CALGARY

CALGARY

Calgary sits in the sunny eastern foothills of Canada’s Rocky Mountains, where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet.

It is the major urban centre for the entire southern half of the province of Alberta, and is surrounded by an area of profound beauty with an unspoiled, resource-rich natural environment.

Alberta, included Calgary,  produces nearly 70 per cent of Canada’s crude oil and almost 80 per cent of its natural gas. Canada has the third largest reserves of crude oil in the world, behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) estimates that oil production for Western Canada will reach 3.7 million barrels per day by 2025, which will mean that the region could represent over nearly five per cent of global oil production by 2025.

Weather

Calgary is a mountain-high city, and the climate - directly related to the altitude - is dry. Temperatures are mild, especially when compared to most of Canada, and even when it’s cold, it’s usually sunny. 

In fact, the sun shines an average of 2,300 hours every year, making Calgary the sunniest major city in the country.

But Calgary weather is definitely unpredictable.

CALGARIAN

Calgary’s population is young, well educated, entrepreneurial, community minded, generous and well paid. As individuals, Calgarians are family-focused, recreation lovers, that are committed to a healthy work-life balance. As citizens, Calgarians are enthusiastic supporters of community organizations: there are more volunteers in Alberta than the national average.

The face of Calgary is changing. Walk through any neighbourhood and you’ll meet people who have moved here from all over the world.

Cost of living

The reasonable cost of living in Calgary comes as a pleasant surprise to some people.
All things considered – including different forms of taxes, and the value received for taxes paid – it is better than many large North American cities.

The cost of living becomes even more manageable when low provincial taxes are factored in. Another bonus – Alberta is the only province in Canada without a sales tax.

Alberta Health

In Alberta, health care is completely free – you don’t even pay a monthly premium – while in terms of public safety, the city makes a significant investment in Calgary’s security and protective services (police, fire, bylaw and emergency medical services). 

Safety

Calgary’s crime rate is among the lowest of any major city in Canada and has even started moving downward as the city gets larger.

The emphasis on personal security shows. In 2008 and 2011, worldwide surveys on quality of living by Mercer Human Resources Consulting ranked Calgary among the top 25 cities in the world for personal safety and security.

Education

Calgary Catholic School District’s: There are currently over 51,000 students enrolled in 105 schools, from kindergarten to high school.

Calgary Board of Education’s:There are over 103,000 students enrolled in 221 public schools, from kindergarten to high school.

University of Calgary: is the city’s premier post-secondary education and research institution. Ranked for several years running as the #1 young university in Canada, it also sits at #2 in North America and #9 worldwide amongst educational institutions under the age of 50.

Mount Royal University: A college up until 2009 welcomed 179 students when it first opened its doors in 1911. Today, it serves approximately 16,000 students with a variety of programs and courses including bachelor’s degrees, applied degrees, university transfer courses, diplomas and certificates.

SAIT Polytechnic: As one of Canada's leading polytechnics, provides relevant, skill-oriented education to more than 71,000 registrants each year. SAIT offers 77 certificate, diploma, apprenticeship and applied degree programs, 30-plus apprenticeship trades, two baccalaureate degrees and over 1,600 continuing education and corporate training courses.

Bow Valley College: is Calgary’s only comprehensive community college, providing over 8,830 full and part-time students with highly focused career-oriented training meant to get them into the workforce quickly.