Calgary is a vibrant metropolitan city located in the heart of the Canadian Prairies. As the largest city in the province of Alberta, Calgary is known as the headquarters of Alberta’s thriving energy sector, and for the stunning natural surroundings – Rocky Mountains and Banff to the west, with the golden prairies spreading out in all other directions. With a population of over 1.3 million, Calgary is the third-largest city in Western Canada and a major hub for business, innovation, and cultural activities.

Calgary remains one of the more affordable Canadian cities and as such is experiencing a surge in internal migration in Canada, in addition to the ambitious immigration targets set federally. With this rapid growth, Calgary has been and will be faced with urban issues that will require coordinated initiatives from all sectors. Housing affordability continues to pressure Calgarians resulting in zoning reform pushes as well as regulations towards short-term rentals.

In the realm of transportation, the LRT system in Calgary has been massive success story – Calgary’s LRT tops all of North America in light rail transit ridership, and by a significant margin. As the population swells and development continues to increase density, concerns will rise regarding parking, car dependency, and transit service.

Sustainability Initiatives

Calgary has made significant strides in becoming a more sustainable city. The city has set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase renewable energy use. Some key initiatives include:

• The Calgary Climate Program, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 through investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable transportation.
• The expansion of the city’s light rail transit (LRT) system with the new Green Line, which is projected to help reduce car dependency and promote transit-oriented development.
• Creating transit oriented development hubs around existing light rail stations with mixed, high density development, often in place of existing Park-and-Ride parking lots.
• The Calgary Urban Forest Strategy, which aims to increase the city’s tree canopy cover from 8.5% to 16% by 2060 to mitigate urban heat island effects and enhance biodiversity. This requires planting an estimated 3500 trees per year

Economic Sustainability

Calgary’s economy is diversified, with strengths in sectors such as energy, technology, finance, and tourism. The city is committed to fostering a sustainable and inclusive economy:

• The Calgary Economic Development is a government-owned non-profit corporation aimed towards creating livability in conjunction with creating a top business environment, attracting investment in green industries, and developing a skilled workforce.

Social Sustainability

Calgary is dedicated to promoting social equity and inclusivity. Key initiatives include:

• The City of Calgary Housing Strategy – Home is Here, which aims to increase housing supply to increase affordability through actions such as a city-wide rezoning to up-zone from single detached housing
• The Enough for All poverty reduction strategy, which addresses issues like food security, affordable transportation, and access to social services.
• The Calgary Local Immigration Partnership (CLIP), which fosters collaboration to support the integration and inclusion of newcomers.

Cultural Sustainability

Calgary’s vibrant cultural landscape celebrates its diverse heritage and identity. Initiatives include:

• The preservation and revitalization of historic neighborhoods, such as Inglewood and Kensington, to maintain the city’s unique character.
• Support for indigenous cultural programs, public art installations, and festivals that showcase the city’s multicultural richness.
• The development of creative hubs and incubators to nurture the local arts and music scene.