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Calgary is driving in the wrong direction from its traffic safety targets, a new report shows, and city councillors are debating how to bring down the uptick it’s seeing in collisions that resulted in major injuries or death.
City administration presented a safer mobility annual report this week. But councillors voted on Wednesday for officials to work on the report further and come back in September with stronger policy suggestions and future improvements to boost traffic safety.
The report shows Calgary recorded 38 fatal collisions last year, including 15 pedestrians and two cyclists, all of which was up from 2024. This year, Calgary has seen 12 traffic fatalities, six of which were pedestrians.
Ward 7 Coun. Myke Atkinson said administration’s report focused on targeted improvements, but he felt a strong direction that could inform council’s decisions during this fall’s budget cycle was missing.
“We have to do something differently. We are at a point in time where the same old same old is not meeting the moment, is not changing the math in terms of pedestrian deaths and injuries,” said Atkinson.
Calgary’s safer mobility plan aimed to decrease collisions that led to major injuries or deaths by 25 per cent by 2028. But the city’s rate of major injuries and deaths from collisions per 100,000 people has increased by roughly 37 per cent since 2021.
Police have said Calgary’s traffic fatalities hit a 10-year high in 2025.
While Calgary’s population growth as the city approaches two million residents was one factor behind the city’s uptick in collisions, administration listed a variety of other factors — including speeding becoming more normalized, the province scaling back photo radar, more new drivers on the road, and distracted driving due to smartphones or in-vehicle technology.
WATCH | CBC Calgary explored if traffic safety measures were working earlier this year:
Is Calgary’s plan to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries working?
There have been five traffic-related deaths so far this year, coming off an 11-year high for pedestrian deaths in 2025. In 2024, the City of Calgary and the Calgary Police Service released the Safer Mobility Plan to reduce major injuries and deaths on Calgary roads. CBC Calgary checks on whether the plan is working.
The problem is also being seen all across Calgary.
Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly said every councillor is hearing from constituents about pedestrian safety, and marked improvement is needed, as well as more detail from administration about where investment needs to be prioritized.
“We hear from neighbours every single day about which crosswalks in their neighbourhood are providing the biggest problems,” Kelly said.
“We’re looking for more detail in terms of what is actually going to get done and where is it going to get done.”
Police want more marked crosswalks
A woman in her 30s died last week after she was struck by a commercial truck, prompting Calgary police to hold a press conference on traffic safety.
Police said the woman was walking in a marked crosswalk when she was hit by a truck turning into the intersection. Calgary Police Service Traffic Unit Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward said this week that most of the city’s pedestrian deaths came after people were struck while walking in crosswalks.
Woodward said he’d like to see clearer safety markings in all crosswalks around the city, even if the investment may not be realistic.
“I would love to see all crosswalks marked like zebra crossings rather than just marked crosswalks,” said Woodward. “I’d also like to see that every crosswalk has got flashing lights.”
WATCH | Calgary police want stronger penalties on excessive speeders:
Calgary police commission wants to see harsher penalties for excessive speeders
Calgary police reported issuing 677 speeding tickets on Stoney Trail in January, and 149 along Deerfoot Trail. Alberta legislation doesn’t allow officers to impound vehicles for speeding infractions. But the province says fines for excessive speeding and racing will increase by 50 per cent next month.
Woodward added that Calgary’s road infrastructure cannot currently keep up with the population growth the city is seeing, and that police are seeing traffic concerns around the city.
He did specifically point to Stoney Trail as an example where drivers are “off the charts,” and sometimes travelling above 200 km/h.
Councillor proposes immediate investment
Another councillor is moving to take more immediate action on traffic safety.
Ward 8 Coun. Nathaniel Schmidt is calling for $6 million from the city’s surplus to fund traffic safety improvements across the city. The money would cover improvements like flashing beacons at crosswalks, more marked crossings, curb extensions, speed cushions and speed humps.
“Any preventable death that happens is something that I don’t think we can really put a cost on,” Schmidt said on CBC Radio’s The Calgary Eyeopener on Thursday.
LISTEN | Ward 8 Coun. Nathaniel Schmidt discusses his motion to put $6 million toward traffic safety:
Calgary Eyeopener8:16Councillor Nathaniel Schmidt on pedestrian safety
A multi-million dollar plan to tackle traffic and pedestrian safety is on the table at City Hall.
Council approved a $7.55-million investment during budget talks last November toward traffic safety, on top of $5 million in annual safety improvements the budget already provides.
Schmidt’s suggestion would be a year-long pilot, he said, that would allow city council to decide in 2027 if the funding should be continued.
City council is expected to debate Schmidt’s motion later this month.