MLA for Calgary-Buffalo and NDP Municipal Affairs Critic Joe Ceci issued the following statement regarding the UCP government’s formation of the Calgary Office Revitalization and Expansion (CORE) Working Group:

“The UCP government promised their downtown working group months ago after the Finance Minister initially said there would be no help for Calgary’s struggling downtown. Now it will be several more months before any recommendations are even presented to the government with no timeline on implementation.

“Calgarians can’t afford to wait for this government to act. Instead of another panel and more navel-gazing from the UCP, Calgary needs real and immediate support to diversify our economy, create jobs, and attract people to the downtown. The UCP can start by reversing their cuts to Calgary that will see $159 million in infrastructure funding pulled out of the city over the next two years. In addition, they can quit needlessly delaying the Green Line that will create 20,000 jobs for Calgarians at a time when they are needed most.

“Alberta’s NDP has been consulting with Calgarians from a variety of sectors on a plan to revitalize the downtown and will focus on making our downtown an attractive place to live, work, learn, play, and connect. We look forward to continuing these conversations and sharing our proposals in the near future.”