Calgary has a Municipal Development Plan (or MDP for short) which is the city’s expectation for growth over the next 60 years. The plan was brought into effect in 2009 and its purpose is to provide residents with a variety of housing choices in a range of individualized communities. This means that there will be a place for everyone to live, across a variety of price ranges and near a range of interests. Calgary’s MDP also includes transportation developments to improve and build upon their already excellent public transport system. This will allow the city to continue to grow and prosper without being hindered by congestion.
To learn more about the MDP, visit the City of Calgary website.
Why is this needed?
One of the main reasons for Calgary’s MDP is to cope with the expected growth of the population. The current population of Calgary is roughly 1.2 million. This is expected to rise significantly. Over the next few decades, the Calgary population is predicted to exceed 2 million. This means that much more infrastructure and development will be needed to deal with the increase in population. This is why the city set out its new plan to accommodate the expected growth.
What are the Benefits of this Plan?
Here are some of the great benefits of Calgary’s Municipal Development Plan:
Savings on Infrastructure
A major benefit to Calgary’s new MDP is the money that the city as well as other investors will save on infrastructure costs. These savings are expected to reach as much as 16 billion dollars on infrastructure.
This is due to the added stormwater infrastructure as well as improvements to public transport systems.
Environmental Benefits
The MDP will also look to reduce the emissions released by the city. This will have massive environmental benefits for both Calgary and the whole world.
Reducing emissions will also ensure that Calgary is doing its part in the fight against climate change.
Did you know that you can make your contribution to reverse climate change by properly recycling your stuff? To learn more, read our blog post about how to properly dispose of unwanted items.
Improved Public Transport
A key point of Calgary’s MDP is to improve and enhance the public transport systems. This will make moving around the city easier and more affordable. Improved public transport will also reduce the congestion and traffic in the city. This will also link the city up conveniently and easily. This will reduce travel times and make the city easier to navigate for tourists. Modern public transport will also help the city to reduce emissions that come from road users. This will help Calgary on its mission of becoming a green city.
Economic Growth
Calgary’s MDP aims at building the economy in Calgary. The development plan will make the city more attractive to workers and businesses. This will help to ensure a stable economy for years to come. This has many benefits for residents of the city, including a stable financial situation and an affordable way of life.
Building great communities
Calgary aims to create a multitude of vibrant and high-functioning communities. These communities will be equipped with municipal education centers as well as nature reserves. These communities will be inclusive to people from all walks of life and they will be the heartbeat of Calgary in the future.
Art and Culture
Calgary’s MDP will also see more art and culture created in the municipality. The MDP will maintain a community vibe and appeal during development to ensure that culture is protected. The city will also commission more public art. This will help Calgary to build on its already rich culture.
Potential Issues
Some issues could arise from Calgary’s MDP. Some people are concerned about the following factors:
Implementation of environmental aims
Calgary has aimed to reduce emissions and improve waste management as part of its MDP. This is beneficial from an environmental standpoint. The issue with Calgary’s environmental plan is that some of the aims are optional. This differs from the approach taken by some UK cities in which environmental aims must be met. Nevertheless, Calgary is still making changes to reduce its impact on the environment.
Community Involvement
Calgary made a clear effort to hear from local communities. They gave them the chance to express their opinions on the MDP. The only issue is, that they did not have a say on the matter. While the city still listened to the local communities, the final say was in the city’s hands. This made the surveys and community involvement more of a token than a real representation of the matter.
Lack of Detailed Forecasts
One of the issues with Calgary’s MDP is the lack of detailed forecasts. They give an estimate of population growth but they don’t indicate what people are expected to be a part of this growth. This could prove difficult when it comes to having the right amenities and infrastructure in place.
Is the Plan Feasible?
This is probably the most important question when it comes to the MDP. If the new development plan is not feasible then Calgary could be in serious trouble. So far, the plan has yielded mixed results across the board. One of the major concerns when it comes to the MDP is meeting the population growth estimates. Calgary is estimating a massive population growth of over 600,000 people in 60 years. This will mean a population growth of over 10,000 people every year. This is where the MDP may struggle to do the space in Calgary’s already developed communities.
Another major drawback to the MDP is the expense. The plan will cost a considerable amount of tax dollars to provide appropriate amenities and facilities for close to 1,000,000 extra residents. The improvements that will be needed to public transport will also be very expensive.
Then the plan also wants to spend on environmental developments as well as art and culture. There is also the expense of all the extra housing, schools, hospitals as well as shops and entertainment facilities. All of these investments will add up to billions.
To answer the question, yes, the MDP is feasible. However, eventually, developers and taxpayers will have to foot the bill.
Regardless of MDP, Calgary remains one of the best cities to live in not only in Canada but in the whole world. And if you are about to relocate to or within the city, a reputable moving company in Calgary such as Simply the Best Movers, will make this endeavour much easier.