Airdrie Minute: Borrowing Bylaw, Supportive Housing, and North Highland Park

Airdrie Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Airdrie politics

This Week In Airdrie:

• The Community Infrastructure and Strategic Growth Standing Committee will meet on Tuesday at 1:00 pm. The agenda includes a development application for semi-detached dwellings in the Lanark neighbourhood, as well as a bylaw to redistrict eight residential lots from the existing R2-T, Townhouse Residential District, to R2-A, Front Attached Garage Townhouse District.
  
  
• Airdrie’s population is projected to exceed 100,000 residents by 2032. The population has already grown by 6.39% in 2024. The City is now hiring census enumerators for the 2025 census, which will run from April 1st to May 16th, 2025. Enumerators will gather data that will shape the city’s future development and infrastructure needs.
  
  
• Airdrie will borrow $97.4 million to fund the Southwest Recreation Centre, sanitary infrastructure upgrades, and new fire vehicles and equipment. The loan will be repaid over 20 years with a 10% interest cap, and its impact on debt servicing was already factored into the 2025 budget, ensuring no additional cost to residents. With this borrowing, Airdrie's total debt will rise to $164 million, still below the provincially set debt limit of $320.6 million.

Last Week In Airdrie:

• Council unanimously approved the recommendation not to pursue further land use planning for North Highland Park, citing limited landowner interest and the significant resources required for infrastructure development. City Administration explored alternative options, including extending services, but this would conflict with the City's broader development priorities and incur substantial costs. Despite attempts to engage landowners, there was little interest in comprehensive planning beyond the current land use restrictions. No further planning will proceed unless landowners initiate a Community Area Structure Plan.
  
  
• Council also unanimously approved five recommendations from the Airdrie Housing Solutions Working Group to address affordable housing challenges in the city. The recommendations, developed through community engagement, focus on practical solutions that are within municipal control, such as collaborating with private and non-profit organizations and adopting innovative approaches to housing development. Key strategies include facilitating partnerships, streamlining approval processes, and advocating for policy changes at the provincial and federal levels. The group emphasized the importance of a "Made-in-Airdrie" approach, which seeks to create housing options for seniors, families, and workers struggling with affordability. The recommendations aim to open 300 homes by 2030 to serve lower-income residents, with a focus on sustainable, inclusive growth.
  
  
• Rocky View Schools (RVS) Trustees have updated school designations for the Prairie Springs neighbourhood to address rising enrolment at Muriel Clayton Middle School. Starting in September 2025, Prairie Springs students will attend Windsong Heights School for Kindergarten to Grade 9 and W.H. Croxford High School for Grades 10 to 12.