Prime minister thanks Calgarians for ‘stepping up’ during water emergency

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he spoke to Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek Sunday night about the city’s state of emergency.

Gondek said she signed the paperwork to declare an emergency on Saturday morning following the investigation of a “catastrophic” water main break first discovered June 5, which uncovered five more areas in need of repairs. The water line repairs mean Calgarians will have to continue to limit their water use for an additional three to five weeks.

She said the declaration grants the city powers it ordinarily wouldn’t have, such as allowing city workers to enter private property to expedite repairs.

In a message on social media, Trudeau thanked “everyone who’s working around the clock to get this fixed, and to the people who are stepping up in their community to conserve water and help their friends and neighbours pull through this tough time.”

Monday was Day 12 of Calgary’s water supply crisis.

Calgary officials will be providing an update on the critical water main break and water usage Monday at 2 p.m.

Calgary Stampede CEO Joel Cowley and Tourism Calgary president and CEO Alisha Reynolds are set to join Gondek, City of Calgary infrastructure manager Michael Thompson and Calgary Emergency Management Agency acting chief Coby Duerr.

On the weekend, the president of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce raised concerns about how the city’s water crisis may impact the Calgary Stampede.

Billed as the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” thousands of visitors and many extra animals are expected to show up for the Calgary Stampede from July 5 to 14.

In a statement from Friday, the Calgary Stampede said it will continue to work with the city and Emergency Management Agency as the situation evolves.