameras, as well as Snow Route parking ban information. The Snow and Ice Control map (microsite) displays real-time information on the plowing and sanding status of city roads.
In 2013, The City turned over all sections above the Airport Tunnel to the Calgary Airport Authority. Among numerous projects, we finished widening Airport Trail between Deerfoot Trail and Barlow Trail. The tunnel, West LRT, 52nd Street S.W., and Peace Bridge also won multiple construction awards for completed projects.
Transit’s Twitter account grew to 35,000 followers, providing immediate information on delays to service and two-way communication with Calgary Transit staff. Hashtags like #yycroads #yyctraffic also spread the word about traffic and road conditions.
80% ARE SATISFIED WITH SERVICE CALGARY TRANSIT PROVIDES
73% SATISFIED WITH ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
June 22, 2013
During the flood, average daily hits to Calgary Transit website rose to 140,000 from 14,000.
During the June flood, Emergency Operations Centre officials used award-winning technology to make quick and effective decisions critical in a crisis. The Web-based Common Operating Picture tool provided more than 212 geographic layers of information – e.g. floor plans, aerial photos, roads and river maps, social media videos – in one place.
The OISEAU Agents of Nature mobile app lets youth join a “secret nature intelligence agency” where they scan QR codes in City parks to learn about nature. Since its launch this year, “agents” have walked 320 hours and covered 1,177 hours in fun challenges.
This new mobile app lets “on the go” people report concerns they may have about potholes, streetlights and pathways. Citizens can take a photo, describe the issue and use their smartphones’ GPS to detect the location. In 2013, 311 received 11,712 requests for service through the app.
Our new, easy online search tool on calgary.ca shows Calgarians which household waste can be disposed of as garbage, recycled, or if possible, donated. It’s information to help the community achieve Council’s 80/20 waste diversion target, and is expected to reduce 9,000-plus related calls annually made to 311.
The electronic construction drawing and mark-up tool was created by The City for the development industry. It has reduced the submission and approval time for subdivision construction drawings to six weeks from 12 weeks. Because of the streamlined process, which enables simultaneous review of drawings, industry costs are also reduced.
In 2013, about 12 million visits were made to calgary.ca, 28 per cent from mobile devices. Citizens registered online for recreation programs, sought traffic information, job postings and kept returning to the adoptable pets section. Our Web satisfaction tool keeps giving us customer feedback on making the award-winning site more usable.
87% Feel satisfied with the overall quality of City information and communications
43% STATE Calgary.ca AS their main source of information about The City’s programs, services, and policies
June 25, 2013
During the first call out for volunteers, 3,000 citizens showed up.
In May, Council unanimously endorsed a strategic plan to reduce poverty in our city. The Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative is community led and supported by The City and United Way of Calgary. The plan’s recommendations are based on more than 15,000 hours of consultation, dozens of community workshops and submissions from like-minded organizations.
This year, 92 communities, up by 18 per cent over 2012, partnered with The City to support safe neighbourhoods. Community associations made sure volunteer resources were in place and advertised clearly what materials The City would accept. Cleanups take place every year, in spring and fall.
In March, the food and yard waste pilot in four communities reached a milestone as nearly 2 million kg of material had been collected and turned into compost. In the pilot’s first year, participating households reduced their garbage by over 40 per cent. Council approved the go-ahead of a composting facility, a key step towards a city-wide green cart program by 2017.
In December, we broke ground on two southeast recreation facilities. Quarry Park and Great Plains are two of four centres planned for under-served communities. Council also approved the new Central Library, its plan shaped in part by input from 16,500 citizens over a six-month period.
More than 45,000 low-income citizens access City programs and services. But, to participate, they may have to repeatedly prove their financial status. A new “single-entry” system is being developed to end a multiple-application process that can be embarrassing and inconvenient. It’s estimated 114,000 Calgarians live below the low-income poverty cut-off rate.
The 86,100-square-foot plaza opened on Memorial Drive’s Landscape of Memory. Our newest gathering place, it honours the men and women who served our country in war. Fittingly, the military, veterans association, adjacent communities and pathway user groups were consulted on its design that won the Canadian Architect Award of Merit.
After 18 months of extensive work, City staff, industry and community representatives agreed to a new planning system for Calgary. The system promises all stakeholders that our planning processes can and will be done differently. In 2014, steps will begin, collaboratively, to complete this long-term transformation.
88% rate the overall quality of life in the city of Calgary as Good
90% Agree Calgary is on the right track to be a better city
June 23, 2013
City Police, Fire, Bylaw and peace officers helped evacuate about 80,000 people from parts of 32 communities.
In the 12 months prior to the flood, CEMA and partners practised for scenarios that include flooding, train derailments, zoo incidents, Stampede Grounds flooding and large fires. Flood inundation mapping assisted CEMA in determining the areas requiring evacuations. Upgrades to water treatment facilities, completed in 2012, proved invaluable in protecting water quality.
On June 20, City Police, Fire, Bylaw and peace officers went door to door to evacuate about 80,000 residents in parts of 32 communities. Transit would send 344 buses to help evacuees, seniors in care facilities and volunteers. Access Calgary aided 500-plus people who use wheelchairs.
The downtown core was flooded, closed to traffic and without power. Old City Hall, the Municipal Building, Stampede Grounds and Calgary Zoo suffered massive damage. Sixteen LRT stations shut down. Thirty parks flooded and river pathways were destroyed. Twenty-two bridges and numerous roads closed.
During the first two weeks, Calgarians turned to The City for news. Citizens heard daily updates from the Emergency Operations Centre. The 311 Centre handled 100,000 phone calls. The City’s Twitter account gained 50 per cent more followers and calgary.ca had 1.8 million-plus visits.
Staff from City business units and community partners helped citizens at evacuation reception centres and at community centres during re-entry. Crews stabilized riverbanks and sandbagged neighbourhoods with citizens’ help. Within 48 hours, temporary tax payment, permit and licence counters were set up across the city.
Crews assessed buildings for re-entry, and on June 23 about 50,000 evacuees got the OK to return home for property self assessment. They were supported by community recovery centres, a City FAQ blog and “arriving home” booklets. Crews quickly handled 95 per cent of citizen requests to pump out water. Collection vehicles helped carry debris that was dumped for free at City landfills.
During the event, our drinking water met provincial standards and was safe to drink every day. City crews repaired about 250 sink holes, opened 150 km of roads and reopened about 40 bus and CTrain routes. By the end of June, 100 per cent of the city grid was re-energized by Enmax.
96% Feel satisfied with The City’s overall response to the flood
June 26, 2013
Within six months, The City’s top 10 flood-related infrastructure projects were substantially completed.
Of the 185 flood impacted projects, 90 were completed or substantially completed by year’s end. These included the Municipal Building, Administration Building, City Hall Parkade, public transit track rebuilding, major road work at Macleod Trail and 25 Avenue S. plus Heritage Drive and Glenmore Trail. Recovery work was also done at Prince’s Island Park and other major parks affected by the flood, on lift stations and on critical riverbank erosion sites along the Bow River. The Calgary Zoo and the Calgary Public Library Main Branch reopened to the public even though recovery work continues.
In balancing our flood recovery infrastructure needs with Council priorities, the following funding decisions were approved: $67 million during state of local emergency; $19.8 million under the Municipal Emergency Plan; $95.6 million – 2013 capital budget; $134.2 million – 2014 capital budget.
In July, The City announced that an expert management panel would steer the River Flood Mitigation Program. The five-member panel is researching ways to reduce damage from any future flooding. Working with City business units, the community and the Province, the panel makes recommendations to Council in 2014.
By year’s end, the flood’s full extent was still being evaluated. A total of 185 infrastructure projects were identified in the early days with a total estimate of $445 million in damages. This included an estimated $129 million in yet unfunded recovery projects.
City staff worked diligently to get neighbourhoods back to normal: we took in 99,555 tonnes of flood debris at our landfills; stabilized five riverbank sites for public safety; resurfaced and cleaned seven playgrounds; and with the help of 400 volunteers, reopened 15 City parks.
The City worked with the Province on policy issues related to property ownership and development. Recovery services were provided at community meetings, via mobile Disaster Recovery Program funding offices and through a winterization program to help protect unoccupied properties. We provided citizens with more than 3,000 permits to repair, remediate or demolish their homes and businesses. There is a next phase of repair or rebuild, as property owners come forward for permits for more substantial interior re-construction projects, or demolition and rebuilds. Additionally, buildings affected by the flood, with no permit activity to date are expected to come forward in 2014.
Through technology, face-to-face meetings and working with partner organizations, we support Calgarians who need help. In five months, calgary.ca had more than 215,000 visits from people seeking flood-related information. We talked to 2,700 residents at community meetings and knocked on 1,300 doors in hard-hit communities.
95% Feel satisfied with The City’s flood recovery program
