Snide spat between Alberta premier, Calgary mayor escalates into Stampede standoff

CALGARY – A dispute that began with snarky social media posts between Alberta’s premier and Calgary’s mayor escalated Tuesday into a full on government-to-government standoff.

Calgary city councillors voted to reject proposed changes to noise rules ahead of the upcoming Calgary Stampede festival despite a warning letter from Premier Danielle Smith that if changes weren’t made by June 30, the province would intervene.

The city has reduced hours and decibel levels for mid-week Stampede events out of respect for residents who must live within earshot.

Smith’s government wanted those hours and decibel maximums eased, citing a concern it could affect the fun and profitability of the Stampede and the businesses that rely on it.

But Mayor Jeromy Farkas, during an emergency debate on the topic Tuesday morning, told council the rules are comparatively fair and justified.

“This is not about Stampede,” he said. “It’s about reasonable rules that reflect the expectation that no business is above the law and gets a free pass to treat their neighbours like garbage.”

He added that council needs to answer to the residents first.

“If you want to do business in Calgary, respect the people who live next door,” he said.

He made the comments in respect to a motion by Coun. Kim Tyers to find a compromise on the rules.

“This issue has gained national attention. We need to show leadership in finding a solution,” Tyers said.

Coun. Dan McLean agreed, saying it was important to send the message that the city was not going to “dial things back.”

“It’s 10 days, we go hard. Everybody has a really good time. Everybody stays up late,” McLean said.

On the other side, Coun. Nathaniel Schmidt rejected the idea that the restrictions will put an end to Stampede or the ability to have fun.

“I respect the fact that (Tyers is) trying to find further compromise, but this entire discussion is a massive waste of our time,” Schmidt said.

Calgary’s chief of community standards, Ryan Pleckaitis, told council that last year’s events drew hundreds of complaints, and he heard from residents who didn’t sleep much during the festival because of the noise.

“I heard from residents who described 10 days of vibrating windows, and having to remove items off of shelves and tables as they would shake off,” he said.

Tyers’ compromise motion failed on a vote of nine to six.

Smith’s office, asked for comment and whether it will now intervene as Smith promised in a letter dated Monday, replied, “We remain confident that through continued dialogue, stakeholders can find a path forward that addresses outstanding issues and works for everyone involved.”

Her office said it appreciated rules were changed earlier allowing for “cool-down” music to be played longer when patrons exited.

This year’s Stampede is set to begin July 3.

Under the rules, concerts held during the Stampede but off Stampede grounds will need to end their shows by midnight on weekdays, with a five-decibel cap on the amount of noise that nearby residents hear compared with last year. On the weekends, they can go until 1:30 a.m.

The standoff is the culmination of a weekend social media spat that started with noise levels and spread to booze before escalating into Smith’s demand letter.

It began when Smith labelled city council “fun police” for rolling back the hours and noise.

Farkas fired back, saying if anyone was cracking down on fun, it was the province, given that its liquor regulators recently hiked the minimum price for booze of all types sold at bars and restaurants.

On Monday, Service Alberta rolled back that booze price hike. That was followed by a letter from Smith and other cabinet ministers to Calgary councillors urging them to rethink the noise rules by June 30 or face intervention by her government.

The deadline, Smith wrote, “will allow Alberta’s government to evaluate whether there is a role for the province in assisting the city and stakeholders to resolve this issue ahead of this year’s Calgary Stampede.”

Farkas followed that up late Monday night, accusing “out-of-town” politicians such as Smith and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of participating in a smear campaign.

Poilievre has taken Smith’s side, saying gatekeepers at city hall are “smothering country music culture.”

Alberta Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi, a former Calgary mayor, has said the spat highlights Smith’s failed priorities, given the province is also dealing with health-care problems and an upcoming referendum on whether to move further down the road toward a vote on separation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2026.

— By Lisa Johnson in Edmonton