October 2022 newsletter

Hi Ward 1!

It's now been one year since I was elected as your councillor for Ward 1, and the year has flown by! I'm thankful for the opportunities I've had to work on your behalf and connect with so many members of the community.

This is a great opportunity for me to re-introduce my team in the Ward 1 office and into introduce a new member. Marley Gillies, my Executive Advisor, and Connor Molineaux, Communications and Policy Leader, are available to respond to your questions and concerns in addition to supporting my work at Council. I'm also very pleased to welcome Nadia Friesen, Business & Planning Strategist, on board. Nadia brings years of experience from City Administration in Planning & Development and Business & Local Economy. 

All of us in the Ward 1 office are at your service. You can reach out through any of the methods at the bottom of this newsletter and we will ensure you get connected with the right person.

At Council's annual Organizational Meeting earlier this week, I was honoured to be re-appointed as chair of the Infrastructure and Planning, Business Advisory, and Event Centre committees. I'm looking forward to continuing some great work that we started to make this the best City possible for Ward 1 residents and for all Calgarians.

– Sonya Sharp

Royal Oak residents may have noticed some changes at the intersection of Country Hills Boulevard and 112 Avenue. Councillor Sharp has been working closely with The City's Mobility unit to improve safety and address concerns related to the movement of heavy-haul trucks turning onto 112 Ave. 

As a result of those discussions, barriers have been put in place to make pedestrian crossings safer by relocating the crosswalk to be in the direct line of sight of drivers.

Over the summer, Councillor Sharp heard many concerns regarding the new roundabout at Sarcee Trail and 34 Ave NW next to the new Superstore. Area residents were concerned about the safety of the roundabout and issues with speeding given its close proximity to the townhouses to the north. 

Councillor Sharp worked closely with the Mobility unit to improve the roundabout's safety. The speed limit has been reduced to 30 km/h, additional signage has been added, and barriers now separate the road and the adjacent pathway and homes to the north. Councillor Sharp is happy to see these improvements in place and will continue to monitor the area to ensure that the  area remains safe for all users.

Beginning November 1, Green Cart pickups will return to every other week. With less yard waste, fewer materials are collected in the winter months. Less frequent collections require fewer City resources and continue to meet the needs of the majority of Calgarians.

Calgarians can drop off yard waste free of charge at City landfills. With our warm fall, the deadline for drop-offs has been extended until December 3, 2022. Loads should contain only leaves, branches, plants and grass clippings. Other organic waste can continue to be added to your Green Cart.

Visit Calgary.ca for more info on Green Cart pickups and yard waste.

• The amnesty period to legalize existing secondary suites ends on December 31, 2023. For details on how to legalize your suite, visit calgary.ca/suites. Renters can check if their secondary suite is legal by checking the Secondary Suites Registry. 
  
• Transit tickets are now available for purchase directly in the official Transit app. Calgarians can now conveniently plan their trips and purchase their fares all in one place. Details on the Transit app are available on calgarytransit.ca. 
  
• The pilot project permitting bikes on CTrains during all sevice hours has been extended until March 31, 2023. You can submit your feedback here.

This November, Council will consider The City of Calgary's 2023-2026 Service Plans and Budget. These important documents are developed by City Administration in response to Council's stated priorities. They set out which services and programs The City will deliver over the next four years, what they will cost to support, and how much you can expect to pay in taxes. 

Council get its first look at the Service Plans and Budget on November 8. Then, Council will spend the entire week of November 21-25 deliberating on the budget and deciding on any changes that need to be made. 

Councillor Sharp's priorities are to keep taxes as low as possible while continuing to deliver the quality services that Calgarians rely on. In this economic environment, many Calgarians are struggling with affordability. That means that this budget will require some difficult choices. We will continue to share updates as work on the budget progresses. 

If you have any feedback on the Service Plan and Budgets to share with Councillor Sharp, we encourage you to get in touch! 

• Council recently approved a new single-use items strategy to complement the upcoming federal ban on single-use plastics. The strategy includes a charge for new bags (kept by businesses) and voluntary reduction of other single-use items, but no additional restrictions. There will be additional opportunity for public feedback and a final decision from Council before the changes come into effect in 2024.
• Safety in the community and on Transit remains a high priority. The City recently partnered with The Alex to deliver a Community Mobile Response pilot project to help those experiencing behavioural or mental health crises. We look forward to more progress in the coming months.
• Also on safety, Councillor Sharp and Councillor Spencer recently co-hosted a Business Advisory Committee townhall with the Calgary Police Service to discuss the crime issues and trends that businesses face. We hope to organize similar events for businesses and the community in the future!
• Council recently approved a requirement for home-based childcare businesses to obtain a business licence. These businesses were some of the few not already required to obtain licences. Councillor Sharp is confident this change will improve safety in this vulnerable and essential sector. The change takes effect January 1, 2023.

• In the coming months, The City will no longer be advertising public hearing notices in the Calgary Herald for land use matters. All upcoming hearing notices will be available at Calgary.ca. Notices will continue to be posted on the affected parcels and adjacent property owners notified.