In a move that has drawn scrutiny, Calgary's Chief Administrative Officer, David Duckworth, proactively offered mental health resources to municipal staff mere hours before the public release of a scathing independent report on the city's water infrastructure failures.
Pre-Emptive Support Before Critical Findings
The devastating report, which analyzed the systemic failures leading to the ruptures on the Bearspaw South feeder main, was made public on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Anticipating the impact, Duckworth sent a city-wide email to employees at 8:33 a.m. that same day.
In the message, obtained and verified by Postmedia, Duckworth acknowledged that staff might have questions upon reading the document. He encouraged them to speak with their direct leaders and highlighted available wellness services. "If you feel you may need additional resources, there is helpful information on managing stressful events," he wrote.
The CAO went a step further by providing the direct contact information for a registered psychologist and a mental health counsellor, promising their dedicated availability by phone for the following three days.
A Culture of No Blame Under Fire
This action has cast a spotlight on what critics describe as a pervasive "feel-good, no-blame culture" within Calgary's city administration. The email and Duckworth's subsequent public comments suggest a primary focus on protecting employee well-being over accepting direct accountability for the infrastructure crisis that left many Calgarians stranded and inconvenienced.
When addressing the report's findings, Duckworth deflected blame from any individual or team. He framed the feeder main rupture as a "systemic, critical issue that developed over decades, and with no singular cause." He emphasized that the review's purpose was to identify opportunities for improvement, "not to assign blame."
Performance Review and Public Perception
The timing and nature of Duckworth's email have raised questions about leadership priorities. As the city's top unelected official, his performance is now formally up for review by city council.
While the CAO expressed clear concern for his employees' mental stress, the gesture stands in contrast to the immediate physical and logistical stress endured by residents affected by the water main breaks. The episode underscores a growing tension between internal administrative culture and the public's expectation for accountability from its civic leaders.
The independent report on the pipeline failures represents a significant moment for Calgary's infrastructure management and civic governance, with Duckworth's leadership approach becoming a central part of the ensuing debate.
