Calgary Relocation Guide
It's the people of Calgary that make this city great. You'll find plenty of saloons and country music in this "Nashville of the North”. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a world-class city.
Calgary is a cosmopolitan center with a diverse population that's always growing. Between 2016 and 2021, Calgary grew by 6.4 per cent, outstripping both Toronto and Montreal. People from all over the world choose to call Calgary home.
Though the population has topped 1,600,000 people, Calgary remains a safe and peaceful community that has a low crime rate and lots of fun things to do. Forbes Magazine also tapped Calgary as the "World's Cleanest City".
If you're looking for the latest Calgary real estate information, be sure to check out our blog for market updates and news about upcoming developments.
Your Guide to Living in Calgary, Alberta
Downtown Calgary Attractions
Below are just a few of the attractions that downtown Calgary has to offer. If you'd like to search for properties in the downtown core, please visit our Downtown Calgary real estate page.
- Eau Claire Market/Festival District: the Eau Claire Market is a popular shopping and entertainment destination. Restaurants, shops, and a Cineplex are all housed in this popular spot that's located at the edge of the Bow River, across from Prince's Island Park. The Eau Claire area also features a great selection of riverside condos to choose from.
- Prince's Island Park: there's always something going on in this 20-hectare urban park during the summer months—from Shakespeare in the Park to the Calgary Folk Music Festival.
- Stephen Avenue Walk: this pedestrian mall in the heart of Calgary's retail sector is a designated historical district and a popular place for visitors and residents alike. Usually graced by musicians performing in the open air, Stephen Avenue Walk is home to a number of art galleries, repertory cinemas, nightclubs and restaurants.
- Olympic Plaza: located in front of City Hall in the arts district, the water-filled Olympic Plaza is a great place to go for a splash in the summertime or a skate in the winter. Galleries, theatres and the Glenbow Museum are all located nearby.
- Telus Spark Science Centre: The Calgary Science Centre is definitely a family favourite. With high-calibre exhibits and shows, the Telus Spark Science Centre makes learning fun for kids of all ages.
- Calgary Zoo: home to a botanical garden and prehistoric park, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is a wonderful place to spend the day. From tigers and gorillas to bison and red pandas, this zoo hosts animals from all over the globe.
- Stampede Grounds: the Calgary Stampede takes place here every July. For 10 straight days, everyone in town is a cowboy! The Stampede is famous for its rodeo and chuck wagon races.
- Olympic Saddledome: the Saddledome is the home base of the Calgary Flames, the city's much-loved National Hockey League team.
- Chinatown: Canada's third-largest Chinatown stretches for 20 blocks in downtown Calgary. The Chinese Cultural Centre here has a striking domed ceiling that is patterned after Beijing's Temple of Heaven.
Getting Around Calgary, Alberta
Protected winter walking: In the wintertime, residents use Calgary’s Skywalk, the Plus 15 network, to get around the downtown core. The largest system of its kind in the world, 16 kilometres of elevated, weather-protected and climate-controlled walkways connect buildings in downtown Calgary. It solves issues of pedestrian mobility and connects people to services and destinations throughout downtown—even in the most inclement weather!
Multi-use pathways: Calgary has the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America, with approximately 1,000 km of regional pathways and 96 km of trails. One particularly well-loved route follows the edge of the Bow River from the Crowchild Trail to the Calgary Zoo.
Bike-friendly public transit: Need to get somewhere in a hurry? Calgary has an outstanding bike-friendly public transit system. The LRT service, known as the CTrain, offers free service in the downtown core.
Weekend Getaways
With the Rocky Mountains standing sentinel along Calgary's western horizon, it's only a short drive to a whole host of world-class skiing and resort vacation spots. Banff, Kananaskis, Canmore, Jasper, and Lake Louise are all easy day trips from Calgary. World heritage sites like Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump and the Royal Tyrell Museum (dinosaurs!) in Drumheller Park are also close by. Edmonton, the provincial capital, is just three hours from Calgary. The prairies to the north, east and south are great horse country.
Calgary Weather
Calgary is one of the sunniest places in Canada and home to some remarkable weather. Dry, hot summers are punctuated by spectacular thunderstorms. In the winter, warm Chinook winds blow through town, raising the temperature as much as 15 degrees Celsius in a few hours. Temperatures have been known to climb as high as 20 degrees Celsius in the middle of winter.
Calgary Economy
Calgary's strong economy is legendary in western Canada. Top employers in Calgary include the petroleum and high tech industries. Agriculture has long been the pride of the province, and numerous corporations are based in Calgary. If you're looking to find a job in Calgary, check out our Calgary's recruiters page.
Calgary Schools
There are five major post-secondary schools in Calgary, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic and the Alberta College of Art and Design. The city also has a highly regarded Kindergarten to Grade 12 system that includes charter schools, French language education and a separate school board.
Quadrant Relocation Guides
Find out about Calgary’s quadrants here:
Request A Relocation Guide
Contact Justin Havre for more information about relocating to Calgary, Alberta.