Future of fluoride in Calgary remains up in the air in 2021

 Water fluoridation has been a long and contentious debate in Calgary for many years, and it’s a question that could be posed to Calgarians in the new year.

In early December, a city committee received a presentation and report on how much it would cost to re-introduce fluoride back into the city’s water system.

City administration has pegged those costs at $30.1 million over a 20-year life span, but said the capital costs could be absorbed by the water utility, which wouldn’t require an increase to water rates.

“It would have no impact whatsoever on property taxes and you would amortize the cost over many years,” Mayor Naheed Nenshi said following the meeting.