Calgary and Blackfoot Confederacy Build on Historic MOU, Advancing Housing and Culture

The City of Calgary said on November 2 that it and the Blackfoot Confederacy are building on progress made through their historic Memorandum of Understanding on Communication and Cooperation, signed on May 9, 2025. A year and a half into the agreement, the two sides say they have built meaningful relationships, deepened mutual understanding and advanced shared priorities. (Photo: file image of Calgary City Hall.)

The City's first agreement of its kind, spanning housing, culture, economy and tourism

According to the City's newsroom, the MOU is the first of its kind for the City, establishing a shared commitment to a stronger partnership. It supports collaboration on housing, arts and culture, economic development, tourism, events and communications, with a framework for regular dialogue, information-sharing and coordinated action. Mayor Jeromy Farkas said: "A year and a half into this agreement, we have built meaningful relationships, deepened our understanding of one another and identified opportunities to move forward together."

Early progress: Indigenous housing applicants, exhibitions, public art

The City says the partnership has strengthened and connected work already underway, including improving how the City works with Indigenous housing applicants, advancing Indigenous-led housing, and travelling exhibitions and public art initiatives. Piikani Nation Chief and Blackfoot Confederacy President Troy Knowlton said: "Mohkinstsis has always been an important place for Niitsitapi, and our relationship with this city carries both history and responsibility." He added that a flag raising recognizes that relationship.

Next phase: housing and houselessness, economic participation, communications

Looking ahead, the two sides will keep advancing shared priorities in housing and houselessness, economic participation, arts and culture, and communications and engagement, while strengthening how the work is coordinated and guided to build capacity, remove barriers and create lasting benefits for Blackfoot Confederacy Nations and Calgarians. Katie Black, the City's Acting Chief Operating Officer for City Services, said the City has deepened its understanding of Blackfoot history, perspectives and priorities, but that learning is only beginning.

Source: City of Calgary Newsroom (2026-11-02).