Calgary's economy includes activity in many sectors: energy; financial services; film and television;transportation and logistics; technology; manufacturing; aerospace; health and wellness; retail; and tourism.[13] The Calgary Metropolitan Region is home to Canada's second-largest number of corporate head offices among the country's 800 largest corporations.[14] In 2015, Calgary had the largest number of millionaires per capita of any major Canadian city.[15] In 2022, Calgary was ranked alongsideZürich as the thirdmost livable city in the world, ranking first in Canada and in North America.[16] In 1988, it became the first Canadian city to host theOlympic Winter Games.[17]
TheIndigenous peoples of Southern Alberta refer to the Calgary area as "elbow", in reference to the sharp bend made by theBow River and theElbow River. In some cases, the area was named after thereeds that grew along the riverbanks, reeds that had been used to fashionbows. In theBlackfoot language (Siksiká) the area is known asMohkínstsis akápiyoyis, meaning "elbow many houses", reflecting its strong settler presence. The shorter form of theBlackfoot name,Mohkínstsis, simply meaning "elbow",[19][20][21] is the popularIndigenous term for the Calgary area.[22][23][24][25][26] In the Nakoda orStoney language, the area is known asWîchîspa Oyade orWenchi Ispase, both meaning "elbow".[19][21] In theCree language, the area is known asotôskwanihk (ᐅᑑᐢᑿᓂᕽ) meaning "at the elbow"[27] orotôskwunee meaning "elbow". In theTsuutʼina language (Sarcee), the area is known asGuts’ists’i (older orthography,Kootsisáw) meaning "elbow".[19][21] InKutenai language, the city is referred to asʔaknuqtapȼik’.[28] In theSlavey language, the area is known asKlincho-tinay-indihay meaning "many horse town", referring to theCalgary Stampede[19] and the city's settler heritage.[21]
The Calgary area was inhabited by pre-Clovis people whose presence traces back at least 11,000 years.[34] The area has been inhabited by multipleFirst Nations, the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy;Siksika,Kainai,Piikani), îyârheNakoda,Tsuutʼina peoples andMétis Nation, Region 3.
In 1787,David Thompson, a 17-year-oldcartographer with theHudson's Bay Company (HBC), spent the winter with a band ofPiikani Nation encamped along the Bow River. He was also afur trader and surveyor and the first recorded European to visit the area.John Glenn was the first documented European settler in the Calgary area, in 1873.[35] In spring 1875, three priests – Lacombe, Remus, and Scollen – built a small log cabin on the banks of the Elbow River.[36]
In the fall of 1875, the site became a post of theNorth-West Mounted Police (NWMP) (now theRoyal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP). The NWMP detachment was assigned to protect the western plains from US whisky traders, and to protect thefur trade, and InspectorÉphrem-A. Brisebois led fifty Mounties as part of F Troop north fromFort Macleod to establish the site.[36] TheI. G. Baker Company ofFort Benton, Montana, was contracted to construct a suitable fort, and after its completion, the Baker company built a log store next to the fort.[37] The NWMP fort remained officially nameless until construction was complete, although it had been referred to as"The Mouth" by people at Fort Macleod.[38] At Christmas dinner NWMP Inspector Éphrem-A. Brisebois christened the unnamed Fort"Fort Brisebois", a decision which caught the ire of his superiors ColonelJames Macleod and MajorAcheson Irvine.[38] Major Irvine cancelled the order by Brisebois and wroteHewitt Bernard, the thenDeputy Minister of Justice in Ottawa, describing the situation and suggesting the name"Calgary" put forward by Colonel Macleod.Edward Blake, at the timeMinister of Justice, agreed with the name and in the spring of 1876, Fort Calgary was officially established.[39]
In 1877, the First Nations ceded title to the Fort Calgary region throughTreaty 7.[40]
In 1881 the federal government began to offer leases for cattle ranching in Alberta (up to 400 km2 (100,000 acres) for one cent per acre per year) under theDominion Lands Act, which became a catalyst for immigration to the settlement. The I. G. Baker Company drove the first herd of cattle to the region in the same year for theCochrane area by order of Major James Walker.[41]
TheCanadian Pacific Railway (CPR) reached the area in August 1883 and constructed a railway station on the CPR-owned Section 15, neighbouring the townsite across the Elbow River to the east on Section 14. The difficulty in crossing the river and the CPR's efforts to persuade residents resulted in the core of the Calgary townsite moving onto Section 15, with the fate of the old townsite sealed when the post office was anonymously moved across the icy Elbow River during the night.[42] The CPR subdivided Section 15 and began selling lots surrounding the station, $450 for corner lots and $350 for all others; and pioneer Felix McHugh constructed the first private building on the site.[42] Earlier in the decade it was not expected that the railway would pass near Calgary; instead, the preferred route put forward by people concerned with the young nation's defence was passing near Edmonton and through theYellowhead Pass. However, in 1881 CPR changed the plans preferring the direct route through the prairies by way ofKicking Horse Pass.[43] Along with the CPR, August 1883 brought Calgary the first edition of theCalgary Herald published on the 31st under the titleThe Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser by teacher Andrew M. Armour and printer Thomas B. Braden, a weekly newspaper with a subscription price of $1 per year.[44]
Over a century later, the CPR headquarters moved to Calgary fromMontreal in 1996.[45]
Residents of the now-eight-year-old settlement sought to form a local government of their own. In the first weeks of 1884,James Reilly who was building the Royal Hotel east of the Elbow River circulated 200handbills announcing a public meeting on January 7, 1884, at the Methodist Church.[46][47] At the full meeting Reilly advocated for a bridge across the Elbow River and a civic committee to watch over the interests of the public until Calgary could be incorporated. The attendees were enthusiastic about the committee and on the next evening a vote was held to elect the seven members. A total of 24 candidates were nominated, which equalled 10 per cent of Calgary's male population. Major James Walker received 88 votes, the most amongst the candidates, the other six members were Dr. Andrew Henderson,George Clift King, Thomas Swan, George Murdoch, J. D. Moulton, and Captain John Stewart.[46] The civic committee met withEdgar Dewdney,Lieutenant Governor of the North-West Territories, who happened to be in Calgary at the time,[47] to discuss an allowance for a school, an increase from $300 to $1,000 grant for a bridge over the Elbow River, incorporation as a town, and representation for Calgary in theLegislative Council of the North-West Territories.[48] The committee was successful in getting an additional $200 for the bridge,[48]In May, Major Walker, acting on instructions from the NWT Lieutenant-governor, organized a public meeting in the NWMP barracks room on the issue of getting a representative in the NWT Council. Walker wrote the clerk of the Council that he was prepared to produce evidence that Calgary and environs (an area of 1000 square miles) held 1000 residents, the requirement for having a Council member.[49] Aby-election was held on June 28, 1884, whereJames Davidson Geddes defeated James Kidd Oswald to become theCalgary electoral district representative on the1st Council of the North-West Territories.[50][51]
As for education, Calgary moved quickly: the Citizen's Committee raised $125 on February 6, 1884, and the first school opened for twelve children days later on February 18, led by teacher John William Costello.[52] The private school was not enough for the needs of the town and following a petition by James Walker theCalgary Protestant Public School District No. 19 was formed by the Legislature on March 2, 1885.[53]
On November 27, 1884, Lieutenant Governor Dewdney proclaimed theincorporation ofThe Town of Calgary.[54] Shortly after on December 3, Calgarians went to thepolls to elect their first mayor and four councillors.The North-West Municipal Ordinance of 1884 providedvoting rights to any maleBritish subject over 21 years of age who owned at minimum $300 of property. Each elector was able to cast one vote for the mayor and up to four votes for the councillors (plurality block voting).[55]George Murdoch won the mayoral race in a landslide victory with 202 votes over E. Redpath's 16, while Simon Jackson Hogg, Neville James Lindsay, Joseph Henry Millward, and Simon John Clarke were elected councillors.[56] The next morning the Council met for the first time at Beaudoin and Clarke's Saloon.[57]
Law and order remained top of mind in the frontier town, in early 1884 Jack Campbell was appointed as a constable for the community, and in early 1885 the Town Council passedBy-law Eleven creating the position of Chief Constable and assigning relevant duties, a precursor to theCalgary Police Service. The first chief constable, John (Jack) S. Ingram, who had previously served as the first police chief in Winnipeg, was empowered to arrestdrunken and disorderly people, stop all fast riding in town, attend all fires and council meetings.[58][59] Calgary Town Council was eager to employ constables versus contracting the NWMP for town duty as the police force was seen as a money-making proposition. Constables received half of the fines from liquor cases, meaning Chief Constable Ingram could easily pay his $60 per month salary and the expense of a town jail.[59]
Turmoil in 1885 and 1886 and the "Sandstone City"
For the Town of Calgary, 1884 turned out to be a success. However, two dark years lay ahead for the fledgling community. The turmoil started in late 1885, when Councillor Clarke was arrested for threatening aplain-clothes Mountie who entered his saloon to conduct a late-night search. When the officer failed to produce asearch warrant, Clarke chased him off the premises; however, the Mountie returned with reinforcements and arrested Clarke.[60] Clarke found himself beforeStipendiary MagistrateJeremiah Travis, a proponent of thetemperance movement who was appalled by the open traffic of liquor, gambling and prostitution in Calgary despiteprohibition in the North-West Territories.[61] Travis' view was accurate as the Royal Commission of Liquor Traffic of 1892 found liquor was sold openly, both day and night during prohibition.[59] Travis associated Clarke with the troubles he saw in Calgary and found him guilty, and sentenced Clarke to six months withhard labour.[61] Murdoch and the other members of Council were shocked, and a public meeting was held at Boynton's Hall in which a decision was made to send a delegation to Ottawa to seek an overruling of Travis' judgement by the Department of Justice. The community quickly raised $500, and Murdoch and a group of residents headed east.[61] The punishment of Clarke did not escapeHugh Cayley the editor of theCalgary Herald andClerk of the District Court. Cayley published articles critical of Travis and his judgment, in which Travis responded by calling Cayley to court, dismissing him from his position as Clerk, ordering Cayley to apologize and pay a $100 fine.[62] Cayley refused to pay the fine, which Travis increased to $500, and on January 5, the day afterthe January 1886 Calgary town election, Cayley was imprisoned by Travis.[62]
Murdoch returned to Calgary on December 27, 1885, only a week before the election to find the town in disarray.[62] Shortly before the 1886 election, G. E. Marsh brought a charge of corruption against Murdoch and council over irregularities in the voters' list. Travis found Murdoch and the councillors guilty, disqualifying them from running in the 1886 election, barring them from municipal office for two years, and fining Murdoch $100, and the councillors $20. This was despite the fact Murdoch was visiting Eastern Canada while the alleged tampering was occurring.[63] Travis' disqualification did not dissuade Calgary voters, and Murdoch defeated his opponent James Reilly by a significant margin in early January to be re-elected as mayor.[64] Travis accepted a petition from Reilly to unseat Murdoch and two of the elected councillors, and declare Reilly the mayor of Calgary.[65] Both Murdoch and Reilly claimed to be the lawful mayor of the growingly disorganized Town of Calgary, both holding council meetings and attempting to govern.[65] Word of the issues in Calgary reached the Minister of JusticeJohn Sparrow David Thompson in Ottawa who ordered JusticeThomas Wardlaw Taylor ofWinnipeg to conduct an inquiry into the"Case of Jeremiah Travis". The federal government acted before receiving Taylor's report, Jeremiah Travis was suspended, and the government waited for his official tenure to expire, after which he was pensioned off.[66] Justice Taylor's report, which was released in June 1887, found Travis had exceeded his authority and erred in his judgements.[63][67]
The Territorial Council called for anew municipal election to be held in Calgary on November 3, 1886. George Clift King defeated his opponentJohn Lineham for the office of Mayor of Calgary.[68][69]
Calgary had only a couple days' peace following the November election before theCalgary Fire of 1886 destroyed much of the community's downtown. Part of the slow response to the fire can be attributed to the absence of functioning local government during 1886. As neither George Murdoch or James Reilly was capable of effectively governing the town, the newly orderedchemical engine for the recently organizedCalgary Fire Department (Calgary Hook, Ladder and Bucket Corps) was held in the CPR's storage yard due to lack of payment. Members of the Calgary Fire Department broke into the CPR storage yard on the day of the fire to retrieve the engine.[70] In total, fourteen buildings were destroyed with losses estimated at $103,200, although no one was killed or injured.[71]
The new Town Council sprung into action, drafting a bylaw requiring all large downtown buildings to be built withsandstone, which was readily available nearby in the form ofPaskapoo sandstone.[72] Following the fire several quarries were opened around the city by prominent local businessmen including Thomas Edworthy,Wesley Fletcher Orr, J. G. McCallum, and William Oliver. Prominent buildings built with sandstone following the fire includeKnox Presbyterian Church (1887), Imperial Bank Building (1887),Calgary City Hall (1911), and Calgary Courthouse No. 2 (1914).[73][74]
In February 1887,Donald Watson Davis, who was running theI.G. Baker store in Calgary, was elected MP forAlberta (Provisional District). A former whisky trader in southern Alberta, he had turned his hand to building Fort Macleod and Fort Calgary. The main other contender for the job,Frank Oliver, was a prominent Edmontonian, so Davis's success was a sign that Calgary was surpassing Edmonton, previously the main centre on the western Prairies.[75]
1887 to 1900
Calgary continued to expand when real estate speculation took hold of Calgary in 1889. Speculators began buying and building west of Centre Street, and Calgary quickly began to sprawl west to the ire of property owners on the east side of town.[76] Property owners on both sides of Centre Street sought to bring development to their side of Calgary, lost successfully[clarification needed] by eastsider James Walker who convinced the Town Council to purchase land on the east side to build a stockyard, guaranteeing meat packing and processing plants would be constructed on the east side.[77] By 1892 Calgary had reached present-daySeventeenth Avenue, east to the Elbow River and west to Eighth Street,[78] and the first federal census listed the boom town at 3,876 inhabitants.[79] The economic conditions in Calgary began to deteriorate in 1892,[80] as development in the downtown slowed, the streetcar system started in 1889 was put on hold[81] and smaller property owners began to sell.[82]
The first step in connecting theDistrict of Alberta happened in Calgary on July 21, 1890, asMinister of the Interior Edgar Dewdneyturned the first sod for theCalgary and Edmonton Railway in front of two thousand residents.[83][84] The railway was completed in August 1891. Although its end-of-steel was on thesouth side of the river opposite Edmonton, it immensely shortened travel time between the two communities. Previously stagecoach passengers and mail could arrive in five days and animal pulled freight anywhere between two and three weeks,[85] the train was able to make the trip in only a few hours.[86]
Smallpox arrived in Calgary in June 1892 when a Chinese resident was found with the disease, and by August nine people had contracted the disease with three deaths. Calgarians placed the blame for the disease on the local Chinese population, resulting in a riot on August 2, 1892.[87] Residents descended on the Town's Chinese-owned laundries, smashing windows and attempting to burn the structures to the ground. The local police did not attempt to intervene. MayorAlexander Lucas had inexplicably left town during the riot,[88] and when he returned home he called the NWMP in to patrol Calgary for three weeks to prevent further riots.[89][90]
Finally on January 1, 1894, Calgary was granted acharter by the2nd North-West Legislative Assembly, officially titledOrdinance 33 of 1894, the City of Calgary Charter elevated the frontier town to the status of a full-fledged city.[91] Calgary became the first city in the North-West Territories, receiving its charter a decade beforeEdmonton andRegina. The Calgary charter remained in force until it was repealed with theCities Act in 1950. The charter came into effect in such a way as to prevent the regularly scheduled municipal election in December 1893, and recognizing the importance of the moment, the entire Town Council resigned to ensure the new city could choose the firstCalgary City Council.[92]Calgary's first municipal election as a city saw Wesley Fletcher Orr garner 244 votes, narrowly defeating his opponentWilliam Henry Cushing's 220 votes, and Orr was named the first mayor of the City of Calgary.[93]
By late 19th century, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) expanded into the interior and established posts along rivers that later developed into the modern cities of Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton. In 1884, the HBC established a sales shop in Calgary. HBC also built the first of the grand "original six" department stores in Calgary in 1913; others that followed were Edmonton,Vancouver,Victoria,Saskatoon, and Winnipeg.[94][95]
In October 1899 the Village of Rouleauville was incorporated by French Catholic residents south of Calgary's city limits in what is now known asMission.[96] The town did not remain independent for long, and became the first incorporated municipality to be amalgamated into Calgary eight years later in 1907.
Turn of the 20th century
The turn of the century brought questions of provincehood the top of mind in Calgary. On September 1, 1905,Alberta was proclaimed a province with a provisional capital inEdmonton, it would be left up to the Legislature to choose the permanent location.[97] One of the first decisions of the new Alberta Legislature was the capital, and althoughWilliam Henry Cushing advocated strongly for Calgary, the resulting vote saw Edmonton win the capital 16–8.[98] Calgarians were disappointed on the city not being named the capital, and focused their attention on the formation of the provincial university. However, the efforts by the community could not sway the government, and theUniversity of Alberta was founded in theCity of Strathcona, Premier Rutherford's home, which was subsequently amalgamated into the City of Edmonton in 1912.[99] Calgary was not to be left without higher education facilities as the provincialNormal School opened in the McDougall School building in 1905. In 1910, R. B. Bennett introduced a bill in the Alberta Legislature to incorporate the "Calgary University", however there was significant opposition to two degree-granting institutions in such a small province. A commission was appointed to evaluate the Calgary proposal which found the second university to be unnecessary, however, the commission did recommend the formation of the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art in Calgary (SAIT), which was formed later in 1915.[100]
Postcard of 1st Street West, Calgary, postmarked May 8, 1913
Built-up areas of Calgary between 1905 and 1912 were serviced by power and water, the city continued a program of paving and sidewalk laying and with the CPR constructed a series of subways under the tracks to connect the town with streetcars. The first three motor buses hit Calgary streets in 1907, and two years later themunicipally owned street railway system, fit with seven miles of track opened in Calgary. The immediately popular street railway system reached 250,000 passengers per month by 1910.[101] The privately owned MacArthur Bridge (precursor to the Centre Street Bridge over the Bow River) opened in 1907 which provided for residential expansion north of the Bow River.[102] The early-1910s saw real estate speculation hit Calgary once again, with property prices rising significantly with growing municipal investment, CPR's decision to construct a car shop atOgden set to employ over 5,000 people, the projected arrival of theGrand Trunk Pacific andCanadian Northern Railways in the city and Calgary's growing reputation as a growing economic hub.[103] The period between 1906 and 1911 was the largest population growth period in the city's history, expanding from 11,967 to 43,704 inhabitants in the five-year period.[79][104][105] Several ambitious projects were started during this period including a newCity Hall, theHudson's Bay Department Store, the Grain Exchange Building, and thePalliser Hotel, this period also corresponded to the end of the"Sandstone City" era as steel frames and terracotta facades such as the Burns Building (1913) which were prevalent in other North American cities overtook the unique sandstone character of Calgary.[106]
Stampede City
Rounding up cattle for the firstCalgary Stampede in 1912. The Stampede is one of the world's largest rodeos.
The growing City and enthusiastic residents were rewarded in 1908 with the federally fundedDominion Exhibition. Seeking to take advantage of the opportunity to promote itself, the city spentCA$145,000 to build six new pavilions and a racetrack.[107] It held a lavish parade as well asrodeo, horse racing, andtrick roping competitions as part of the event.[108] The exhibition was a success, drawing 100,000 people to the fairgrounds over seven days despite an economic recession that afflicted the city of 25,000.[107] Calgary had previously held a number of Agricultural exhibitions dating back to 1886, and recognizing the city's enthusiasm,Guy Weadick, an American trick roper who participated in the Dominion Exhibition as part of theMiller Brothers 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show, returned to Calgary in 1912 to host the firstCalgary Stampede in the hopes of establishing an event that more accurately represented the "wild west" than the shows he was a part of.[109] He initially failed to sell civic leaders and the Calgary Industrial Exhibition on his plans,[110] but with the assistance of local livestock agent H. C. McMullen, Weadick convinced businessmenPat Burns,George Lane,A. J. McLean, andA. E. Cross to put up $100,000 to guarantee funding for the event.[108]
Program for the 1912 Calgary Stampede, featuring the Big Four: Burns, Lane, Cross, and McLean
TheBig Four, as they came to be known, viewed the project as a final celebration of their life as cattlemen.[111] The city constructed a rodeo arena on the fairgrounds and over 100,000 people attended the six-day event in September 1912 to watch hundreds of cowboys from Western Canada, the United States, and Mexico compete for $20,000 in prizes.[112] The event generated $120,000 in revenue and was hailed as a success.[108] The Calgary Stampede has continued as a civic tradition for over 100 years, marketing itself as the"greatest outdoor show on earth", with Calgarians sporting western wear for 10 days while attending the annual parade, daily pancake breakfasts.
Early oil and gas
While agriculture and railway activities were the dominant aspects of Calgary's early economy, theTurner ValleyDiscovery Well blew South-West of Calgary on May 14, 1914, marked the beginning of the oil and gas age in Calgary. Archibald Wayne Dingman and Calgary Petroleum Product's discovery was heralded as the"biggest oil field in the British Empire" at around 19 million cubic metres, and in a three-week period an estimated 500 oil companies sprang into existence.[113] Calgarians were enthusiastic to invest in new oil companies, with many losing life savings during the short 1914 boom in hastily formed companies.[114] Outbreak of theFirst World War further dampened the oil craze as more men and resources left for Europe and agricultural prices for wheat and cattle increased.[114] Turner Valley's oil fields would boom again in 1924 and 1936, and by theSecond World War the Turner Valley oilfield was producing more than 95 per cent of the oil in Canada.[115] however the city would wait until 1947 forLeduc No. 1 to definitively shift Calgary to an oil and gas city. While Edmonton would see significant population and economic growth with the Leduc discovery, many corporate offices established in Calgary after Turner Valley refused to relocate north.[116] Consequently, by 1967, Calgary had more millionaires than any other city in Canada, and per capita, more cars than any city in the world.[117]
Early politics 1910s to 1940s
Early-20th-century Calgary served as a hotbed for political activity. Historically Calgarians supported the provincial and federal conservative parties, the opposite of the Liberal-friendly City of Edmonton. However, Calgarians were sympathetic to the cause of workers and supported the development of labour organizations. In 1909, theUnited Farmers of Alberta (UFA) formed in Edmonton through the merger of two earlier farm organizations as a non-partisan lobbying organization to represent the interests of farmers. The UFA eventually dropped its non-partisan stance when it contested the1921 provincial election. It was elected to form the province's first non-Liberal government.[118] By that time Calgary was usingsingle transferable vote (STV), a form of proportional representation, to elect its city councillors. Calgary was the first city in Canada to adopt PR for its city elections. Councillors were elected in one at-large district. Each voter cast just a single vote using a ranked transferable ballot. The UFA government elected in 1921 changed the provincial election law so that Calgary could elect its MLAs through PR as well. Calgary elected its MLAs through PR until 1956 and its councillors through PR until 1971 (although mostly usinginstant-runoff voting, not STV, in the 1960s).[119][120]
Calgary endured a six-year recession following theFirst World War. The high unemployment rate from reduced manufacturing demand, compounded with servicemen returning from Europe needing work, created economic and social unrest.[121] By 1921, over 2,000 men (representing 11 percent of the male workforce) were officially unemployed.[122] Labour organizations began endorsing candidates for Calgary City Council in the late 1910s and were quickly successful in electing sympathetic candidates to office, including MayorSamuel Hunter Adams in1920. As well theIndustrial Workers of the World and its sequel,the One Big Union, found much support among Calgary workers.
The city's support of labour and agricultural groups made it a natural location for the founding meeting of theCo-operative Commonwealth Federation (precursor to theNew Democratic Party). The organizational meeting was held in Calgary on July 31, 1932, with attendance exceeding 1,300 people.[123] Pat Lenihan was elected to the Calgary City Council in 1939, in part due to the use of Proportional Representation in city elections. He is the only Communist Party member elected to Calgary council. (He is the subject of the book Patrick Lenihan from Irish Rebel to Founder of Canadian Public Sector Unionism, edited by Gilbert Levine (Athabasca University Press).)
In 1922, Civic Government Association formed in opposition to the power of labour groups, endorsing its own competing slate of candidates.[124] Labour's influence was short-lived on the City Council, with Labour as a whole failing to receive substantial support after 1924.[125]
Richard Bedford Bennett, the eleventh prime minister of Canada, and first prime minister from Calgary.
Calgary gained further political prominence whenR. B. Bennett's Conservative Party won the1930 federal election and formed government and became Canada's11th prime minister.[126] Bennett arrived in Calgary fromNew Brunswick in 1897, was previously the leader of the provincial Conservative Party, advocated for Calgary as the capital of Alberta, and championed the growing city.[127] Calgary had to wait another decade to have a sitting premier represent the city, when sittingSocial Credit PremierWilliam Aberhart moved from hisOkotoks-High River toCalgary for the1940 provincial election after his Okotoks-High River constituents began arecall campaign against him as their local MLA.
1960s to 1970s
From the 1970s onward, the population of Calgary grew significantly, with many high-rises constructed to accommodate the growth.
Only a little over a decade after shuttering the municipal tram lines, Calgary City Council began investigating rapid transit. In 1966 aheavy rail transit proposal was developed, however the estimated costs continued to grow rapidly, and the plan was re-evaluated in 1975. In May 1977, Calgary City Council directed that a detailed design and construction start on the south leg of alight rail transit system,[128] which opened on May 25, 1981, and dubbed theCTrain.
The1970s energy crisis resulted in significant investment and growth in Calgary. By 1981, 45 percent of the Calgary labour force was made up of management, administrative or clerical staff, above the national average of 35 percent.[129] Calgary's population grew with the opportunity the oil boom brought. The 20-year period from 1966 to 1986 saw the population increase from 330,575 to 636,107.[130][131] Population growth became a source of pride, the June 1980Calgary Magazine exclaimed"Welcome to Calgary! Calgary almost specializes in newcomers...".[132]
High-rise buildings were erected during the economic boom, and more office space opened in Calgary in 1979 than in New York City and Chicago combined.[133][134] The end of the oil boom is associated with theNational Energy Program implemented by Prime MinisterPierre Trudeau's government and thedrop in world oil prices, and the end of the construction boom in Calgary is associated with the completion of thePetro-Canada Centre in 1984. The two-tower granite Petro-Canada Centre, which some locals called "Red Square" alluding to the city's hostile view of thestate-owned petroleum company, saw the larger 53-storey west tower rise to 215 m (705 ft) and become the largest building in Calgary for 26 years, and a smaller 32-storey east tower rise 130 m (430 ft).[133] The city further expanded the CTrain system, planning began in 1981, and the northeast leg of the system was to be operational in time for the 1988 Olympics.[135]
The1980s oil glut caused by falling demand and the National Energy Program marked the end of Calgary's boom. In 1983 Calgary City Council announced service cuts to ease the $16 million deficit, 421 city employees were laid off,[136] unemployment increased from 5 to 11 percent between November 1981 and November 1982, eventually peaking at 14.9 percent in March 1983. The decline was so swift that the city's population decreased for the first time in history from April 1982 to April 1983, and 3,331 homes wereforeclosed by financial institutions in 1983.[137] Low oil prices in the 1980s prevented a full economic recovery until the 1990s.[138]
Public concern existed regarding the potential long-term debt implications that had plagued Montreal following the1976 Olympics.[141] TheCalgary Olympic Development Association led the bid for Calgary and spent two years building local support for the project, selling memberships to 80,000 of the city's 600,000 residents.[142] It securedCA$270 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments while civic leaders, including MayorRalph Klein, crisscrossed the world attempting to wooInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) delegates.[143] Calgary was one of three finalists, opposed by the Swedish community ofFalun and Italian community ofCortina d'Ampezzo.[143] On September 30, 1981, theInternational Olympic Committee voted to give Calgary the right to host the1988 Olympic Winter Games, becoming the first Canadian host for the winter games.[144]
The Games' five primary venues were all purpose-built, however, at significant cost.[145] TheOlympic Saddledome was the primary venue for ice hockey and figure skating. Located atStampede Park, the facility was expected to cost $83 million, but cost overruns pushed the facility to nearly $100 million.[146] TheOlympic Oval was built on the campus of theUniversity of Calgary. It was the first fully enclosed 400-metrespeed skating venue in the world as it was necessary to protect against the possibility of either bitter cold temperatures or ice-meltingchinook winds.[147] Seven world and three Olympic records were broken during the Games, resulting in the facility earning praise as "the fastest ice on Earth".[146]Canada Olympic Park was built on the western outskirts of Calgary and hostedbobsled,luge,ski jumping andfreestyle skiing. It was the most expensive facility built for the games, costing $200 million.[146]
DespiteCanada failing to earn a gold medal in the Games, the events proved to be a major economic boom for the city, which had fallen into its worstrecession in 40 years following the collapse of both oil and grain prices in the mid-1980s.[148][149] A report prepared for the city in January 1985 estimated the games would create 11,100man-years of employment and generateCA$450-million in salaries and wages.[150] In its post-Games report, OCO'88 estimated the Olympics createdCA$1.4 billion in economic benefits across Canada during the 1980s, 70 percent within Alberta, as a result of capital spending, increased tourism and new sporting opportunities created by the facilities.[151]
1990s to present
Thanks in part to escalating oil prices, the economy in Calgary and Alberta was booming until the end of 2009, and the region of nearly 1.1 million people was home to the fastest-growing economy in the country.[152] While theoil and gas industry comprise an important part of the economy, the city has invested a great deal into other areas such as tourism and high-tech manufacturing. Over 3.1 million people now visit the city annually[153] for its many festivals and attractions, especially the Calgary Stampede. The nearby mountain resort towns ofBanff,Lake Louise, andCanmore are also becoming increasingly popular with tourists. Other modern industries include light manufacturing, high-tech, film, e-commerce, transportation, and services.
Widespread flooding throughout southern Alberta, including on the Bow and Elbow rivers, forced the evacuation of over 75,000 city residents on June 21, 2013, and left large areas of the city, including downtown, without power.[154][155]
Geography
Satellite view of Calgary
Calgary is at the transition zone between theCanadian Rockies foothills and theCanadian Prairies. The city lies within the foothills of the Parkland Natural Region and the Grasslands Natural Region.[156] Downtown Calgary is about 1,042.4 m (3,420 ft)above sea level,[6] and the airport is 1,076 m (3,531 ft).[157] In 2011, the city covered a land area of 825.29 km2 (318.65 sq mi).[158] Calgary is in southernAlberta and also next to the Rocky mountains.
Two rivers and two creeks run through the city. TheBow River is the larger, and it flows from the west to the south. TheElbow River flows northwards from the south until it converges with the Bow River at the historic site ofFort Calgary near downtown. Nose Creek flows into Calgary from the northwest, then south to join the Bow River several kilometres east of the Elbow-Bow confluence. Fish Creek flows into Calgary from the southwest and converges with the Bow River nearMcKenzie Lake.
Over the years, the city has made many land annexations to facilitate growth. In the most recent annexation of lands from the surrounding Rocky View County, completed in July 2007, the city annexedShepard, a former hamlet, and placed its boundaries adjacent to the Hamlet ofBalzac and City of Chestermere, and very close to the City of Airdrie.[165]
The downtown region of the city consists of five neighbourhoods:Eau Claire (including the Festival District), theDowntown West End, theDowntown Commercial Core,Chinatown, and theDowntown East Village (also part of theRivers District). The commercial core is itself divided into a number of districts, including theStephen Avenue Retail Core, the Entertainment District, the Arts District, and the Government District. Distinct from downtown and south of 9th Avenue is Calgary's densest neighbourhood, the Beltline. The area includes a number of communities, such as Connaught, Victoria Crossing, and a portion of the Rivers District. The Beltline is the focus of major planning and rejuvenation initiatives on the part of themunicipal government to increase the density and liveliness of Calgary's centre.[169]
Several of Calgary's neighbourhoods were initially separate municipalities that were annexed by the city as it grew. These include Bowness,Montgomery, Midnapore, Shepard, and Forest Lawn.
Calgary experiences a semi-monsoonalhumid continental climate (Köppen climate classificationDwb,Trewartha climate classificationDclo) within the city. The city is also considered close to acool semi-arid climate (Koppen climate classificationBSk, Trewartha climate classificationBSlo), but not within.[171][172] The city has warm, wet summers and cold, dry, but highly variable winters.[173] According toEnvironment Canada, average daily temperatures in Calgary range from 16.9 °C (62.4 °F) in July to −7.6 °C (18.3 °F) in January.[174] Winters in Calgary are more moderate than in the rest of Alberta, and are surprisingly mild for the city’s continentality, due to the chinook winds that are prevalent in the city during the winter.
Ice skating on the frozen stream inBowness Park. Winters in Calgary are cold and dry, with temperatures dropping below −20 °C (−4 °F).
The highest temperature ever recorded in Calgary was 36.7 °C (98.1 °F) onAugust 10, 2018.[175] The lowest temperature ever recorded was −45.0 °C (−49.0 °F) on February 4, 1893.[174] The wettest month is June with an averageprecipitation of 112.7 millimetres (4.44 in), while the driest month is January with an average precipitation of 10.0 millimetres (0.39 in).[176] Calgary falls into theNRCPlant Hardiness Zone 4a[177] andUSDAzone 4a,[178] but within recent years falls under USDA zones 4b or 5a, as unlike NRC zones, USDA zones are solely based on low temperature.[179]
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, the City of Calgary had a population of 1,306,784 living in 502,301 of its 531,062 total private dwellings, a change of5.5% from its 2016 population of 1,239,220. With a land area of 820.62 km2 (316.84 sq mi), it had a population density of1,592.4/km2 (4,124.4/sq mi) in 2021.[5]
At thecensus metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Calgary CMA had a population of1,481,806 living in563,440 of its594,513 total private dwellings, a change of6.4% from its 2016 population of1,392,609. With a land area of 5,098.68 km2 (1,968.61 sq mi), it had a population density of290.6/km2 (752.7/sq mi) in 2021.[8]
In the2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Calgary had a population of 1,239,220 living in 466,725 of its 489,650 total private dwellings, a change of13% from its 2011 population of 1,096,833. With a land area of 825.56 km2 (318.75 sq mi), it had a population density of1,501.1/km2 (3,887.7/sq mi) in 2016.[188] Calgary was ranked first among the three cities in Canada that saw their population grow by more than 100,000 people between 2011 and 2016. During this time, Calgary saw a population growth of 142,387 people, followed byEdmonton at 120,345 people andToronto at 116,511 people.[189]
The Calgary census metropolitan area (CMA) is the fourth-largest CMA in Canada and the largest in Alberta. It had a population of 1,392,609 in the 2016 Census compared to its 2011 population of 1,214,839. Its five-year population change of 14.6 percent was the highest among all CMAs in Canada between 2011 and 2016. With a land area of 5,107.55 km2 (1,972.04 sq mi), the Calgary CMA had a population density of272.7/km2 (706.2/sq mi) in 2016.[190] Statistics Canada's latest estimate of the Calgary CMA population, as of July 1, 2017, is 1,488,841.[191]
In 2015, the population within an hour commuting distance of the city was 1,511,755.[192]
As a consequence of the large number of corporations, as well as the presence of the energy sector in Alberta, Calgary has a median family income of $104,530.[193]
The2021 census reported thatimmigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 430,640 persons or 33.3% of the total population of Calgary. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin werePhilippines (65,430 persons or 15.2%),India (56,515 persons or 13.1%),China (36,240 persons or 8.4%),United Kingdom (20,415 persons or 4.7%),Pakistan (18,375 persons or 4.3%), Vietnam (15,395 persons or 3.6%), Nigeria (12,450 persons or 2.9%), United States of America (10,890 persons or 2.5%),Hong Kong (10,775 persons or 2.5%), andSouth Korea (8,210 persons or 1.9%).[194]
According to the 2016 Census, 60% of Calgary's population was white or European, 4% wereIndigenous, and 36.2% belonged to avisible minority group (non-white and non-Indigenous). Among those of European origin, the most frequently reported ethnic backgrounds wereBritish,German,Irish,French, andUkrainian.
Among visible minorities,South Asians (ethnic backgrounds mainly from India and Pakistan) make up the largest group (9.5%), followed byChinese (6.8%) andFilipinos (5.5%). 5.4% were ofAfrican orCaribbean origin, 3.5% was ofWest Asian orMiddle Eastern origin, while 2.6% of the population was ofLatin American origin. Of the largest Canadian cities, Calgary ranked fourth in the proportion of visible minorities, behind Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. 20.7% of the population identified as "Canadian" in ethnic origin.[195]
Calgary is recognized as a leader in theCanadian oil and gas industry, and its economy expanded at a significantly higher rate than the overall Canadian economy (43% and 25%, respectively) over the ten-year period from 1999 to 2009.[199] Its high personal and family incomes,[14][200] low unemployment and high GDP per capita[201] have all benefited from increased sales and prices due to a resource boom,[199] and increasing economic diversification.
Calgary benefits from a relatively strongjob market in Alberta and is part of theCalgary–Edmonton Corridor, one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. It is the head office for many major oil and gas-related companies, and many financial service businesses have grown up around them. Small business and self-employment levels also rank amongst the highest in Canada.[200] Calgary is a distribution and transportation hub[202] with high retail sales.[200]
Calgary's economy is decreasingly dominated by the oil and gas industry, although it is still the single largest contributor to the city's GDP. In 2006, Calgary's real GDP (in constant 1997 dollars) wasCA$52.386 billion, of which oil, gas and mining contributed 12%.[203] The larger oil and gas companies areBP Canada,Canadian Natural Resources Limited,Cenovus Energy,Encana,Imperial Oil,Suncor Energy,Shell Canada,Husky Energy,TransCanada, andNexen, making the city home to 87% of Canada's oil and natural gas producers and 66% of coal producers.[204]
As of November 2016, the city had a labour force of 901,700 (a 74.6% participation rate) and 10.3% unemployment rate.[205][206][207]
In 2013, Calgary's four largest industries by employee count were "Trade" (with 112,800 employees), "Professional, Scientific and Technical Services" (100,800 employees), "Health Care and Social Assistance" (89,200 employees), and "Construction" (81,500 employees).[208]
In 2006, the top three private sector employers in Calgary wereShaw Communications (7,500 employees),Nova Chemicals (4,945) andTelus (4,517).[209] Companies rounding out the top ten wereMark's Work Wearhouse, theCalgary Co-op, Nexen, Canadian Pacific Railway, CNRL, Shell Canada andDow Chemical Canada.[209] The top public sector employers in 2006 were the Calgary Zone of the Alberta Health Services (22,000), the City of Calgary (12,296) and the Calgary Board of Education (8,000).[209] Public sector employers rounding out the top five were the University of Calgary and the Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School Division.[209]
In Canada, Calgary has the second-highest concentration of head offices in Canada (behind Toronto), the most head offices per capita, and the highest head office revenue per capita.[14][200] Some large employers with Calgary head offices includeCanada Safeway Limited,Westfair Foods Ltd., Suncor Energy,Agrium, Flint Energy Services Ltd., Shaw Communications, andCanadian Pacific Kansas City.[210] CPR moved its head office from Montreal in 1996 and Imperial Oil moved from Toronto in 2005. Encana's new 58-floor corporate headquarters,the Bow, became the tallest building in Canada outside of Toronto.[211] In 2001, the city became the corporate headquarters of theTSX Venture Exchange.
WestJet is headquartered close to the Calgary International Airport,[212] andEnerjet has its headquarters on the airport grounds.[213] Prior to their dissolution,Canadian Airlines[214] andAir Canada's subsidiaryZip were also headquartered near the city's airport.[215] Although its main office is now based inYellowknife,Canadian North, purchased from Canadian Airlines in September 1998, still maintains operations and charter offices in Calgary.[216][217]
According to a report by Alexi Olcheski of Avison Young published in August 2015, vacancy rates rose to 11.5 percent in the second quarter of 2015 from 8.3 percent in 2014. Oil and gas company office spaces in downtown Calgary are subleasing 40 percent of their overall vacancies.[219]H&R Real Estate Investment Trust, which owns the 58-storey, 158,000-square-metreBow Tower, claims the building was fully leased. Tenants such asSuncor "have been letting staff and contractors go in response to the downturn".[219]
Arts and culture
Calgary was designated as one of Canada's cultural capitals in 2012.[220] While many Calgarians continue to live in the city's suburbs, more central neighbourhoods such as Kensington, Inglewood, Forest Lawn, Bridgeland, Marda Loop, the Mission District, and especially the Beltline, have become more popular and density in those areas has increased.[221]
Stage
Calgary is the site of theSouthern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium performing arts, culture and community facility. The auditorium is one of two "twin" facilities in the province, the other is theNorthern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton, each being locally known as the "Jube." The 2,538-seat auditorium was opened in 1957[222] and has been host to hundreds ofmusical theatre, theatrical, stage and local productions. The Calgary Jube is the resident home of theAlberta Ballet Company, theCalgary Opera, and the annual civicRemembrance Day ceremonies. Both auditoriums operate 365 days a year and are run by the provincial government. Both received major renovations as part of the province's centennial in 2005.[222]
The city is also home to a number of performing arts spaces, such asArts Commons, which is a 400,000 square foot performing arts complex housing the Jack Singer Concert Hall, Martha Cohen Theatre, Max Bell Theatre, Big Secret Theatre, and Motel Theatre, the Pumphouse Theatre, which houses the Victor Mitchell and Joyce Doolittle theatres, The GRAND, the Bella Concert Hall, the Wright Theatre, Vertigo Theatre, Stage West Theatre, Lunchbox Theatre, and several other smaller venues.
Theatre
Some large theatre companies share Calgary'sArts Commons building, includingOne Yellow Rabbit,Theatre Calgary, andAlberta Theatre Projects.The Grand is a culture house dedicated to the contemporary live arts. Other companies, groups, and collectives operate in niche theatres, such as Storybook Theatre (children's theatre), Sundog Storytellers (immersive theatre), and The Shakespeare Company.
Every three years, Calgary hosts theHonens International Piano Competition (formerly known as the Esther Honens International Piano Competition). The finalists of the competition perform piano concerti with theCalgary Philharmonic Orchestra; the laureate is awarded a cash prize (currently $100,000.00 CDN, the largest cash award of any international piano competition), and a three-year career development program. Honens is an integral component of the classical music scene in Calgary.
A number ofmarching bands are based in Calgary. They include theCalgary Round-Up Band, the Calgary Stetson Show Band, the Bishop Grandin Marching Ghosts, and the six-time World Association for Marching Show Bands champions, the Calgary Stampede Showband, as well as military bands including the Band of HMCS Tecumseh, the King's Own Calgary Regiment Band, and theRegimental Pipes and Drums of The Calgary Highlanders. There are many other civilian pipe bands in the city, notably theCalgary Police Service Pipe Band.[224]
Calgary is also home to a choral music community, including a variety of amateur, community, and semi-professional groups. Some of the mainstays include the Mount Royal Choirs from theMount Royal University Conservatory, theCalgary Boys' Choir, the Calgary Girls Choir, the Youth Singers of Calgary, the Cantaré Children's Choir, Luminous Voices Music Society, Spiritus Chamber Choir, and pop-choral group Revv52.[225][226][227]
Dance
The Alberta Ballet is Canada's third-largest dance company. Under Jean Grand-Maître's artistic direction, the Alberta Ballet is at the forefront both at home and internationally. Jean Grand-Maître is well known for his successful portrait series collaborations with pop artists like Joni Mitchell, Elton John, and Sarah McLachlan. The Alberta Ballet resides in the Nat Christie Centre.[228][229][230]
Other dance companies include Springboard Performance, which hosts the annual Fluid Movement Arts Festival,[231] Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, which opened its new $25-million facility in 2016 in collaboration with the Kahanoff Foundation,[232] as well as a host of others, including European folk dance ensembles, Afro-based dance companies, and diasporic dance companies.
Visual and conceptual artists like the art collectiveUnited Congress are active in the city. There are a number ofart galleries in the downtown along Stephen Avenue; the SoDo (South of Downtown) Design District; the 17 Avenue corridor; the neighbourhood of Inglewood, including the Esker Foundation.[240][241] There are also various art installations in the +15 system in downtown Calgary.[242]
Libraries
Calgary'sCentral Library has won numerous international architectural and urban design awards.[243]
TheCalgary Public Library is the city's public library network, with 21 branches loaning books, e-books, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, audiobooks, and more. Based on borrowing, the library is Canada's second-largest and North America's sixth-largest municipal library. The new flagship branch, the 22,000 m2 (240,000 sq ft)Calgary Central Library inDowntown East Village, opened on November 1, 2018.[244]
Calgary's best-known event is theCalgary Stampede, which has occurred each July, with the exception of the year 2020, since 1912. It is one of the largestfestivals in Canada, with a 2005 attendance of 1,242,928 at the 10-dayrodeo and exhibition.[247]
Arts education
Calgary is also home to several post-secondary institutions that provide credit and non-credit instruction in the arts, including theAlberta University of the Arts (formerly Alberta College of Art and Design),[252] the School of Creative and Performing Arts at the University of Calgary,[253] the Mount Royal University Conservatory,[254] and Ambrose University.
Featuring a mix of boutiques, high-end retailers and restaurants,Stephen Avenue is a majorpedestrian mall and tourist attraction in Calgary.Despite no longer being the tallest structure in the city, theCalgary Tower remains a prominent attraction and symbol of Calgary's culture.
Downtown Calgary features an eclectic mix of restaurants and bars, cultural venues, public squares and shopping. Downtown attractions include theCalgary Tower,Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo,National Music Centre,Calgary Telus Convention Centre, Chinatown district, Arts Commons,Central Library, St. Patrick's Island, Glenbow Museum, the Art Gallery of Calgary (AGC),Olympic Plaza, theCalgary Stampede grounds and military museums, and various otherhigh rises. Notable shopping areas include theCore Centre, Stephen Avenue and theEau Claire Market. ThePeace Bridge spans theBow River in the downtown region. The region is also home toPrince's Island Park, an urban park located just north of the Eau Claire district. At 1.0 ha (2.5 acres), theDevonian Gardens is one of the largest urban indoor gardens in the world,[255] located on the top floor of the Core Centre. Directly south of the city's downtown is theBeltline, an urban community known for its bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and shopping venues. At the Beltline's core is17 Avenue SW, the community's primary entertainment andnightlife strip, lined with a high concentration of bars and entertainment. During the Calgary Flames'Stanley Cup run in 2004, 17 Avenue SW was frequented by over 50,000 fans and supporters per game night. The concentration of red jersey-wearing fans led to the street's playoff moniker, the "Red Mile". Downtown Calgary is easily accessed using theCTrain transit system with 9 train stations in the city's downtown core. The train is also fare-free while downtown.
Attractions in other areas of the city include theHeritage Park Historical Village, depicting life in pre-1914 Alberta and featuring working historic vehicles such as asteam train,paddle steamer andelectric streetcar. The village itself comprises a mixture of replica buildings and historic structures relocated from southern Alberta. Just west of the city limits isCalaway Park, Western Canada's largest outdoor family amusement park, and just north of the park across the Trans Canada Highway is the YBV Springbank Airport, where the Wings over Springbank Airshow is held every July. Other major city attractions include Canada Olympic Park (which featuresCanada's Sports Hall of Fame) andSpruce Meadows. On top of the many shopping areas in the city centre, there are a number of large suburban shopping complexes in the city. Among the largest areChinook Centre andSouthcentre Mall in the south, Westhills andSignal Hill in the southwest, South Trail Crossing and Deerfoot Meadows in the southeast,Market Mall in the northwest,Sunridge Mall in the northeast, and the newly builtCrossIron Mills andNew Horizon Mall just north of the Calgary city limits, and south of the City of Airdrie.
Within Calgary, there are approximately 8,000 ha (20,000 acres) of parkland available for public usage and recreation.[256] These parks includeFish Creek Provincial Park, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary,Bowness Park,Edworthy Park,Confederation Park,Prince's Island Park,Nose Hill Park, andCentral Memorial Park. Nose Hill Park is one of the largest municipal parks in Canada at 1,129 ha (2,790 acres). The park has been subject to a revitalization plan that began in 2006. Its trail system is currently undergoing rehabilitation in accordance with this plan.[257][258] The oldest park in Calgary, Central Memorial Park, dates back to 1911. Similar to Nose Hill Park, revitalization also took place in Central Memorial Park in 2008–2009 and reopened to the public in 2010 while still maintaining its Victorian style.[259] An 800 km (500 mi) pathway system connects these parks and various neighbourhoods.[256][260] Calgary also has multiple private sporting clubs including theGlencoe Club and the Calgary Winter Club.
In large part due to its proximity to the Rocky Mountains, Calgary has traditionally been a popular destination for winter sports. Since hosting the1988 Winter Olympics, the city has also been home to a number of major winter sporting facilities such asCanada Olympic Park (bobsleigh,luge,cross-country skiing,ski jumping,downhill skiing,snowboarding, and some summer sports) and theOlympic Oval (speed skating andhockey). These facilities serve as the primary training venues for a number of competitive athletes. Also, Canada Olympic Park serves as amountain biking trail in the summer months. Calgary unsuccessfully bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics, losing to Milan/Cortina Italy.
In the summer, the Bow River is frequented by river rafters[261] andfly-fishermen. Golfing is also an extremely popular activity for Calgarians, and the region has a large number of courses.[262] TheCentury Downs Racetrack and Casino is a5+1⁄2-furlong (1.1 km) horse track located just north of the city.[263]
The city is a corporate power centre with a high percentage of the workforce is employed inwhite-collar jobs. The high concentration of oil and gas corporations led to the rise ofPeter Lougheed'sProgressive Conservative Party in 1971.[268] However, as Calgary's population has increased, so has the diversity of its politics.
The City of Calgary is amunicipal corporation with acouncil–manager government structure consisting of a fifteen-memberCouncil elected every four years. The Council itself consists of an at-largeMayor and fourteen Councillors who represent geographic regions of the city. The legal authority to govern as a "creature of the province" is derived from various regulations and legislation of theAlberta Legislature, of which theMunicipal Government Act and theCity of Calgary Charter, 2018 Regulation provide many of the powers and responsibilities for the city.[269][270] The current MayorJyoti Gondek was first elected in the2021 municipal election.
Three school boards operate independently of each other in Calgary, the public, the separate (catholic) and francophone systems. Both the public and separate boards have 7 elected trustees each representing 2 of 14 wards. The School Boards are considered part of municipal politics in Calgary as they are elected at the same time as City Council.[271]
Calgary's first municipal political party, A Better Calgary, was established in June 2024, as a center-right group focused on common sense and fiscal responsibility. This followed the Alberta government's Bill 20, allowing municipal political parties in Calgary and Edmonton. Despite initial backlash against provisions that would have allowed the Premier to remove mayors and councillors, the pilot project for municipal political parties remained. Cheryl Munson, representing A Better Calgary, cited dissatisfaction withJyoti Gondek as motivations for the party's formation. Although some members had ties to theUnited Conservative Party, Munson clarified there were no formal links.[272]
Historically, all or most of Calgary's federal seats have been held by the major centre-right party of the day, presently theConservative Party of Canada. Before 2015, theLiberals had only elected three MPs from Calgary ridings in their entire history--Manley Edwards (1940–1945),[276]Harry Hays (1963–1965)[277] andPat Mahoney (1968–1972).[278]
On October 19, 2015, Calgary elected its first two Liberal MPs since 1968,Darshan Kang forCalgary Skyview andKent Hehr forCalgary Centre.[279] The Tories held the other eight. The Tories won back Calgary Skyview and Calgary Centre in 2019, but the Liberals took back Calgary Skyview in 2021. No Liberal has ever held a Calgary-based riding for more than one term.
The Calgary census metropolitan area (CMA) had a crime severity index of 60.4 in 2013, which is lower than the national average of 68.7.[281] A slight majority of the other CMAs in Canada had crime severity indexes greater than Calgary's 60.4.[281] Calgary had the sixth-most homicides in 2013 at 24.[281] However, Calgary set a record high 40 homicides in 2015, a 66.6% increase from 2013, giving the city a homicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people, a homicide rate relatively similar to that of New York for the same year (4.1 per 100,000). 2020 saw another close peak in murders with 38 being reported, with Calgary having a slightly lower homicide rate of 3.06 per 100,00, along with a record total of 112 shootings.[282][283]
In 2022, Calgary had a crime severity index of 75.2 which is an increase of 4% from the previous year, but still is lower than the national average of 78.1[284]
TheCTrain is Calgary'slight rail transit system, boasting the second-highest ridership in North America.
Calgary Transit provides public transportation services throughout the city with regular bus service,bus rapid transit (BRT), andlight rail transit (LRT). Calgary's light rail system, known as theCTrain, was the secondlight rail system in North America (behind theEdmonton LRT). It currently consists of two lines (Red Line andBlue Line), with 44 stations and 58.2 km (36.2 mi) of track. Most of the CTrain runs on both dedicated tracks with partial grade separation across suburban areas, and a street-level section across downtown. The CTrain is North America's second busiest LRT system, carrying 270,000 passengers per weekday and approximately half of Calgary downtown workers take the transit to work. The CTrain is also North America's first and only rapid transit system to run on 100% renewable,wind-generated energy.[287] In early 2020, city council approved construction of theGreen Line, the third light rail line in the city's rapid transit network. It will be the first rail line in Calgary to operate low-floor trains and is the largest public works project in the history of Calgary, about three-and-a-half times bigger than the second-largest project.[288]
Airports
Calgary International Airport is the gateway to Canada'sRocky Mountains.
Calgary has the largest paved pathway network in North America.[292]
Spanning over 1,000 km (620 mi), Calgary has the most extensive walking and cycling pathway network in North America.[293] There are also 290 km (180 mi) of on-street bikeways and 96 km (60 mi) of publicly maintained trails.[260] As of 2017, 140,000 Calgarians cycle at least once a week and about 400,000 cycle occasionally.[294] 40% of cyclists in Calgary ride no matter how cold it gets and 96% ride when temperatures are above 0 °C.[295] The Peace Bridge provides pedestrians and cyclists access to the downtown core from the north side of the Bow River. The bridge ranked among the top 10 architectural projects in 2012 and among the top 10 public spaces of 2012.[296]
Skyway
Calgary's+15skyway network is the world's most extensive elevated pedestrian skywalk system.
In the 1960s, Calgary started to develop a series of pedestrian bridges connecting many downtown buildings.[297]
Today, these bridges connect between most of the city's downtown office towers and make up the world's most extensiveskyway network (elevated indoor pedestrian bridges), officially called the+15. The system shields pedestrians from the city's extremely cold winter temperatures. The name derives from the fact that the bridges are usually 4.6 m (15 ft) above ground.[298]
Roads and highways
Calgary lies at the crossroads ofHighway 2 and theTrans-Canada Highway, making it an important hub for the transit of goods across Canada and along theCANAMEX Corridor.Stoney Trail encircles the city, completing a fullring road. The last segment in west Calgary was completed in December 2023, and is now open to the public.[299] Freeways and expressways are mostly called "trails". Highway 2, namedDeerfoot Trail, is the main north–south route through Calgary and one of the busiest highways in Canada.[300] Much of Calgary's street network is on a grid where roads are numbered with avenues running east–west and streets running north–south. Until 1904 the streets were named; after that date, all streets were given numbers radiating outwards from the city centre.[301] Roads in predominantly residential areas, as well as freeways and expressways, do not generally conform to the grid and are usually not numbered. However, it is a developer and city convention in Calgary that non-numbered streets within a new community have the same name prefix as the community itself.[302]
Rail
Calgary's presence along the Canadian Pacific Kansas City mainline (which includes theCPKC Alyth Yard) makes the city an important hub of freight rail throughout the province. There is no inter-city or regional passenger train serving the city. In June 2020, theCanada Infrastructure Bank signed a memorandum of understanding with theGovernment of Alberta to build a 130-kilometre (81 mi) inter-city rail line from downtown Calgary to Banff, and an express line from Calgary International Airport to downtown Calgary.[303] A 350–400 km/h (220–250 mph)high-speed rail line running from Downtown Calgary to Downtown Edmonton is planned as well. In July 2021,EllisDon signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Alberta to build the line, and it is expected to open sometime between 2030 and 2032.[304]
Between 1955 and 1978, CPR operated a transcontinental passenger rail service called theCanadian, running between Toronto and Vancouver via CPR's right-of-way through Calgary. In 1978,Via Rail assumed responsibility over CPR's passenger services. In the aftermath of another round of deep budget cuts made to Via Rail on January 15, 1990, Via permanently discontinued theSuper Continental and rerouted theCanadian along theSuper Continental'sCN route, bypassing Regina and Calgary in favour of Saskatoon and Edmonton. Since then, there has been no intercity passenger rail service to or from Calgary. But two new rail-tour lines have opened along the CPR right-of-way:Rocky Mountaineer andRoyal Canadian Pacific. The latter still operates rail-tour services to Calgary, while the former has terminated its westbound services at Banff, 130 km to the west.
Calgary is also home to what was Western Canada's largest public high school,Lord Beaverbrook High School, with 2,241 students enrolled in the 2005–2006school year.[310] Currently the student population of Lord Beaverbrook is 1,812 students (September 2012) and several other schools are equally as large;Western Canada High School with 2,035 students (2009) andSir Winston Churchill High School with 1,983 students (2009).
Calgary is one of nine Canadian cities, out of the total of 98 cities internationally, that is in the New York City Global Partners, Inc. organization,[323] which was formed in 2006 from the former Sister City program of the City of New York, Inc.[324]
^"Calgary 1988".Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website. February 2, 2024. RetrievedFebruary 2, 2024.
^Donovan, Larry; Monto, Tom (2006).Alberta Place Names: The Fascinating People & Stories Behind the Naming of Alberta. Dragon Hill Publishing Ltd. p. 34.
^Nenshi, Naheed (October 6, 2017)."FINA: Standing Committee on Finance ● Number 114 ● 1st Session ● 42nd Parliament. Evidence"(PDF).Standing Committee on Finance.114: 8.Archived(PDF) from the original on December 1, 2017. RetrievedNovember 21, 2017 – via ourcommons.ca.We all know that until the Fort McMurray wildfires last year, the flooding in southern Alberta in 2013 was the costliest natural disaster in Canadian history. While we have done great work in the four years since, within the city of Calgary we continue to need assistance in upstream flood mitigation. Calgary is a city that is built at the confluence of two rivers in a place the Blackfoot called Moh-Kins-Tsis, the elbow. We can't move the city. We can't make room for the river. This is where the rivers are. As a result, it is incredibly important that we do the engineering work on the upstream mitigation.
^abWilkes, Rima; Duong, Aaron; Kesler, Linc; Ramos, Howard (February 21, 2017). "Canadian University Acknowledgment of Indigenous Lands, Treaties, and Peoples".Canadian Review of Sociology.54 (1):89–102.doi:10.1111/cars.12140.ISSN1755-6171.PMID28220681.
^"Visit Esker Foundation". Esker Foundation. November 20, 2017.Archived from the original on November 22, 2017. RetrievedNovember 21, 2017.It is important to acknowledge and reflect upon the fact that Esker Foundation is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikuni, the Kainai, the Tsuut'ina, and the Stoney Nakoda First Nations. We are also situated on land adjacent to where the Bow River meets the Elbow River; the traditional Blackfoot name of this place is Mohkinstsis, which we now call the City of Calgary. The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.
^Wolvegrey, Arok (2001).Cree: Words. Regina, Saskatchewan: University of Regina Press.ISBN978-0889771277.
^"University of Calgary Recommended Acknowledgements of Traditional Indigenous Territories"(PDF). University of Calgary. November 19, 2017.Welcome to the University of Calgary. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the Blackfoot and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikuni, the Kainai, the Tsuut'ina, and the Stoney Nakoda First Nations, including Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nation. I would also like to note that the University of Calgary is situated on land adjacent to where the Bow River meets the Elbow River, and that the traditional Blackfoot name of this place is "Mohkinstsis" which we now call the City of Calgary. The City of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.[permanent dead link]
^"Treaty 7 Territory Acknowledgement". Bow Valley College. November 19, 2017. Archived fromthe original on December 1, 2017.We are located in the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy) and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut'ina and the Iyarhe Nakoda. We are situated on land where the Bow River meets the Elbow River, and the traditional Blackfoot name of this place is 'Mohkinstsis' which we now call the City of Calgary. The City of Calgary is also home to Metis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.
^"Oki (Welcome) to the Iniskim Centre". Mount Royal University. November 19, 2017.Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. RetrievedNovember 20, 2017.Mount Royal University is located in the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of the Treaty 7 region in southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikuni, the Kainai, the Tsuut'ina and the Iyarhe Nakoda. We are situated on land where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. The traditional Blackfoot name of this place is 'Mohkinstsis', which we now call the city of Calgary. The city of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation.
^Mittelstadt, David (August 2005).Foundations of Justice: Alberta's Historic Courthouses. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Press. pp. 17–19.ISBN978-1-55238-345-2.
^ab"Table IX: Population of cities, towns and incorporated villages in 1906 and 1901 as classed in 1906".Census of the Northwest Provinces, 1906. Vol. Sessional Paper No. 17a. Ottawa:Government of Canada. 1907. p. 100.
^"Table I: Area and Population of Canada by Provinces, Districts and Subdistricts in 1911 and Population in 1901".Census of Canada, 1911. Vol. I. Ottawa:Government of Canada. 1912. pp. 2–39.
^Byfield, Ted (1992).The Birth of the province. Edmonton: United Western Communications. p. 156.ISBN978-0969571810.
^"Population by specified age groups and sex, for census subdivisions, 1966".Census of Canada, 1966. Vol. Population, Specified Age Groups and Sex for Counties and Census Subdivisions, 1966. Ottawa:Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1968. p. 6.50–6.53.
^"Table 2: Census Divisions and Subdivisions – Population and Occupied Private Dwellings, 1981 and 1986".Census Canada 1986. Vol. Population and Dwelling Counts – Provinces and Territories (Alberta). Ottawa:Statistics Canada. 1987. p. 2.1–2.10.ISBN978-0-660-53463-3.
^Guimond, Pierre S.; Sinclair, Brian R. (1984).Calgary Architecture: The Boom Years, 1972-1982. Calgary, Alberta: Detselig Enterprises.ISBN9780920490396.
^OCO'88 (1988),XV Olympic Winter Games: Official Report, XV Olympic Winter Games Organizing Committee, p. 79{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Szeto, Kit K. (2008). "Variability of Cold-Season Temperatures in the Mackenzie Basin". In Woo, M. (ed.).Cold Region Atmospheric and Hydrologic Studies. The Mackenzie GEWEX Experience. Berlin, Heidelberg.: Springer. pp. 61–82.doi:10.1007/978-3-540-73936-4_4.ISBN978-3-540-73935-7.
^"Calgary Community Profile"Archived January 21, 2008, at theWayback Machine. Statistics Canada. 2002. 2001 Community Profiles. Released June 27, 2002. Last modified: November 30, 2005. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 93F0053XIE
^abcBoyce, Jillian; Cotter, Adam; Perreault, Samuel (July 23, 2014)."Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2013"(PDF). Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. pp. 13 & 30.Archived(PDF) from the original on November 23, 2015. RetrievedMay 3, 2015.
^"Calgary's +15 Skywalk".City of Calgary. 2013. Archived fromthe original on December 25, 2014. RetrievedNovember 28, 2013.The first +15 bridge was installed on January 21, 1970, connecting Calgary Place to the Calgary Inn (now the Westin Hotel). By 1984, Calgary's +15 Skywalk consisted of 38 bridges, 8 km (5 mi) of walkways and numerous public spaces. Today there are more than 62 bridges and 18 km (11 mi) of walkways.
^The City of Calgary (February 2007)."Plus 15". Archived fromthe original on August 21, 2007. RetrievedSeptember 25, 2007.
Dawson, J. Brian (1975). "The Chinese Experience in Frontier Calgary: 1885-1910". In Rasporich, Anthony W.; Klassen, Henry C. (eds.).Frontier Calgary: Town, City, and Region 1875-1914. Calgary, Alberta: McClelland and Stewart West.ISBN0771210175. RetrievedNovember 20, 2020.
Stamp, Robert M. (1975)."The Bureaucratization of Public Education in Calgary". In Rasporich, Anthony W.; Klassen, Henry C. (eds.).Frontier Calgary: Town, City, and Region 1875-1914. Calgary, Alberta: McClelland and Stewart West.ISBN0771210175. RetrievedNovember 20, 2020.
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