Calgary flood damage to cost city $256M

Calgary officials say it will cost at least $256.5 million to repair damage from the flooding that devastated parts of the city last month.

The preliminary estimates were discussed by aldermen on the finance committee, which met Tuesday in a temporary space in the city’s northeast because city hall in downtown Calgary is not yet fully open.

• Downtown Calgary fully open 12 days after flood 
• Calgary flood victims eligible for up to $10K 
•  LIVE: Get the latest from CBC News on the Alberta flooding
• YOUR PHOTOS: Southern Alberta floods

Damage to the city hall complex will cost $26.5 million to repair, officials said. The historic sandstone building will not reopen until late July or even August.

Committee members were told the Calgary Zoo suffered $50 million worth of flood damage, the Central Library needs $10 million in repairs, and the Talisman Centre, a multi-sports complex on the Elbow River, sustained $6.2 million in damage.

Structural damage to the Calgary Police Service’s downtown administration building will cost more than $31 million to fix, the committee heard.

The tally so far for damage to Calgary Transit facilities is $11.7 million, including $8.2 million to repair the south C-Train line.

Flooding at the McDougall and Civic Centre parkades will cost $33.9 million to fix, transportation department officials said.

According to a city report, repairing flood damage will significantly affect future budgets, although the city is expected to recover some costs from other levels of government.