Tensions Boil Over: Premier Danielle Smith and UCP Target Naheed Nenshi Amid Calgary's Latest Water Crisis

Danielle Smith blast Naheed Nenshi after Water Main Probe

January 10th, 2026

by: Jason LaFace

In the wake of Calgary's second major water main break in under two years, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has launched a pointed attack on NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi, pinning much of the blame for the city's ongoing infrastructure woes on his tenure as mayor. The rupture in the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, which occurred on December 31, 2025, flooded parts of northwest Calgary, triggered boil-water advisories, and reignited debates over municipal oversight and political accountability.

Smith didn't mince words in her public statements, asserting that the city's failure to adequately inspect and maintain the critical pipeline dates back to Nenshi's time in office from 2010 to 2021. She highlighted the 2013 floods as a pivotal moment when risks to the water system should have been addressed more aggressively. "All of this should have been identified early so that now subsequent mayors are not having to deal with this," Smith said, emphasizing that Nenshi bears "ultimate political responsibility" for the neglect.

The premier suggested that the province might need to impose greater oversight on Calgary's water infrastructure, potentially tying future funding to stricter provincial supervision, akin to how other utilities are regulated.

The United Conservative Party (UCP) Caucus amplified Smith's criticisms with a strongly worded public statement, accusing Nenshi of prioritizing "pet projects and virtue signaling" over essential infrastructure needs. "Calgary’s water crisis didn’t happen overnight — it’s the result of years of neglect under Naheed Nenshi," the statement read. "When he was mayor, safety checks were delayed, standards lowered, and warnings ignored. If he couldn’t manage Calgary’s water, how can anyone trust him to manage an entire province?"

UCP members, including cabinet minister Devin Dreeshen, echoed this sentiment, declaring, "We are seeing the Nenshi Nightmare happening again."

Nenshi, who led Calgary through a period of uncertainties and now heads the provincial opposition, fired back swiftly. He dismissed Smith's accusations as "total garbage," pointing out that no major feeder main breaks occurred during his administration and that routine inspections were always conducted.

"This is very emblematic of this government. Rather than actually trying to help solve the problem or act as adults in an emergency, they lash out, they look for someone to blame, and they look for political gain," Nenshi retorted. He argued that the current crisis stems from broader systemic issues, not isolated leadership failures, and accused the UCP of using the situation for partisan advantage ahead of potential elections.

An independent probe into the water system's vulnerabilities, released recently, revealed that Calgary officials were aware of potential problems as far back as 2004, with heightened risks flagged after the 2013 floods.

Critics of Nenshi's era point to distractions like controversial art installations, Olympic bid pursuits, and budget escalations on projects such as the Green Line, which may have diverted resources from core infrastructure.

Supporters, however, note that water leakage rates were managed and no catastrophic failures happened on his watch.

This political skirmish comes at a tense time for Alberta, with Calgary still recovering from the June 2024 break that disrupted water supply for weeks. The latest incident affected around 2,000 homes and 100 businesses, prompting the activation of emergency plans and Stage 4 water restrictions. As repairs continue, the feud between Smith and Nenshi underscores deeper divides in Alberta politics, where urban infrastructure challenges are increasingly weaponized in provincial battles. Whether this leads to real reforms or just more rhetoric remains to be seen, but for Calgarians facing boil-water advisories, the priority is clear: fix the pipes first.

-- Email jason@albertaradio.ca