The Sprawl
@sprawlcalgary.bsky.social
Slow news for curious Calgarians. Subscribe to Sprawlcast, Calgary’s in-depth municipal podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts! sprawlcalgary.com
"These Olympics could have been here in Calgary!" Yes, they could have been. But there are good reasons why they weren't. The Sprawl revisits how Calgary's 2026 bid effort collapsed. #yyccc
Why Calgary said no to the 2026 Olympics | The Sprawl
Late promises and little trust.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:55 PM
"These Olympics could have been here in Calgary!" Yes, they could have been. But there are good reasons why they weren't. The Sprawl revisits how Calgary's 2026 bid effort collapsed. #yyccc
New edition of The Sprawl kicks off today! We're going to look at how hosting the Olympics—and not hosting 2026—has shaped Calgary. But we're also planning some fun in-person pop-ups. Stay tuned for more details on Analog Week!
What Calgary's Olympic past can show us about our future | The Sprawl
In fractured times, we can come together.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
February 7, 2026 at 4:49 PM
New edition of The Sprawl kicks off today! We're going to look at how hosting the Olympics—and not hosting 2026—has shaped Calgary. But we're also planning some fun in-person pop-ups. Stay tuned for more details on Analog Week!
Reposted by The Sprawl
A bleak day in the news biz. Support local journalism, folks. @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social and @livewirecalgary.bsky.social are out here working hard for Calgarians. It's easy to take local journalism for granted but I urge you: please don't.
February 4, 2026 at 6:00 PM
A bleak day in the news biz. Support local journalism, folks. @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social and @livewirecalgary.bsky.social are out here working hard for Calgarians. It's easy to take local journalism for granted but I urge you: please don't.
Reposted by The Sprawl
In 1914, Charles Daniels, a Black CPR employee, was denied his rightful seat at The GRAND Theatre (then the Sherman Grand). His refusal to accept injustice led to one of Alberta’s earliest documented human rights cases.
Here's the @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social:
www.sprawlcalgary.com/calgarys-unk...
Here's the @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social:
www.sprawlcalgary.com/calgarys-unk...
February 3, 2026 at 9:28 PM
In 1914, Charles Daniels, a Black CPR employee, was denied his rightful seat at The GRAND Theatre (then the Sherman Grand). His refusal to accept injustice led to one of Alberta’s earliest documented human rights cases.
Here's the @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social:
www.sprawlcalgary.com/calgarys-unk...
Here's the @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social:
www.sprawlcalgary.com/calgarys-unk...
Reposted by The Sprawl
Always great reporting from The Sprawl and with the scathing report on the priorities of council/city admin the last 20 years, the name has never felt more on the nose.
Calgary city hall knew that a crucial water pipe could blow. But the ways in which city hall *didn’t* know—or kept itself from knowing with clarity—are perhaps more telling. #yyccc
How ‘strategic amnesia’ led to Calgary’s water pipe disasters | The Sprawl
A costly example of a common pattern.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
January 11, 2026 at 9:36 PM
Always great reporting from The Sprawl and with the scathing report on the priorities of council/city admin the last 20 years, the name has never felt more on the nose.
Reposted by The Sprawl
Finally got around to this episode of the @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social cast. It's time we got rid of the free fare zone. I like hoping on it for a few blocks, but ultimately, inhibiting fare enforcement on 7th avenue is damaging our transit network. #yyccc www.sprawlcalgary.com/calgary-tran...
Spread thin: How urban sprawl is stretching Calgary Transit to the max | The Sprawl
A new city council tackles an old problem.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Finally got around to this episode of the @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social cast. It's time we got rid of the free fare zone. I like hoping on it for a few blocks, but ultimately, inhibiting fare enforcement on 7th avenue is damaging our transit network. #yyccc www.sprawlcalgary.com/calgary-tran...
Calgary city hall knew that a crucial water pipe could blow. But the ways in which city hall *didn’t* know—or kept itself from knowing with clarity—are perhaps more telling. #yyccc
How ‘strategic amnesia’ led to Calgary’s water pipe disasters | The Sprawl
A costly example of a common pattern.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
January 11, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Calgary city hall knew that a crucial water pipe could blow. But the ways in which city hall *didn’t* know—or kept itself from knowing with clarity—are perhaps more telling. #yyccc
Reposted by The Sprawl
I really had fun making this comic about some of @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social's 2025 highlights. Our great year was made possible by folks who value local journalism. And it's because of your support that I get to make comics about Calgary. Thanks! Looking forward to more comics in 2026!
The Sprawl is now in its 9th (!) year and I think 2025 has been the best yet. Thank you to everyone who has made our work possible! @calgaryhester.bsky.social signs us off for the holidays with one last comic.
Thank you Calgary! A word of heartfelt gratitude | The Sprawl
You made 2025 an extraordinary year.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 20, 2025 at 9:07 PM
I really had fun making this comic about some of @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social's 2025 highlights. Our great year was made possible by folks who value local journalism. And it's because of your support that I get to make comics about Calgary. Thanks! Looking forward to more comics in 2026!
That's a wrap! The Sprawl is signing off for 2025. Thank you Calgary for supporting our independent journalism!
Thank you Calgary! A word of heartfelt gratitude | The Sprawl
You made 2025 an extraordinary year.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 20, 2025 at 4:20 PM
That's a wrap! The Sprawl is signing off for 2025. Thank you Calgary for supporting our independent journalism!
With 40+ new communities being built on Calgary’s outskirts, city hall is struggling to reach them all with services—including transit. We look at how Calgary's new city council is tackling an old problem. #yyccc
Spread thin: How urban sprawl is stretching Calgary Transit to the max | The Sprawl
A new city council tackles an old problem.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 17, 2025 at 5:54 PM
With 40+ new communities being built on Calgary’s outskirts, city hall is struggling to reach them all with services—including transit. We look at how Calgary's new city council is tackling an old problem. #yyccc
Reposted by The Sprawl
New Sprawl merch! Stay warm and support independent Calgary journalism at the same time. Snag a Sprawl toque! square.link/u/HJlazKze
December 6, 2025 at 4:36 PM
New Sprawl merch! Stay warm and support independent Calgary journalism at the same time. Snag a Sprawl toque! square.link/u/HJlazKze
Still updating our #yyccc budget tracker today with more info!
—Ward's motion to cut $2M from city housing strategy
—Wyness's motion to fast-track new development + $24M fire hall on city's northwest edge
—Johnston's motion to cut city hall's software subscription budget by $10M
And more!
—Ward's motion to cut $2M from city housing strategy
—Wyness's motion to fast-track new development + $24M fire hall on city's northwest edge
—Johnston's motion to cut city hall's software subscription budget by $10M
And more!
See how Calgary city council voted on 2026 budget decisions | The Sprawl
Transit, housing, climate—and more!
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Still updating our #yyccc budget tracker today with more info!
—Ward's motion to cut $2M from city housing strategy
—Wyness's motion to fast-track new development + $24M fire hall on city's northwest edge
—Johnston's motion to cut city hall's software subscription budget by $10M
And more!
—Ward's motion to cut $2M from city housing strategy
—Wyness's motion to fast-track new development + $24M fire hall on city's northwest edge
—Johnston's motion to cut city hall's software subscription budget by $10M
And more!
BUDGET TRACKER! We are wading through Calgary city council's 2026 budget amendments—so you don't have to! See how councillors voted on transit, housing, the Old Y and more. We are still updating this list so stay tuned for more! #yyccc
How Calgary’s new city council overhauled the 2026 budget | The Sprawl
See how councillors voted on key decisions.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
BUDGET TRACKER! We are wading through Calgary city council's 2026 budget amendments—so you don't have to! See how councillors voted on transit, housing, the Old Y and more. We are still updating this list so stay tuned for more! #yyccc
If you've noticed your Calgary Transit bus mysteriously disappear recently... you're not alone. We looked into why some peak-hour trips are disappearing—and what it says about the bigger challenge facing Calgary's transit system. #yyccc
Hey, where’s my bus?! Calgary Transit regularly cancels scheduled trips | The Sprawl
Riders on 33 routes affected by budget crunch.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
November 29, 2025 at 6:41 PM
If you've noticed your Calgary Transit bus mysteriously disappear recently... you're not alone. We looked into why some peak-hour trips are disappearing—and what it says about the bigger challenge facing Calgary's transit system. #yyccc
At the recent Alberta Municipalities conference in Calgary, Premier Danielle Smith floated the idea of taking tax powers from municipalities. They aren't into it but do want the province to start collecting its own portion of property taxes. #yyccc #ableg
Alberta cities seek autonomy as UCP floats more reforms | The Sprawl
Smith offers to take tax power from municipalities.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:54 PM
“I think the bottom line is whatever you pay attention to grows. And I think we were paying attention in sort of an anti-cynical way.” What we learned from covering Calgary's election—now that we have a little much-needed distance from it!
What we learned covering Calgary’s 2025 election | The Sprawl
Can local journalism be joyful? You bet.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:26 PM
“I think the bottom line is whatever you pay attention to grows. And I think we were paying attention in sort of an anti-cynical way.” What we learned from covering Calgary's election—now that we have a little much-needed distance from it!
"Think of it as Opening Day at city hall: the swearing-in of the new city council." Come for the baseball metaphors, stay for the deep dive on why it's so difficult to pinpoint Calgary's population, thanks to a dearth of census data. #yyccc
What is Calgary’s population, really? | The Sprawl
A surprisingly vexing question.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
November 1, 2025 at 3:49 PM
"Think of it as Opening Day at city hall: the swearing-in of the new city council." Come for the baseball metaphors, stay for the deep dive on why it's so difficult to pinpoint Calgary's population, thanks to a dearth of census data. #yyccc
NEW: Calgary election analysis! You have to go back a quarter-century, when Calgary's population had yet to crack a million, to find a mayor elected with so few votes, writes @klaszus.bsky.social. #yyccc
Calgary’s bizarre low-turnout, high-turnover election | The Sprawl
Relatively few Calgarians made big changes.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 25, 2025 at 4:17 PM
NEW: Calgary election analysis! You have to go back a quarter-century, when Calgary's population had yet to crack a million, to find a mayor elected with so few votes, writes @klaszus.bsky.social. #yyccc
Reposted by The Sprawl
For the past year, I've been doing an embedded "ethnographic" study of Calgary's election. As a consequence, I've mostly kept quiet about it. It'll still be months before I have qualitative results to share, but in the meantime, here are some results from our pre-election survey. #yyccc #yycvote
October 21, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by The Sprawl
Now that we have the result of the public school trustee elections, it is time to revisit this story by @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social www.sprawlcalgary.com/cbe-election... None of the candidates in this slate identified in the story were elected.
The push to ‘conservatize’ Calgary’s public school board | The Sprawl
Not a slate, candidates say.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 22, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Now that we have the result of the public school trustee elections, it is time to revisit this story by @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social www.sprawlcalgary.com/cbe-election... None of the candidates in this slate identified in the story were elected.
Reposted by The Sprawl
Sat down to watch the Ward 13 last ditch debate by @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social
I’m dying from Clearly Not Dan Maclean. I was assuming it old be more like a 1-1 interview The chosen former was so much better.
I’m dying from Clearly Not Dan Maclean. I was assuming it old be more like a 1-1 interview The chosen former was so much better.
October 19, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Sat down to watch the Ward 13 last ditch debate by @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social
I’m dying from Clearly Not Dan Maclean. I was assuming it old be more like a 1-1 interview The chosen former was so much better.
I’m dying from Clearly Not Dan Maclean. I was assuming it old be more like a 1-1 interview The chosen former was so much better.
The Sprawl started this candidate list last November. Now it's complete. Bios of all 122 candidates running in the October 20 election (including trustee candidates), with links to their websites. Pass it along to anyone who needs it! #yyccc
Meet the Calgarians running for mayor and council in 2025 | The Sprawl
Learn about your candidates!
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The Sprawl started this candidate list last November. Now it's complete. Bios of all 122 candidates running in the October 20 election (including trustee candidates), with links to their websites. Pass it along to anyone who needs it! #yyccc
WE DID IT!! 🎉 All 14 wards in Calgary have now had election debates. We organized four of them because no one had. There are 20 candidates total in those wards and 16 showed up for our last-ditch debates—candidates from across the political spectrum. What a ride! #yyccc
A big win for local democracy in Calgary | The Sprawl
All 14 wards have now had election debates.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 18, 2025 at 3:37 PM
WE DID IT!! 🎉 All 14 wards in Calgary have now had election debates. We organized four of them because no one had. There are 20 candidates total in those wards and 16 showed up for our last-ditch debates—candidates from across the political spectrum. What a ride! #yyccc
Meanwhile in Ward 2... 🤔 #yyccc
Calgary Ward 2 debate is ‘a disservice to the community,’ says absent incumbent | The Sprawl
All candidates but Wyness participated.
www.sprawlcalgary.com
October 17, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Meanwhile in Ward 2... 🤔 #yyccc
Reposted by The Sprawl
Wiped out! The Sprawl put on two #yyccc candidate forums today on opposite ends of the city. Ward 3 with 6/8 candidates and Ward 12 with 5/5 candidates. Tomorrow is Ward 2 with 4/5 candidates. And Friday is Ward 13 with 1/2 candidates. Watch on The Sprawl's YouTube channel! 📸 @asadch.bsky.social
October 16, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Wiped out! The Sprawl put on two #yyccc candidate forums today on opposite ends of the city. Ward 3 with 6/8 candidates and Ward 12 with 5/5 candidates. Tomorrow is Ward 2 with 4/5 candidates. And Friday is Ward 13 with 1/2 candidates. Watch on The Sprawl's YouTube channel! 📸 @asadch.bsky.social