Ward 4 neighbours have been clear: they want infrastructure renewal, they want pedestrian safety, and they want to feel safe while using regular and reliable transit services. Council's direction document doesn’t go deep enough to address those issues.
Hey, neighbour! Earlier this week I had the honour of taking part in some early International Women’s Day celebrations with the Women in Need Society, highlighting the importance of recognising and supporting women. Today I want to recognise the women in my life who personally and professionally make me better. From my wife and daughter, who make me the husband and father that I am, to Allison and Rukhsaar, who work with me every day to help me be a better councillor for all of Ward 4. On International Women’s Day, I am proud to stand up and support women whose resilience, leadership, and strength continue to shape Calgary for the better.
Hey, neighbour!
Today, on International Women's Day, I want to recognise the women in my life who personally and professionally make me better. From my wife and daughter, who make me the husband and father that I am, to Allison and Rukhsaar, who help me work for Ward 4.
Hey, neighbour!
March is Community Association Awareness Month. The 13 associations in Ward 4 are essential to creating great neighbourhoods and communities. That’s why I’m working to ensure they’re properly funded as part of the upcoming four‑year budget.
Hey, neighbour! Today, Calgary City Council held a special meeting of council to address the provincial tax hike that added 21 per cent to the provincial portion of your 2026 property-tax bill. One of the goals of this special meeting was to ensure that Calgarians had the opportunity to review for themselves the documents prepared by City of Calgary staff on the budget, and for council to openly ask questions about how this budget will affect taxpayers. Given that we have faced an unprecedented 59 per cent increase in our provincial property taxes since 2023, rising from $786 million that year to $1.25 billion in 2026, I strongly feel this is the right time to increase transparency and accountability for all Calgarians.
Hey, neighbour!
Today, Calgary City Council held a special meeting of council to address the provincial tax hike that added 21 per cent to the provincial portion of your 2026 property-tax bill.
You can see that full briefing package at pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.a....
Hey, neighbour! Today, members of the Executive Committee unanimously voted in favour of my Notice of Motion, which would increase transparency around the costs that Calgary taxpayers are covering for areas of provincial responsibility. With this motion passed, it will now go to the next regular meeting of council. There, I hope to see continued support from councillors as we work to ensure greater transparency and fairness in areas of shared responsibility. With council support, my motion will deliver a report for Calgarians that outlines how much Calgary taxpayers are paying and the gap between those payments and the reimbursements from the provincial government.
Today was a win for transparency and fairness for Calgary's taxpayers.
Members of the Executive Committee unanimously voted in favour of my Notice of Motion, which would increase transparency around the costs that Calgarians are covering for areas of provincial responsibility.
Hey, neighbour! Ramadan Mubarak to everyone observing. I was honoured to join the Maskan Family Association for their 10th-anniversary as a community organisation serving Edgemont. Generosity, reflection, and community were the hallmarks of the Iftar and I was pleased to see that so many Ward 4 neighbours hold those values high. Organisations like Maskan help build welcoming and caring communities for new neighbours. I’d like to recognise the volunteers who have made this work possible over the past year and past decade.
Hey, neighbour!
Ramadan Mubarak to everyone observing. I was honoured to join the Maskan Family Association for their 10th-anniversary as a community organisation serving Edgemont. Generosity, reflection, and community were the hallmarks of the Iftar.
Today me and my team had the opportunity to visit the 7-Eleven Distribution Centre here in Ward 4 at the Greenview Industrial Park. I got to see first-hand how dedicated employees, many of whom have worked here for 30 years, are growing the economy and serving customers through logistics.
Ward 4 Cllr. DJ Kelly gets mock eaten by a lion during the lion dance at the Sien Lok Society Chinese New Year diner on Feb. 28, 2026.
Hey, neighbour!
Attending the Sein Lok Society Chinese New Year Dinner was a great way to cap off my new year celebrations. Getting mock eaten by a lion was the highlight of the evening, and should bring luck and prosperity to all of Ward 4 for 2026.
Hey, neighbour!
I was disappointed by the 2026 provincial budget. We saw a 21% increase in the provincial portion of property taxes. I'm introducing a motion on Tuesday that will create an annual report on the gap between City costs and provincial reimbursements for shared responsibilities.
Today was the opening of the North Hill Calgary Co-op which replaces the one built in 1960. It was personal for me because this is my family's Co-op. It is our pantry and it is also where we see our neighbours. I look forward to seeing this new location serve Calgarians for the next 65 years.
It would. Working on it - it will be slow though because there's lots of #1 priorities right now.
Ward 4 Cllr. DJ Kelly wears an Education Matters pink sweater on Pink Shirt Day, Feb. 25, 2026. (Aryn Toombs / Ward 4)
Hey, neighbour!
Today I'm proud to support Pink Shirt Day as a reminder that kindness looks good on everyone. Education Matters and the Calgary Board of Education are taking a serious stance against bullying. We want all of our students to have conversations, not conflict.
Today my council colleagues and I had a chance to inspect the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant. We are keeping a close eye on the progress that City crews are making to maintain and repair our critical water infrastructure. This work to ensure that we all have access to clean drinking water means that there will be a period of water restrictions. On March 9, 2026 there will be another shutdown of the Bearspaw Water Main to reinforce that pipe. Over the four weeks that this work will take place, I am asking all Ward 4 neighbours to take sensible steps to reduce their water usage by 25-30 litres per day. This includes taking shorter showers, flushing toilets only when necessary, and running dishwashers and washing machines only when full. Regular updates on that construction work will be provided at calgary.ca/bsfmreinforcements
Today the City of Calgary announced that the planned spring shutdown of the Bearspaw Water Main would happen on March 9. As a result there will be four weeks of water restriction as six segments of pipe are reinforced.
Regular updates will be provided on calgary.ca.
Two more preventible deaths on our city roads have left me heartbroken for those families.
This traffic safety crisis is ours to solve. Every death is preventable. Please slow down. Put away the phone. Watch for pedestrians. No destination is worth a life.
Let's make Vision Zero real for Calgary.
Hey, neighbour! Kung hei fat choi!
I was pleased to recognize the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Fire Horse in Council Chambers today. I wish everyone prosperity for 2026, and I look forward to seeing neighbours at celebrations over the next two weeks.
Cllr. DJ Kelly and the Ward 4 staff attend the Beddington Heights Community Association Winter Carnival on Feb. 16, 2026.
Hey, neighbour!
I had a great time attending the Beddington Heights Winter Carnival with my Ward 4 staff. We loved giving out candy, Calgary Fire Department colouring books, and lots of City of Calgary information to neighbours on Family Day.
Yesterday, Cllr. Chabot and I joined our City of Calgary colleagues at the Manchester fleet and inventory buildings to learn about these essential City services. I was pleased to see partnerships and innovation (they've even created a few patents) are delivering efficient services to Calgarians.
🤞
Hey, neighbour!
Today I had the privilege of showing some of our local teachers around Calgary’s Council Chambers during a break in the teachers convention. Learning about the democratic process is an important part of Alberta’s curriculum, and I was happy to help make those lessons real.
Hey, neighbour!
It's always a good day at City Hall when one of the staff brings in their new puppy and we share the joy of a new pet having found their furever home. I would encourage everyone to adopt their next pet at the City's Animal Services. www.calgary.ca/pets/adoptio....
I am devastated to hear about the mass shooting that occurred at a High School in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. As a father of two it is simply unimaginable that I would not see my children at the end of their school day, and yet that is what the parents of that community are now facing. My sympathy and my thoughts are with them in their time of grief. In the days to come I know that the RCMP will provide all Canadians with more details about what led this tragedy to occur, but it is what we can do as a community now that will prevent future tragedies. I would encourage everyone to take time to connect with their loved ones, their families, their neighbours, their communities. We must be united together as families and as neighbours to build strong communities so that tragedies like these never happen again. If you or someone you know needs immediate support please call the Calgary Distress Centre 24 hours a day at 403-266-4357.
I am devastated to hear about the mass shooting that occurred at a High School in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. As a father of two it is simply unimaginable that I would not see my children at the end of their school day. My sympathy and my thoughts are with the families in their time of grief.
Hey, neighbour!
Calgary has 26 Olympians competing for gold in Milano Cortino, more than any other city in Canada and more than many other nations competing in the games. Calgary is Canada's Olympic city!
Hey, neighbour!
4 Street and 42 Avenue NW, and Charleswood Drive and 26 Street NW were the two locations chosen by the neighbours of Ward 4 for the next two locations for flashing crosswalk lights. And I'm taking your other suggestions to the City's mobility team for more improvements.
Hey, neighbour!
Thank you for taking the time to vote for better safety in Ward 4 for pedestrians over the past week. Your votes have chosen two new locations for crosswalk flashing lights. I will have a newsletter and video update today on the next steps for crosswalk safety.
I was happy to invite former Ward 4 alderman Bob Hawkesworth back to his old office after meeting with the Calgary Alliance for the Common Good. It was great to reminisce about how even though council has changed–as has the furniture–we both serve the neighbours of Ward 4.
Hey, neighbour!
Chinook Blast is back for another year, and the lineup at the newly completed Eau Claire Plaza is bigger and better than ever. I encourage everyone to visit Calgary's premiere winter festival to take in music, shopping, lights, arts and culture, and more until February 16.
Hey.neighbour!
Big thank you to Triwood for their donations towards the Calgary Food Bank Councillor's Challenge. Not pictured here are the literal crates of juices that the Triwood team contributed. Their support, and your support, is making a real difference against food insecurity in Ward 4.
Cast your vote. Choose which two locations in Ward 4 will get brand new pedestrian flashing lights. www.djkelly.ca/guide_djs_vote
Hey, neighbour!
I want you to help me choose where the next two pedestrian flashing lights will be installed in Ward 4. You can see more details on the locations that have already been suggested by neighbours over the last month, and how to cast your vote at www.djkelly.ca/guide_djs_vote.
Today I am wearing a green square in remembrance of the members of Quebec’s Muslim community who were murdered in the 2017 attack at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City. The green square symbolically represents the green carpet of the mosque, on which six people were killed and five injured in a senseless act of violence while they were worshipping. I was pleased to join my council colleagues to recognize this day of remembrance earlier this week in council chambers, and to be part of the official day of remembrance today, January 29, by wearing the green square. No one should feel afraid to worship or gather in their faith communities in this country. We must create a society, together in partnership, where neighbours have no fear of celebrating their faith.
Today I am wearing a green square in remembrance of the members of Quebec’s Muslim community who were murdered in the 2017 attack at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City. I was pleased to join my council colleagues to be part of the official day of remembrance today.
It looks close to completion to me. There are three rooms being renovated and they have rotated uses between them while each is under construction. The children's area and the program room look close to completion. Once the staff area is completed everything can move back to its intended purpose.
