Calgary Police Commission looks ahead to 2026 traffic safety plan

After one of the deadliest years on Calgary's roads, the final police commission meeting of 2025 was zeroed in on traffic safety.

2025 has been a deadly year on Calgary roads and the Calgary Police Commission (CPC) will be looking at an updated strategy on how to shift the trend.

It’s a conversation that both the police chief and the commission chair say must balance education, prevention and enforcement.

The CPC’s final meeting of the year will take place Wednesday, and it will be devoting a significant amount of time on next year’s traffic safety plan.

The 2026 Traffic Safety Plan, included on the commission’s agenda, will commit to its Joint Safer Mobility Plan, which includes engagement, education and enforcement among other focuses.

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Commission chair Amtul Siddiqui says the focus on prevention and community messaging remains central as pedestrian incidents rise.

“It’s really around prevention. It’s ensuring that drivers are driving appropriately,” she said.

“A lot of these accidents occur because drivers are distracted, so it’s really making sure that the education is out there to them on the way they need to behave while they’re driving.”

She added that pedestrians also have a role to play, saying “there’s a piece around pedestrian education too, making sure you’re connecting with drivers, looking at them, making sure you’re crossing at appropriate crosswalks.”

Under the plan, the CPS’ traffic section says it will continue to work with all districts on action plans and enforcement initiatives.

It says it will also increase visibility of uniformed officers and improve community outreach and messaging.

Police say it will also work with the city to advance the “physical components of road safety and signage.”

CPS Chief Katie McLellan says that coordination with city partners is ongoing.

“We have a really good partnership with the city where we look at infrastructure, we look at roads, we look at certain areas — do we need to add lights? Do we need to take lights away? Do we need to have more pedestrian crosswalks?” she said.

She noted that reconstruction investigations after fatal or serious collisions often lead to recommendations reviewed jointly with city staff.

Traffic enforcement also remains a key pillar, and McLellan says there is always a need for consequences.

“There is always a place for enforcement because at the end of the day, there has to be consequences for bad driving behaviour,” she said.

McLellan did however say that Calgary’s rapid growth means more vehicles on the road and more pressures on police resources.

“We are working at 60 per cent capacity with our front-line members… They are busy being reactive to police calls,” she said.

“One of their responsibilities is traffic safety, but they have a limited amount of time right now to be able to do that.”

Calgary traffic fatalities highest in 10 years

According to the latest data, there have been 32 recorded fatalities on Calgary roads in 2025 – the highest in 10 years.

Police said in a separate report filed ahead of the meeting that speed is the top contributor in those crashes.

“The 12 pedestrian fatalities are of an additional concern, where the consistent messaging should be about knowing your surroundings, using marked crosswalks, and making eye contact with drivers on the roadways before crossing,” officials said.

Impaired driving is also a concern for Calgary police and says the traffic section will continue to improve training for its front-line members.

“The CPS will have an increased checkstop presence throughout 2026,” it said.

Technology has also improved enforcement of distracted driving, Calgary police said.

Officials say charges were previously reliant only on statements of officers, but advancements have made courts more willing to convict offenders.

“Now, with the advancements of technology available to create evidence in support of charges (POV cameras, body-cameras, vehicle cameras), the CPS is in a stronger position to focus resources on addressing distracted driving in Calgary.”

Closer look at photo radar use

The traffic section says it will also look at expanded use of photo radar, under the Alberta government’s provisions.

In 2026, police will continue to deploy photo radar at approved playground and construction zones while also evaluating “high-speed problem areas and high frequency collision intersections.”

“Where supported by this data, the traffic section will apply for provincial exemptions for sites with available intersection safety devices (ISDs) capable of speed on green enforcement to operate (currently 51 inactive sites).”

The CPC meeting takes place at 3 p.m.