Calgary residents should expect to pay more for a host of services come January 1.
Following a freeze that kept many user fees unchanged from 2015 to 2016, the cost to swim, skate, exercise and take transit is set to go up.
“We found efficiencies, we held the line as best as we could. We got a balanced budget. Ended up with a net zero tax increase for Calgarians,” Andre Chabot, ward 10 city councillor, said.
READ MORE: Calgary council looks at 0% property tax increase in 2017 budget
General admission to city leisure centres will increase by 55 cents to $12.50 and the cost to swim at most city pools will increase from $6 to $6.25.
An hour of ice time is increasing from $252.25 to $263.60.
“Many of those user fees are primarily focused around people that can afford to pay for those sort of things,” Chabot said.
Monthly transit passes are increasing by $2 to $101. Riders should expect to pay 10 cents more for a single ride.
There will be some relief for low-income riders as a sliding scale will now see more people qualify for low-income passes.
“We’re trying to target those people who hopefully have the means and the financial capability to absorb some of those modest increases,” Chabot said.
READ MORE: Calgary Parking Authority to continue rate freeze into 2017
The charge for waste management remains unchanged at $4.90 per month but the city’s blue cart fee is gong up 20 cents to $8.30.
Water and wastewater bills are increasing by 2.5 per cent while drainage rates are increasing by 7.4 per cent.
“I’m almost living paycheque to paycheque,” Valerie Veer, a Calgary resident, said. “But you have to save… you just have to put extra money aside now for the bills.”