Some councillors equated the program to corporate welfare for developers

The City of Calgary’s various housing-related programs went under the microscope Thursday morning, as city council continued its marathon 2026 budget meeting.

Housing is one of administration’s four cited priorities in next year’s budget, which ultimately includes $4.6 billion in operating expenses and $3.6 billion in capital expenditures.

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Housing-related line items include $40 million to continue the city’s downtown office-to-residential conversion incentives and $26.2 million for a 260-unit affordable housing project in Southview.

Many councillors grilled chief housing officer Reid Hendry and downtown strategy director Thom Mahler on the justification for the downtown office conversion incent

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