Calgary councillor says he leaked confidential documents showing potential 20.2% tax increase

Ward 14 Coun. Landon Johnston says he was responsible for releasing confidential City of Calgary documents that outlined a scenario in which municipal property tax revenue could increase by as much as 20.2 per cent next year.

The documents, obtained by Global News, were presented to Calgary city council during a closed-door meeting on July 28.

They detail more than 100 funding requests for 2027 submitted by city departments and partner organizations, with the requests totalling approximately $510 million.

According to the documents, approving and funding every request would require municipal property tax revenue to rise by 20.2 per cent in 2027.

However, the 20.2 per cent figure is not an approved property tax increase and is not part of a proposed city budget. It represents what would be required if council agreed to fund all of the requests outlined in the confidential material.

In a post on X Wednesday night, Johnston acknowledged that he was responsible for sharing the documents, writing simply, “It was me.”

The disclosure is expected to raise questions about confidentiality at city hall as council prepares for upcoming budget discussions.