Calgary council approves $87B climate strategy

The City of Calgary's municipal building. (Getty Images)

Members of Calgary city council have passed a controversial climate strategy that outlines how the city will reach net-zero by 2050.

Council debated the 99-page climate strategy on Tuesday evening for about three hours before narrowly voting 9-6 in favour of it.

"We've decided tonight that we've made a commitment to taking action on climate change," said Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek.

Gondek says approving it allows administration to create a thorough action plan and accompanying budget in November.

"It was critical to move this forward so we could start taking some action and put the dollars into our budget.

"Our budget setting time is the end of November. It's generally a few days that council takes to set a four-year service plan and budget. What you will see is climate-impacted mitigation plans put through all of the business units and the service plans that are coming forward – and accompanying budget requests," Gondek said.

The $87 billion price tag, or $3.1 billion annually for the next 28 years, would be covered by all levels of government as well as stakeholders in the private sector.

"There is significant investment that is needed," Gondek said. "This is not money that is required by the City of Calgary alone."

The vote was initially scheduled to take place in June, but was delayed as some council members had to travel to Toronto for city business.

Councillors Sean Chu, Sonya Sharp, Andre Chabot, Richard Pootmans, Jennifer Wyness and Dan McLean voted against the strategy.

- With files from Austin Lee