Calgary city councillors voted Tuesday to contribute to a new regional sewer line that will facilitate growth in both Calgary and the neighbouring municipality of Airdrie. The executive committee unanimously endorsed a request from administration for $51 million in additional borrowing authority to support construction of an expanded wastewater line to Airdrie.
Cost Recovery and Regional Benefits
The costs would be recovered through wastewater rates for regional customers and off-site levies once lands in the Nose Creek area structure plan are developed. Mayor Jeromy Farkas emphasized the mutual benefits, stating, “When Airdrie succeeds, Calgary succeeds, and vice versa, and that’s what this unanimous vote really represented.” He added, “It’s how Calgary shows we’re hunting as a pack with our regional partners.”
Project Details and Funding
The capital request is being brought forward before November budget deliberations to advance the Nose Creek Sanitary Trunk extension, a $114-million project led by the City of Airdrie. The new seven-kilometre line will replace an existing, smaller pressurized sanitation pipe. Calgary has supplied Airdrie with bulk water and wastewater services since 1976, with the current master servicing agreement running from 2015 to 2035.
Airdrie is contributing $62 million, or 55 per cent of capital costs. Last summer, the Alberta government announced a $50-million contribution toward the same project. A City of Calgary spokesperson clarified that the capital budget request is separate from the provincial funding and is not covered by that grant.
Growth and Economic Impact
Airdrie has experienced explosive growth in the last four years, with its population increasing by 25 per cent since 2022 to roughly 90,000, making it Alberta’s fifth largest city. The expanded wastewater line is expected to support further housing development and has a projected economic return value of $45 billion, according to the City of Airdrie. A previous Airdrie news release stated that the project is an efficient and coordinated effort with Calgary, building regional partnerships to share infrastructure facilities.
