Downtown Calgary Alberta

The Bow and Elbow Rivers border much of the area. These rivers offer mature, lush landscaping, and adjacent pathways that flow with families, cyclists and river walkers. Cultural landmarks like the Bow building, New Central Library, National Music Centre and Glenbow Museum not only impress, but invite you in to explore and learn. 

We are working to address the challenges downtown is facing and set the downtown up for its next generation of success.

Investing in the future of public spaces is a fundamental piece of the Downtown Strategy 

The City of Calgary is in the process of developing the Downtown Plan, a non-statutory plan that will help city-builders, decision-makers, investors and citizens understand the direction for placemaking in Calgary’s downtown over the next decade.

The City and its partners have made a commitment to improving public spaces throughout downtown – including walking and cycling connections

We aim to support and encourage private investments in downtown businesses and buildings. Over the next 15 years, we are looking to re-energize downtown office spaces with diverse and innovative businesses and jobs.

Of the seven Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund announcements made in 2019, over half are impacting the downtown.

Updating our downtown’s interface with the Bow River goes beyond designing improved pathways and public spaces. It involves a flood mitigation effort that will increase resilience.

The Calgary Tower is a free-standing observation tower located in Downtown Calgary. It has an observation deck that offers 360-degree bird’s eye view of the city, all the way to the Canadian Rockies. It is a real treat to see the city from the top – you can view the Calgary Saddle dome, Bow River, and downtown buildings.

Built between 1907 and 1911, Historic City Hall has been Calgary’s seat of civic government for more than a century.

Historic City Hall is a beautiful example of Calgary’s late Sandstone City era, and is a National, Provincial, and Municipal Heritage Resource. It is the only surviving city hall from its time in Western Canada

From hosting civic election voting to Committee meetings, Historic City Hall has always been the seat of democracy in Calgary.

Over the course of four years Historic City Hall was rehabilitated to last for the next 100 years.

Approved by Council in 2015, the $34.1 million project kicked off in 2016 and was completed in August 2020. It has been one of the most substantial heritage projects underway in Canada since 2016.

There are 15 BIAs located in Calgary and all 6,044 businesses located within the BIAs will have a one-time credit equal to their 2021 BIA tax bill applied to their account.

The City doesn't retain or benefit from the collection of BIA tax; all funds collected go to the BIA. If a business isn’t within the boundaries of a BIA, it will not receive a BIA tax bill.

The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League as a member of the North Division.

Monday's big win against a banged-up Toronto Maple Leafs team will provide at least a momentary reprieve from calls for change from Flames fans that have ranged everywhere from trading Sam Bennett, to shipping out a more significant player, or even moving on from the coach or general manager.

The Flames are still in a delicate spot though, sitting fifth in the North Division

This is a pivotal stretch in Calgary's season. After beating Toronto, the Flames again face the Leafs on Wednesday before turning around for a back-to-back in Ottawa against the Senators.

Of course, when you have a GM as active as Treliving, the possibility of a trade always exists. And if the Flames can't catch up to the pack after their series against Ottawa, bigger questions will have to be asked about where this group really is.

Calgary is the third most diverse major city in Canada with more than 120 languages spoken in the city

Looking for a job? You’re likely to have luck in Calgary. The online moving company released a 2018 study on the best places to find a job, which placed Calgary as the third-best city in the world to find employment.

Calgary is home to many diverse sectors, but you may be surprised to know many job opportunities are in the tech sector as the traditional Oil and Gas industry has sunk to the bottom of the Bow River in recent years due to peak oil and poor governance in Ottawa.

Your daily commute in Calgary isn’t a chore either. The latest numbers from Statistics Canada show that on average, Calgarians have a commute that lasts just over 26 minutes - below the national average and the lowest of major cities in the country.

Calgary is changing (as a city) and it’s at a really interesting crossroads. There are a lot more technology companies coming in and other industries are popping up and starting to get attention. It’s a city that is transforming itself and a lot of fun things are coming out of that. 

Calgary is in a sweet spot as a city. There are 1.4 million people, so it’s big enough that you have a lot of universities and technical schools. If you’re building a business, you can find good talent in the city.

Downtown, there are so many fantastic restaurants and the best part is they are all within walking distance. The urban planning of downtown Calgary is something all residents can be proud of. 

In 2019, funding was secured for a new Event Centre in east Victoria Park and a major expansion to the BMO Convention Centre on Stampede Park. Additionally, a funding strategy was approved to transform downtown’s arts and culture hub - Arts Commons

Calgary’s purpose is building a resilient and vibrant destination for everyone, with innovative people-places, safe and accessible mobility options, housing variety and local amenities.

Downtown and Beltline office vacancy currently sits at 28.4%. Calgary couldn’t keep up with the demand for space when the city’s economy was stronger, so large-scale office developments were approved to keep up.

While Calgary has the largest amount of downtown office space, per capita, it also has more occupied downtown office space than any comparable city.

Ultimately, the Downtown Strategy focuses on building a vibrant and business-friendly downtown. It can only work to create an environment that is conducive to filling downtown office space.

Over the next 15 years, we are looking to re-energize downtown office spaces with diverse and innovative businesses and jobs.

Centre City Enterprise Area initiative waives the requirement of a development permit for changes of use, exterior alterations and small additions to businesses Downtown and in the Beltline.

Calgary was the first major city in Canada to explore road adaptations for better pedestrian use. Calgary Roads has been adding space for pedestrians and cyclists to social distance safely.

The City of Calgary and the Calgary Downtown Association have partnered, along with other groups like Tourism Calgary and Alpha House Society, to create a Downtown Ambassador pilot for the area around City Hall and Stephen Avenue.

High Park was developed in partnership by the Beltline Neighbourhoods Association, the Calgary Parking Authority, Public City Architecture and the Beltline Urban Mural Project, with funding from The City of Calgary’s Beltline Community Investment Fund.

Where is the downtown is currently in relation to our four Downtown Strategy pillars? We will highlight some of the successes, challenges and opportunities that were identified in 2019 and moving forward.

Building a vibrant and resilient downtown is a task that never ends. We’re going to take what we know about the state of our downtown and keep working to ensure downtown Calgary continues to evolve as a livable, thriving place for people, business, innovation and creativity.

The City of Calgary and the Calgary Downtown Association are generating a bold and compelling vision and design for the future of Stephen Avenue that will require new ways of working and thinking.

These investments support The City of Calgary’s Downtown Strategy to further Calgary’s economic recovery and resilience, through being catalysts for revitalization and private investment.

Construction of a new luxury hotel has begun downtown at 525 Fifth Avenue S.W. The site, which has operated as a surface parking lot for close to forty years, will become home to The Dorian Hotel.

Among the efforts to revitalize Stephen Avenue is the $33 million redevelopment of Stephen Avenue Place (previously Scotia Centre)

Calgary has a global reputation as an inclusive and entrepreneurial city that is connected through incredible community spirit. Like many cities, our economy is at a crossroads and must adapt.

The City of Calgary and our partners are supporting economic recovery and growth to help reduce the impact of the most recent economic downturn on citizens and businesses.

The perception of cleanliness in the downtown has remained stable since 2017. The majority (69 per cent) of Calgarians feel that the cleanliness of the downtown has remained the same over the past 12 months (consistent with 72 per cent in 2017).

The City worked collaboratively with the Calgary Police Service, Alberta Health Services, non-profit organizations, Business Improvement Areas and community partners to implement short-term actions to address community safety near the Sheldon M. Chumir Supervised Consumption Services.