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Calgary has completed the 2.4-kilometre Sunnyside Flood Barrier, a $73 million project designed to protect Sunnyside and Hillhurst from a one-in-100-year flood. The barrier includes permanent walls and deployable protection systems, while reducing the city's overall flood risk by 70 per cent.
Officials marked the completion of the Sunnyside Flood Barrier Saturday. It spans 2.4 kilometres along the Bow River, and cost $73 million over the last decade to put in place.
Posted: Sep 26, 2026 5:08 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. The 2.4 kilometre-long Sunnyside Flood Barrier is now complete, with the goal of protecting nearby Sunnyside and Hillhurst from a one-in-100-year flood.
Thirteen years after significant floods devastated parts of Calgary, the city has completed a new flood barrier in hopes of preventing a similar disaster in the future. Officials marked the completion of the Sunnyside Flood Barrier Saturday. It spans 2.4 kilometres along the Bow River, and cost $73 million over the last decade to put in place. The barrier itself should help protect nearby Sunnyside and Hillhurst from a one-in-100-year-flood.
The city’s overall flood risk is now reduced by 70 per cent, according to Michael Thompson, Calgary's water utility chief operating officer.
“In real terms, this means fewer Calgarians will have their homes exposed to flood damage,” said Thompson. “Fewer impacts to roads, pathways, utilities and other public infrastructure, and most importantly, fewer people dealing with the financial, emotional and social impacts that come with major flooding. ” The barrier includes permanent flood walls, sheet pile walls and deployable flood protection systems. As part of the project, the city also added new seating areas, improved pathways, and about 200 more trees.
Crews are doing additional landscaping which should be done by the end of October. The project also includes new seating areas and public spaces, more trees and improvements to pathways along the river. Sunnyside resident Christie Page praised the completion. She had a one-year-old child when the city flooded, forcing her out of her home.
“I think it's great. I feel like Sunnyside is much more protected than it was 13 years ago and hopefully lower Sunnyside will stay dry,” she said.comprehensive flood prevention strategy , said the city’s manager of environmental management Frank Frigo. They had to figure out how to add protections both in and outside Calgary, while minimizing disruptions to communities and the environment.
“All of that had to be considered as we were delivering, which, that complexity is part of the reason why it's taken over a decade to achieve the 70 per cent reduction that we're now able to have,” Frigo said.to help further reduce flood risk and also help the city’s water supply.
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