Kourtney’s Response to the 2024 Provincial Budget

Since taking office I have been keenly focused on supporting housing, social supports, and transit affordability for all.
 
The recently released 2024 provincial budget falls short of addressing these critical areas that as a council, we have stepped up to support to ensure no Calgarian gets left behind. 
 
It is disappointing that after years of continued advocacy from Calgary and other municipalities that funding for preventative social services through FCSS (Family and Community Support Services) remains well below the needed level of $130 million to fully fund FCSS programs. FCSS programs across the province work to prevent poverty, social isolation, and family violence. Per the agreement, this joint program between municipalities and the Province, programs should receive 80% of its funding from the Province and 20% from municipalities. However, with no budgeted inflationary growth in provincial funding, municipalities are now on the hook to cover 25-30% of program costs and are unable to support organizations with new programming dollars for crucial preventative social services. Preventative social care is the most cost-effective way to ensure more expensive intervention spending isn’t needed further down the road. 
 
Calgary recently made significant investments in affordable housing. This has been met with federal funding and support. To date, the Province, while continuing to say they want to be a partner, hasn’t put their money where their mouth is. A good partnership supports the initiatives and leadership of others, we do not have that with this provincial government. I worry about the condition of provincially-owned social housing managed by housing providers. I worry that an increase in rent supplements alone, without significant new affordable housing doors, does not accurately reflect the real need for permanent below-market affordable housing that is shock resistant to market volatility. Simply put, the Province still has not come to the table as a fully invested partner to address the housing crisis.
 
This budget also appears to reduce funding support for low-income Calgary transit passes. Meaning the cost of subsidizing Calgarians of the lowest income will almost entirely fall to the City and we will have to adjust for an increase to our budget to support these residents. Councillor Dhaliwal and I previously advanced an initiative through City Administration to the Province, valued at $1.7 million, that saw seniors have their income evaluated independently of their multi-generational household income. This allowed more seniors to qualify for the low-income transit pass, giving them independence through transit. The program saw great uptake but now there’s no certainty that it can continue, thus increasing the cost of living for Calgary seniors and hindering their social mobility.
 
I will continue to advocate for housing, social services, and municipal funding to help Calgarians have infrastructure and services that reflect their needs and quality of life they expect. 
 
- Kourtney

• Housing and Affordability Task Force Detailed Recommendations and Request for Feedback (calgary.ca)
• FCSS funding allocations (calgary.ca)
• Budget | Alberta.ca