Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek and the Community Development Committee have unveiled a 2050 net-zero climate change plan that will cost Calgarians 87 billion dollars over 28 years.
“Reducing Calgary’s city-wide emissions to net-zero by 2050 will require a cumulative investment of approximately $87 billion by 2050, or $3.1 billion annually, into mitigation measures such as building retrofits, renewable energy and zero-emissions mobility,” the report reads.
“The investment is calculated as a cost to the economy broadly. It is expected that the Federal Government could contribute as much as $90 billion in announced funding for climate programming across Canada. The pathways identified in the Mitigation Plan positions Calgary to take advantage of the federal funding.”
You heard that right. Not satisfied with taxing their own constituents, Gondek’s team is asking the federal government to provide $90 billion over the same period, ensuring that all Canadians get a taste of the suffering dolled out to Calgarians.
The annual $3.1 billion owed to the council will cost each taxpayer approximately $87,000 or $3,100 per year, but councillors say it’s worth it as hypothetical climate disasters will somehow cost even more.
“We know what the impact of climate change will be for Calgary, and we know what we have to do to protect Calgarians from the risks of a changing climate,” said general manager of planning and development Stuart Dalgleish.
“At the same time, we understand and are sensitive to the challenges Albertans will face as we transition towards a low carbon and climate-resilient future. There are significant hurdles that need to be overcome.”
As per the report, councilmembers claim that “socioeconomic impacts from severe climate events, including subsequent impacts on infrastructure, economy and health care in Calgary are estimated to cost a staggering $2.6 billion annually by the 2050s and $8 billion annually by the 2080s.”
As many will remember, the first act of Gondek as mayor was to declare a climate emergency, even though she never campaigned on being such a radical.
Due to her extreme climate policies, in March, Gondek’s net approval rating dropped to an abysmal 38 per cent, while her disapproval rating shot up to 53 per cent.
Nonetheless, despite over half of the city disapproving of Gondek, she will remain mayor for another three years.
