Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): The Alberta government has released an independent inspection report highlighting longstanding shortcomings in the City of Calgary’s governance, infrastructure planning and accountability, following two major failures of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main.
The report, prepared by independent inspector David Goldie, examines the city’s handling of its water infrastructure over nearly two decades, dating back to 2004. It outlines systemic problems in risk management, capital investment and decision-making, while presenting 20 recommendations aimed at improving the management and oversight of Calgary’s water system.
One of the major concerns raised in the report relates to information that was not fully shared with Calgary City Council. It states that former mayor Naheed Nenshi and his chief of staff received an advance briefing on the draft-final Raftelis Financial Review of Utilities, including its recommendations. However, the complete report and most of its recommendations were not subsequently presented to council.
According to the inspection, five of the nine priority recommendations were never brought before councillors. These included proposals concerning financial accountability and independent expert oversight. The inspector noted that the missing recommendations closely resembled those made by the 2024 Bearspaw South Feeder Main Independent Review Panel.
The report also points to a substantial gap between approved infrastructure budgets and actual spending. Between 2006 and 2024, Calgary’s capital expenditure averaged approximately 35 per cent below approved allocations. The situation was particularly concerning for the city’s Water Utility, whose capital spending between 2016 and 2020 averaged 46 per cent below the national average.
Goldie found that the city’s governance arrangements did not consistently bring together critical information about infrastructure conditions, financial resources, service reliability and potential risks, making effective decision-making more difficult.
The inspection further established that earlier reviews had highlighted concerns about the feeder main, but those warnings were not consistently followed by timely inspections, adequate funding or corrective measures.
The report also acknowledged that Calgary has started implementing several changes, including establishing a Water Utility Oversight Board and appointing an acting chief operating officer. However, it stressed that the success of these initiatives would depend on improved transparency, clearer responsibilities and measurable progress in reducing infrastructure risks.
David Goldie was appointed under Alberta’s Municipal Government Act in March after the Bearspaw South Feeder Main experienced major failures on June 5, 2024, and December 30, 2025. Both incidents disrupted water services for Calgary residents and neighbouring communities dependent on the city’s water network.
The inspection examined the responsibilities of different parties involved in the feeder main’s governance and oversight, including how decisions were made, information was communicated and previous recommendations were implemented.
Reacting to the report’s release, Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams said he would carefully examine the findings before deciding whether any further directives or measures against the city were necessary.
Goldie said his responsibility was to assess available evidence, establish factual findings and provide recommendations based on the inspection.
The provincial government clarified that making the report public does not mean a decision has been taken on further action against Calgary. The minister will review the findings and recommendations before determining what steps, if any, should follow.
