Airdrie Minute: Property Assessments, Housing Projects, and Fluoride Returning Soon

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

This Week In Airdrie:

• There will be a City Council Meeting on Tuesday at 1:00 pm. Deputy Mayor Spearman will proclaim February 13th, 2025 as Wear Red Canada Day in Airdrie. The intent of the day is to raise awareness among Canadian women to be mindful and proactive in the management of their heart health and wellness. Council will discuss the SW Recreation Centre Site Master Plan. Council will also discuss supporting the Windwood Music Festival's application to the Canada Council for the Arts 150 - Explore and Create grant for their two-week Windwood Music Festival in August 2025.
  
  
• Airdrie residents will see higher property taxes in 2025, in part due to assessments that reflect rising home values. The city's strong housing market, fueled by population growth, has led to increased demand, particularly for apartment-style condos, which saw a 27.51% jump in value. Single-family homes, duplexes, and townhouses also experienced notable increases, with average prices rising across all property types. Residents have until March 24th to review their assessments and file complaints if necessary.
  
  
• Airdrie will soon see fluoride return to its drinking water due to Calgary's decision to reintroduce it by March. Since Airdrie purchases all its treated water from Calgary, the City has no control over fluoridation and must accept any treatment changes under a Master Servicing Agreement. City Councillor Candice Kolson clarified that Airdrie cannot opt out or secure an independent water source due to existing water license restrictions. Other municipalities affected by Calgary’s decision include Chestermere, Strathmore, and parts of Foothills County.

Last Week In Airdrie:

• Council presented an $800,000 cheque to Airdrie Housing Limited (AHL) to support affordable housing initiatives. The funds, from the City’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), will allow AHL to purchase 0.67 acres of land for future multi-residential development. This purchase is part of Airdrie's effort to address housing needs, aligning with the city’s 2024-2030 Affordable Housing Principled Action Plan. AHL expressed gratitude for the support, while Mayor Peter Brown highlighted the City’s commitment to addressing affordability challenges.
  
  
• Council voted 4-3 against providing an additional $275,000 in funding for the Habitat for Humanity Bayview project. The decision followed a lengthy discussion, with concerns raised about the lack of clarity on how the initial funding had been allocated. Deputy Mayor Heather Spearman pointed out that Council had not received a breakdown of the previous funding, and other Council members questioned the lack of provincial support for the project. Habitat for Humanity has already received funding from the federal government and the City’s Affordable Housing Reserve Fund. Council plans to review a more comprehensive affordable housing strategy before allocating additional funds.
  
  
• The Airdrie Pro Rodeo has announced that there will be no royalty for the 2025 event. A spokesperson explained that, due to rising costs and budget constraints, the decision was made to prioritize other areas of the event. However, there is a possibility that the royalty could return in 2026, and a discussion about it is already on the agenda for the Annual General Meeting.