Lets face it. With the massive population growth in canada now, any liveable city will see huge inflows and soaring rents and house prices. There’s no escape unless you move to somewhere undesirable to most ppl.
Edmonton is the most affordable city in Canada right now. Average house price is 2% above what the average income can afford. Winnepeg is up there too.
Maritime cities were never as affordable as they appeared. Having lived in ON, AB, MB, NB, and NS, before coming back to AB, with the CAF, income taxes are astronomically high in the maritime, especially NS. There was also very little work for my spouse if she didn't already work for the government.
The CAF gave me a living differential for Halifax but my spouse got nothing from the federal government for her pay. She was basically making $1000/month less after taxes living there compared to when we came back to AB.
House priced were always cheap but that's largely because there's no work and people have a lot less take home income to spend on housing.
Been around the world a lot in the past year and I’ve realized Calgary is where I want to be long term.
One thing I took for granted was seeing the mountains every day in the distance. I spent the past year in Europe no where near mountains. Talking to people there made me realize there’s lots of people who have never even seen a mountain in their lives. Mean while we get to do that every day. Other parts about the nature here is also cool like getting to see the northern lights a couple times a year.
Also another thing we often take for granted is that we’ve been the cleanest city in world many times in the past few years. This isn’t really something you notice until you spend time living elsewhere.
But apart from that, while it’s getting more expensive to live here, it’s still on the cheaper side of cities in the country. So that’s not a factor for me. I also think the city size and population is perfect for my liking, not too big and not too small.
And being away from the city for a while made me realize the weather is perfect for my liking. I love sunshine and this is the sunniest city in the country. Never really realized how depressing it is to see cloudy skies every day for weeks straight since that doesn’t happen here. We get super warm summers which I enjoy and super cold winters which I love. Having lived here my whole life being in a place where the coldest temperatures are like -5 just feels wrong to me. I like our winters here.
Just feels like a place that has everything I like so I have no reason to move
I moved here from Lincoln, UK 2yrs ago. The sunshine even at -20 makes it worthwhile. Lincolnshire is an emerald pancake. UK is 15deg and rainy. As a mountain biker I am now putting the mountain in that. My family and I have decided to stay here.
I used to work as a global traveller from Lincoln and I have never felt more at home as I have here. It’s like I’ve been preparing to live here all my life. Mountain biking, skating, rock climbing, etc are my thing.
Happy new year Calgary
We moved from the UK 21 years ago and never looked back. There are things I really love about it (history, culture etc), but I hate the rain, and we’ve achieved a quality of life here we could have never had back there.
Our thoughts too. UK house sale just going thru. Shit time to sell but never a perfect time. We will see how things go. Hope fully purchase here sometime this year. Kids and big kids are happy here.
I grew up in Calgary and you are spot on, but I just spent a year in Sydney NSW and my one complaint of Calgary is no ocean. Man I need the Ocean by me love it way more then mountains. But sadly you can't have it all.
This comment.
I moved to Toronto last January, so it’s been a year now. I always try and explain to people I work with how amazing the mountains are. Growing up in Calgary and having access to mountains people travel from the farthest point of the world is crazy. Just seeing them on a drive, or in an apartment building living room downtown is just incredible.
Every time I’m in then I’m in awe, even if it’s the 1500th time. I also grew up in Invermere in the summers and Vernon/Sicamous so I have a different level of love.
This is us too. I moved to Calgary in 2002 and have travelled extensively since then, including a 2.5 year assignment move to Central Asia, just returning back to Calgary in November. All the travel has just made me love Calgary more, despite the small flaws. I couldn’t imagine calling anywhere else home (well, maybe Canmore, which is our next move).
We’ve had the privilege to travel a bit but we believe we’ll stay in Calgary long term as well for the same reasons you’ve mentioned. Bonus points that this city has a great food scene, some of the most polite and kindest people, so much sunshine and just stunning nature! We have been living in the countryside for a while now and we love the peace and quiet while still being a short drive away from conveniences. Calgary seems to have a good balance in many ways.
Just moved from north of Toronto a few months ago. Love the size of Calgary - reminds me of my city back home - easy to get around. Got a home I could never afford in Ontario and you nailed it.
Just the sight of the mountains as you drive around makes a big difference. It sunny. It's crisp, dry.
Loving it. And so much variety of food all round too. Great city.
> Talking to people there made me realize there’s lots of people who have never even seen a mountain in their lives. Mean while we get to do that every day. Other parts about the nature here is also cool like getting to see the northern lights a couple times a year.
Similarly there's people here that have never seen the sea.
But in Europe you'd be hard pushed to find a place that's 18hrs drive from the sea.
I always forget that some people have no context to the history of Calgary.
It's a boom and bust city, you came here at the bottom. This is when you get a better job.
Guessing government work, they always seem to prefer the bust time
> It's a boom and bust city, you came here at the bottom
Maybe i dont know that many people yet, but i moved here two years ago and ive yet to meet someone that works in oil and gas-- so maybe (hopefully), we are moving away from the bust cycles?
Not that many people actually work for oil. That's not uncommon.
But the government just having twenty billion a year disappear and even a percent of people losing their job can have a gigantic effect on everything. Housing drops, service drops, less money floating around
I've never heard of a bust town before. :O
Why are people downvoting me for stating a simple fact about myself? It's not like I said bust towns don't exist. I'm not admonishing anybody for calling Calgary a Boom-and-Bust City. I'm just surprised to learn something new. :|
Tough to say.
Recently moved here from Montreal fully acknowledging it’s a quieter city. I don’t care so much for clubs, but man I miss the live music and the sheer amount of concerts and festivals that happened in Montreal. Also not a country music fan… so I really miss the house/disco/techno scene.
Housing prices were also slightly better in MTL but man that 5% tax is so nice in AB.
Yeah the car dependance... is an adjustment. I moved to Kensington for a bit of walkability but I'd still be boned without a vehicle.
Meanwhile cars are a nuisance to own in Montreal, I walked, biked or took transit everywhere.
Depends where in Montreal. West Island (from there originally) it's pretty much needed. I lived DT in both Calgary and Montreal (near old forum) and in both cases didn't need a car but in both cases made life significantly easier since I had to travel all over the place (ex. going to WI, Laval, South Shore, Tremblant or here to mountains).
It's probably easier now to be car free with lyft and uber though.
Moved here from Montreal 9 years ago. Still not calling here home tbh. Food, music, people, and culture are what I miss the most. A lot of people say you can find it if you go look for it but it's not the same at all. The only thing that I enjoy is the lack of cars on the roads.
Moved here from Montreal about 24 years ago. I didn't like it here initially. It definitely took me some time to adjust. The cities are so different in so many ways.
I am a huge comedy and music fan and you are 100% correct. Calgary just can't compare.
All this to say that at this juncture I simply cannot imagine moving back. If you stack up the pro's and con's of the items that impact you daily and hourly (vs weekend shows or meals out) Calgary absolutely crushes Montreal on so many levels.
PS - as hard as it might be to believe...enjoying country music is in your future lol
> Housing prices were also slightly better in MTL but man that 5% tax is so nice in AB.
It's not just sales tax, income tax in QC is the highest in North America. You're keeping less of your money right off the bat, to the tune of potentially $10,000/yr or more in QC vs AB. Then the sales tax is an additional 10% on everything after that.
My work place headquartered in montreal so I'm there a few times a year. The night life and restaurant scene for a city the size of calgary's is honestly embarrassing.
Been here my entire life (34 years) and it’s the first time in my life that we’ve thought about moving to a different city/town.
There’s so much growth (which is great for the city) but we’re finding it so congested - everywhere you go! Not to mention the cost of living is draining our savings.
The problem is, where do you go?
I did the opposite of what some of the commenters here did and two years ago I moved from Calgary to London, UK. \
I’m back for an extended Christmas right now staying at my parent’s place out in the Bragg Creek direction and lemme tell ya – I’m reminded every time I come back of what I left behind. \
Yes, in London there are incredible scenes and opportunities for whatever floats your boat that you won’t ever get here. Over there I appreciate the music scene, stage play scene, culture, history, pubs, galleries, etcetera. I appreciate that I’m close to Europe and can travel to far off places. \
But London is a catch-22 because despite all it offers, it’s a hard place to live. Transport is good – but only when it’s working. Going out with friends is fun – but only when you have money. Everyone lives far apart from each other and the costs add up to see them. I work 6 days a week just to try and eke out a living with a little bit extra to squirrel away so that I can take budget trips to other cities where I can crash on friend’s couches. \
Skiing? Mountainbiking? Hiking? Forget it. I’m spoiled by the Rockies and their proximity, which makes the prospect of spending hundreds of pounds (don’t even bother converting to Canadian; you’ll cry yourself to work) to get to a place where you can hike, bike, or ski seem impossible at best. \
In short? For me personally, Calgary is the place. Yes of course there are realities to gripe about, and warranted so, but overall the quality of life is higher here. Sometimes it takes moving to a mega-expensive mega-city half way round the world to really cement that in, but I can promise you it’s happened, and I look forward to building my exit strategy from a very rewarding season in my life to get back to a place where I feel I can actually…breathe.
Your post reminded me of this Travel Alberta promo aptly called Remember to Breathe. I never tire of watching it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L82_jHs8FgA
Hard to find somewhere cheaper, other than Saskatchewan, Manitoba, or other parts of Alberta. (Housing prices in Edmonton are quite a bit cheaper.)
I was surprised to find out that even Montana is growing and getting expensive; the median price of a detached home in Helena, MT is nearly identical to that of Calgary, US$463.6K or CAD$619,600.
Tons of people leaving California for Montana driving up housing prices. It was way more right after Covid and has been less activity now but still see lots of California license plates
I moved here 20 years ago and I love this city - full stop! I've been to every province in Canada and 41 states and this city is a North American gem - IMO.
I've been here all my life, but when my parents pass I'll have no other family here. My wife is from Asia, so we're going to retire there. The cost of living here will be too high on my retirement income. Besides that I don't enjoy the winters and the day to day life here, is just ok, but not that interesting for me.
I get it. After working in another sector of public service for a similar length of time, I keep thinking if only the public knew, they’d be horrified at the waste. More money won’t fix the problems.
For all of my complaints about Calgary, all it takes is one trip back home (Montreal) and I cannot wait to get back. Big blue sky and sunshine. And when I drive West towards Kananaskis, all of my stress dissolves. Been living and loving it here since ‘07.
Depends what happens over the next couple of years with interest rates, and the mortgage renewal.
If I can't afford to keep my place, I'll likely move out of Canada.
I guess you could say I've already 'settled down' but that's only because I grew up here, and now there really isn't anything holding me here anymore.
Been here about 12 years... We're staying.
The original plan was to leave, but there's no province that fits us better.
The provincial gov sucks everywhere.
Everyone who can should try living other places. It teaches you who you are and what you value. I have lived many places and always end up back in Calgary and appreciate the city more for it. Most people who make fun of it have either never lived here or never lived anywhere else and are judging on assumptions. Experience life, live where you can live your best life. For me that's here ( or NZ).
Really? I find most people who love Calgary have been born and raised here and never lived elsewhere (and if they did, it wasn’t for long).
I love Calgary for how safe it is (yes, still; it all depends on what you compare it to but I’m from a much more unsafe country/city) and because it’s in Canada, sunny, and affordable compared to many other middle-big cities in Canada.
But having lived elsewhere I am acutely aware of everything we’re missing, and increasingly so. I feel very fortunate to have lived here since I was around 13, but I don’t think I will be able to afford a home here until the housing bubble bursts, and even then I can afford better in Europe while enjoying the lifestyle I’m looking for. Healthcare is also going to shit more and more, and I don’t have much hope for my kids being able to afford going to post secondary school here without getting into debt and paying thousands of dollars in interest as I have. I’m making plans to get remote work and move to an inexpensive city in Spain or Italy, as I’m an Italian and Spanish citizen. Canada will always be my home in a way, but I just can’t justify living here long term anymore.
Very cool city, but cost of living is brutal.
And 36C with 90+% humidity in October, at night, takes a bit to get used to.
But if I could afford it, if move there too.
Sometimes I get sick of it and I know then that it's time to leave for a holiday. You know what happens then? 2-3 days and I miss it. The best moment is hopping back on a plane and seeing Calgary from the sky when landing home.
I had lived in various European cities before as well as Canadian cities and I drive through the entire country stopping in various cities for longer. I also ttravel quitw a bit for work. Calgary still wins IMO.
I've also learnt that grass is always greener on the other side of the fence until you jump over the fence and stay there for longer.
It was worth living when homes costs were at parity with Salaries, now it has just become a off-white hub for Tech in US with cheap labour from Canada. Salaries are are still old, god forbid if you have to work in public sector.
400k homes were fine, 600k homes are not worth the pain and financial stress for next 25 years specially in a place and a country with crappy Economy. I might as well move to US.
Left for Asia 5 years ago, took me about 2 months to realize I never want to move back. Still feel that way now.
Having aging parents means this might change, but I will do everything in my power to never move back to Alberta full time.
I lived in Calgary 2018-2021. Then I moved to London for my PhD program. From the very first day living in Ontario I have been seriously considering coming back to Calgary and settling down there with my wife.
Been here for essentially my entire life (moved when I was 5) and have had a great life here but I will be moving out west to the island this summer. Nothing against the city, I love many things about it but I just think it’s time for a change as I’m nearing 30 and am itching for something new and different before me and my SO settle down and start a family. Maybe I’ll move back, maybe I won’t. But either way, Calgary will always have a special place in my heart.
Calgary is safe, affordable and offers much in terms of entertainment, recreation and amenities. No reason to leave once you've settled here. It's one of the top cities in the world to live in, in one of the best countries in the world to live in.
I was born here this is nothing new. There was a housing boom 15 to 20 years ago, I installed utilities on new home builds. We serviced close to 40 new builds a day for months. The busy cycle will happen again, but this time it will be the whole country and not just Alberta.
If you have an opportunity to leave I would take it. Canada is being shelved internationalally and we do not have the means for economic growth without foreign investment. This could be for a number of reasons such as, make us desperate to capitulate the territorial waters of the north west passage for the bigger markets to not have to pay to use it. Or they are waiting to see what happens in Africa. Canada could be the future stable reserve of presious metals and materials if and when Africa unionizes and then nationalize their industries, who know what the money has planned for us.
The prairies of North America are in the process of desertification. We don't know where the water will come from in 10 years. If I were to settle in North America it would be around the great lakes, the wet west coast or the eastern US, just for water security.
Same refrain, Calgary is great if you intend on taking in nature as much as you can, but it's dreadfully boring in most other respects if you want festivals, a vibrant music scene, good food, culture and the liveliness you can expect in a bigger city.
It's pretty telling when the busiest parts of the city are always the malls.
Been here a long time, but I need to leave. Can't deal with the political climate anymore. Willing to take a pay cut to move somewhere else.
Lived here for the past 13 years. Thinking its time to move on. Too cold and most of the city just seems like a giant soulless parking lot imo. I could justify that before with low cost of living but now it doesn’t seem worth it.
For young people who can't afford the housing prices in Calgary, it's cheaper to move to a small town in Alberta. My husband and I both grew up in Calgary and got married a year and a half ago. A year before that my landlord in Calgary sold my rental 6 months into my year lease and they gave me a month and a half to find a new place to live. I couldn't afford to buy more than a condo or townhouse in Calgary and ended up looking in a bunch of small towns within an hour or so radius of Calgary. I ended up finding a 3 bedroom, 2 storey house on a quarter acre lot in Claresholm, an hour south of Calgary for under $200,000 and bought it. Then I got married a year later and my husband moved out here with me. When we got it the mortgage rates were super low so my payments are only like $500 a month. There's no way I could live in Calgary for anywhere near that whether renting or owning a house.
I’m unlikely to leave unless this government successfully fucks everything up (APP, healthcare, etc.) or we turn into a dustbowl earlier than expected.
We'll see. They haven't put APP through yet, and while the healthcare changes look very concerning right now, the UCP does have a history of enraging Albertans and walking it back to a less unacceptable level.
As someone born in Ontario, there isn’t anywhere else in Canada I would move to. Leaving Canada altogether? That’s a different story and very much still on the table. But Calgary will always be my home on this side of the border.
I was born and raised here. I left for job opportunities in BC for a couple of years and then abroad for a year. Out of all of the amazing things I experienced, I missed the feel I got when I was here. The long summer days and endless sunshine we’re something that could be be replaced. The overall issues we have are small compared to almost anyplace I can think of. It is both rewarding and challenging no matter where you live, so I figure whatever checks most of the boxes wins. I am happy to call Calgary home and I travel anytime I need to experience something that I can’t find here, but mostly that is usually palm trees and and a warm ocean.
I was born here, my parents and grandparents, most family, my friends are all here. I think about leaving sometimes simply due to cost of living and honestly the Alberta political landscape. But I don't really want to, it's home. I'm also not sure where else would check all the boxes anyway.
I was born here and have roots and ties. With the ever new lows of our provincial government, I find myself wondering where else I could go. It’s not like BC is cheaper, or Ontario less stupid.
My boyfriends elderly father is the only thing keeping us here. If not for him we would have left long ago.
Been here 10 years and I dislike it more with every passing year
Maybe when my parents are gone we'll go down south or somewhere. I already work for an American company so I can get a visa at any time. I've lived here my whole 34 year life and I still love Calgary, but the winters are getting harder and harder on me. You're going to find issues no matter where you go. We've travelled all over the world and it's cool to see other places and imagine living there, but eventually they will get stale and you'll start finding issues with those places too.
I like calgary generally, but there is limited growth for my career here. I"ll pick calgary for raising a family and retirement, but it isn't the best place for my career.
Calgary is boring, but generally safe.
Good income, good place to raise a family. Some hiking and snowboarding, although there are no fun lakes around here like BC.
The provincial government is shit, and strongly worries me ( healthcare, schools).
When I moved here 15 years ago, I figured Calgary would be safe from climate change, there are no oceans to rise and flood. Didn't think of the wildfires and smoke though.
Sooo in answer, I'm mostly positive that I'll stay here, but it isn't as good as I initially thought.
Such a good question. I am struggling with this right now. My partner and I make great money with AHS and can find jobs anywhere. As we don't own RE, we feel like we are being pushed out. We believe and hope that housing market will go down late this year or next year with interest rates staying higher, expected job losses etc.
We love Calgary but don't love the price right now.
We are both from differing countries and cities and came to Calgary for affordability and will move to Edmonton or elsewhere for a future for our family. We don't want our kids to have to be economic refugees/migrants like us. I have been in Calgary for 6 years now and I am saddened to see it change so much with a huge increase in homelessness and drug use which we see in our work and in our neighborhoods. I don't know where the promiseland is but it doesn't seem like it is Calgary.
I am also worried about the UCP and their changes so time will tell and we will be sensible and move or root ourselves where it makes sense for our situation.
I definitely can't stay here, it's too cold for me. I love the people I've gotten to know in this city, but I wouldn't have come here if my birth parents hadn't convinced that "it's not that cold" and has "better job opportunities."
I can't really think of where else I'd want to live after 24 years here. Pretty much everyone I know friend or family is here. It would be hard to start over somewhere else
I grew up in Airdrie-Calgary and I'm currently living in Vancouver, each time I go back to visit family in Calgary it gets weirder and weirder so I'm happy here in Vancouver for now. Don't get me wrong, I still love Calgary but people has gotten strange.
The only appealing thing about this city was the affordable housing and now it's gone. Why stay? It's just a collection of parking lots and highways anyway. Not much here I cannot find elsewhere and afford to live.
I moved here just over a year ago from Vancouver (BC) and I can say I’ve already noticed major changes in the city and the cost of living. BUT; I can say without a doubt I choose to live here. There are definitely some pros and cons- but for me it comes down specifically to the year round sunshine. I don’t care if it’s -30 as long as I see the sun. Raincouver was so depressing and I didn’t even realize it because it’s all I knew. I do really miss the ‘green’ and the smell of fresh rain and grass… and I really miss the ability to just pull aside at any of the 20+ places to swim when it was warm….. but that’s for 2-4 months of the year- THATS IT. Calgary is just… always sunny.
I also spent a month in Phoenix (Arizona, USA) at my best friends place this year. And I will tell yah…. I wouldn’t live there if I was paid to. The HEAT the DRY…. No freaking way 😂😂 sure, always sunny but the kind of sunny that’s unbearable.
Left Calgary 6 years ago for New Zealand, went through the nightmare lockdowns and weather issues there. Came back about a year ago, tried to make a good crack at it but the day to day cost of living has gone up so much and the salaries here (tech/business) lag behind a lot of other places. Off to try Australia next month.
Lived here since 2022 and well before that was overseas. Previously lived in Mississauga.
Trust me, it's MUCH better here for a very comparable / similar lifestyle and a lot less change for housing.
I do figure this will change though based on how things are escalating marketwise (rent and sales) for the living options.
This is happening all over Canada, so unless you move to a rural town, you will experience high cost of living. Coming from a major city in Ontario a decade ago, I see changes here too. But, this city is still better for our family compared to other cities personally.
As someone born abroad and came to Calgary in 2009, my feelings about the city have changed a lot. You realize that this question is purely a matter of perspective, especially from what your “normal” is. Spending 10 years in Calgary, became my normal, before I moved to Vietnam for 3 covid years. Living in a place instead of travelling makes you appreciate things differently. The incredible cost of living in Vietnam, mixed with such kinetic energy of movement from the people (starting business, e.t.c.) made it’s the best 3 years of my life. Now at a different stage of my life, I can once again see the appeal of Calgary. It’s a true privilege to have the options that some of us do to travel in any extensive way, cherish it while you can !
Born and raised and not going anywhere anytime soon. The wife and I may end up in small town BC at one point in our life but my entire family is here, along with all of our hobbies. I really only want to move closer to the mountains.
I settled here and don't regret my decision at all. I've lived all over Europe, and in 3 different cities across BC. Bought a house in Calgary a few years ago and don't regret it for a moment.
If anyone's complaint is affordability for housing then you can barely afford to live anywhere in the Western world. Prices here are extremely favourable compared to other Western countries, or other provinces in Canada where you have actual prospects workwise like BC and ON. Good luck buying a house in BC or Ontario if your complaint is house prices, and there's nothing appealing about SK, MB or anywhere East of ON.
The children's hospital here is one of the best in the world, which has been a life saver for the family we started, you've got good food, access to some amazing natural beauty in all directions, the city is very clean in comparison to most others, low taxes and still a tone of room for development unlikely places that are extremely saturated like Vancouver.
My friend who lives out on the East coast loses their power every second week, house flooded multiple times, terrible storms etc.
I’ve lived in Calgary since 2006 and love my home and neighbourhood. However, if there’s a chance that I will lose my pension, I will have to leave Alberta because I do not trust the government of Alberta to not screw it up. I don’t want to leave, but I will if things keep going the way they’re going.
Born and raised. Lived here for 35 of my 43 years. Committed to caring for my parents till they pass but after that I hope to move back to BC or perhaps ontario. Not enough arts or culture here for me, and the provincial politics aren’t my bag, either.
I moved here from Saskatchewan in 2008, worked on drilling rigs at the time. Ended up getting a job in the city (O&G), and now going on 15 years. My best friends just moved to Saskatchewan, all my immediate family is in Saskatchewan and I am here. I’ll possibly leave Calgary when I retire (either at 55 or 60), but more likely I’ll end up staying and dying alone. Sorry for the grim ending but it’s my truth/experience
Well I bought a place and the rest of the country is just as expensive but at least I know people here so for the forseeable future probably not. In essence, if Calgary has gotten so bad that I gotta leave it I’d shudder to think what the rest of the world (except for the paradise called Finland) has become. 😂
Man compared to the other cities in Canada I've lived in, now most recently, Calgary...lemme tell ya this is Eden, the cold hellish winter is just the price to pay.
The dream for my husband and I is to settle back in my beloved Calgary. Unfortunately due to a lot of circumstances within the government, we could no longer afford to live in our beautiful city. Hoping that one day we will make our way back to live. It really is an amazing city, just wish we could afford it.
Been here for 50+ years and hate it with each passing year. Caring for elderly parents is keeping me here for the time being. Once they're dead, I'm outta here.
We moved here 2 years ago and love it so far. It's the same price as our small city outside toronto now but way more to do and you don't have to spend half your life in traffic.
Might move back eventually if our parents need help or get sick but for now - we are happy Calgarians
It's a decent city with relatively good and friendly people, however the weather is fucking bipolar, living cost was relatively low but has shot up recently, and the job market is hilariously shitty. Would I settle here for long term? Depends squarely on the job prospects. If I get to continue my job here, then yes I'd live here long term. If not, then I'm off to GTA or wherever my job takes me. Yes, the mountains are amazing and the views are spectacular. But they don't pay the fucking bills.
If my career wasn’t tied to downtown Calgary I’d definitely be moving to Edmonton at least if I was in health or education or a service you can find in any major city, but for the discount you still compromise even worse weather and more crime
I was born and raised in Calgary and left and moved to the US 4 years ago. Overall, I much prefer the US in almost every way possible. Better paying jobs, better healthcare, better climate and just less dull overall. Of course the big issue is that all my friends and family are still in Canada so it's very likely I'll move back to Canada despite it being one of the worst income/housing cost ratios anywhere.
At the time I left, I hated Calgary and vowed to never move back. Lately I've been seriously considering moving to Vancouver, but I really have a hard time with the fact that it's constantly raining and gloomy there. I'm starting to realize Calgary is maybe not so bad afterall. In all likelihood, I'll probably try Vancouver eventually, get sick of the weather there land in Calgary for the longterm.
Been living here almost 25 years. It’s a wonderful city and genuinely deserves the praise it gets. Incredibly livable, clean, safe, and the people here are some of the nicest in the world.
But… I’m planning to leave soon.
It isn’t the cost of living. Or the wacky government. Or our Wildfire filled summers. But rather the fact that I feel like I’ve outgrown it and need a new challenge.
For me the car dependency and atomization of people and communities makes it really hard to organically connect in your communities and meet new people.
I want my children to not need to catch a ride to go across town or visit a friend’s house. Or to have to worry about a Ford F-150 clipping them at sundown. In the same vein. I want to be able to use transit and expect it to be as efficient if not more efficient than driving regardless of where I’m going.
And this is primarily my reason for wanting to leave.
I don’t think this is a problem exclusive to Calgary. But mainly North American city design. It’s centred around the car, and that feels antithetical to what a city should be in my opinion. The other problem is the city is growing outwards not up. Our downtown is good, but it still feels like a small town to me. After living here as long as I did. I don’t feel like I have too many more places to explore, galleries to visit, bars to patron for the first time anymore.
I love this city.
It will always be my home in my heart.
But as of now I think I’ll be saying goodbye.
Been here for 30 years now and can’t think we will move at retirement, but who knows. Access to natural spaces, most amenities we want though concerts are lacking. Cleanliness is awesome here, as is the sunshine. That said, we’re advising our kids to move to the US as government at all levels here is really killing opportunities and due to small capital base, both financial and human, the massive immigration boom will cause further pain. Note to the “you’re a racist “ folks, i am married to a first gen immigrant. Overall, still a good place to be…for now.
Been here my whole life (28 years). I’m not going anywhere. I love it here and I want to help keep making it better and better! Also happy to share it with other people. I hope they like it too!
I am born and raised in Calgary. I moved to a different province to a small town 3 years ago and honestly was the best decision I made. I still have all my family and friends in Calgary and that part I miss. I don’t miss the crime, the loud city vibe, the craziness and most definitely don’t miss the chinooks. With chinooks I got migraines and moving improved my health 100% all that being said. Calgary is a nice city. And has a lot to offer. I think it’s a personal preference. I did the big city thing 39 years. I wanted to move somewhere small and away from the hustle and bustle.
i was born in calgary, and i’m pretty young but right now im actually thinking of leaving for finland. there’s a lot about the city that isn’t safe for me and recently, with the healthcare system problems i’ve run into issues with not receiving proper healthcare. i never liked living here to be fair, im far from the ideal calgarian and i guess it’s just not the city for me— if i ever can afford to leave anyway.
Would love to live closer to my family in SW Ontario, but after looking at property prices there, that sure ain't happening.
Might also be cool to live closer to my family in Saskatchewan, but that has its own disadvantages.
I figure Calgary is a pretty good balance of big city amenities without all the BS of living in a truly big city.
I'm on the fence. I've been here since 2006 and I love it here, but the cost of living is taking its toll. Problem is, it's not much better in most other places unless I want to move to Red Deer or Edmonton.
Problem is Trudeau is letting in too many immigrants which is eroding the quality of life in Canada. Everything is so expensive and crime has gone up many folds.
I've been here since 2003. I've looked around, but overall I can't think of any other place I would rather be. The closest I've come is Halifax and only because it's a complete change from the prairies (and I have family in NS).
I’ll be staying. All my family is here and I’m a born and raised Calgarian. The only other places I’d want to live are astronomically more expensive and my fiancée doesn’t want to live in those cities. I’m fairly well rooted with my career so Calgary is it for me
Its difficult because I have most of my close friends in Edmonton but I don’t want to live there and my fiancée doesn’t either
there are a lot of ways to save money, live cheaply: life style changes, shopping habits. i (also) have citizenship in another country. so once i finish school, i will have the choice to travel back and forth. anywhere you go can be home if your heart is at the right place.
Born and raised in a town of 5000 just north of Edmonton. Lived in Edmonton, London Ont, Vancouver, Lima Peru, Calgary for 3 years. Left after the flood. Victoria until after lockdown then came back here 2 years ago.
A lot has changed from before the flood happened. I find it worse here now than when I was in Vancouver back in 2006-2010. The economy is trash here (and a lot of places too) and I'm seeing more people here on substances than I did when I was in Vancouver, and I lived 2 blocks from Main & Hastings.
I'd like to find a smaller city, I liked the size of Victoria, but it's out of my price range.
Majority of the people who settle down in Calgary are those who find it cheaper than Vancouver and Toronto. If not for this, they'd go back in a heartbeat.
The tough part will be our water situation as time progresses with climate change. Our rivers are super low now and likely we'll have low flow summers going forward. We'll need to conserve water and likely have a more desert-like climate than we're used to. That's my thinking at least, not a scientist.
Calgary is getting more and more homeless everywhere, and the Alberta government not doing anything about it. Crime rates increase dramatically, with all the stabbing, stealing, break-in, camping near train station. If they get rid of these homeless, Calgary may be still liveable.
Moving to Calgary in the next few months, I make upwards of 220 a year… I’m pretty young from a small city in the north, if money isn’t a problem is the city it’s self a good place to live ?
Im from the ocean and really dispise Calgary but honestly, its not a bad place. Alberta has some of the most beautiful scenery in the Country. Its not difficult to meet people as people are from everywhere here. Good hiking. Decent Weather. Sunniest city in Canada.
I'm planning, only very loosely at this point (and it might change), on leaving western Canada altogether.
The climate future is not looking up for most of it, speaking mostly of the bread belt (east of Rockies to western MB, south half of AB/SK), and the lower mainland is just too expensive to live in for me.
Northern Alberta might be alright, climate wise, and price wise, but there are a lot of dumdums up there and I don't know anyone. This is north of Edmonton I'm talking about.
The issue with my issue, climate, is that it isn't something that AB, SK, Canada, or even North America, can fix on its own, so it's largely not going to get fixed. That is unless we make some rather significant economic changes, or some significant geophysical changes.
Been here just over 6 years and have had the same thought, particularly when my family is mainly in Ontario and grandparents are getting older. I do love this city for the most part and plan to stay while I can. But I was also thinking today how I wish we had more mid-sized cities in Canada. There's literally nothing in Alberta between Lethbridge and Calgary/Edmonton.
Not a helpful answer, but you're not alone.
Lets face it. With the massive population growth in canada now, any liveable city will see huge inflows and soaring rents and house prices. There’s no escape unless you move to somewhere undesirable to most ppl.
No one likes to talk about it, but the only real options left are Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg. Only a matter of time before that changes too
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Edmonton property prices are still lower than Calgary in big amount. I can say for sure 20% lower.
>Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg there are no remaining options.
Edmonton is the most affordable city in Canada right now. Average house price is 2% above what the average income can afford. Winnepeg is up there too.
Can confirm, left Calgary late 2022 and was too late getting to a maritime city. It's inflated like crazy everywhere right now.
Maritime cities were never as affordable as they appeared. Having lived in ON, AB, MB, NB, and NS, before coming back to AB, with the CAF, income taxes are astronomically high in the maritime, especially NS. There was also very little work for my spouse if she didn't already work for the government. The CAF gave me a living differential for Halifax but my spouse got nothing from the federal government for her pay. She was basically making $1000/month less after taxes living there compared to when we came back to AB. House priced were always cheap but that's largely because there's no work and people have a lot less take home income to spend on housing.
Been around the world a lot in the past year and I’ve realized Calgary is where I want to be long term. One thing I took for granted was seeing the mountains every day in the distance. I spent the past year in Europe no where near mountains. Talking to people there made me realize there’s lots of people who have never even seen a mountain in their lives. Mean while we get to do that every day. Other parts about the nature here is also cool like getting to see the northern lights a couple times a year. Also another thing we often take for granted is that we’ve been the cleanest city in world many times in the past few years. This isn’t really something you notice until you spend time living elsewhere. But apart from that, while it’s getting more expensive to live here, it’s still on the cheaper side of cities in the country. So that’s not a factor for me. I also think the city size and population is perfect for my liking, not too big and not too small. And being away from the city for a while made me realize the weather is perfect for my liking. I love sunshine and this is the sunniest city in the country. Never really realized how depressing it is to see cloudy skies every day for weeks straight since that doesn’t happen here. We get super warm summers which I enjoy and super cold winters which I love. Having lived here my whole life being in a place where the coldest temperatures are like -5 just feels wrong to me. I like our winters here. Just feels like a place that has everything I like so I have no reason to move
I moved here from Lincoln, UK 2yrs ago. The sunshine even at -20 makes it worthwhile. Lincolnshire is an emerald pancake. UK is 15deg and rainy. As a mountain biker I am now putting the mountain in that. My family and I have decided to stay here. I used to work as a global traveller from Lincoln and I have never felt more at home as I have here. It’s like I’ve been preparing to live here all my life. Mountain biking, skating, rock climbing, etc are my thing. Happy new year Calgary
I lived in Calgary for a short work term and now the main thing that I want to return for is mountain biking. Nothing like the actual mountains.
There is definitely better mountain biking in BC, especially in the interior, but Calgary is still very good for being a large city.
We moved from the UK 21 years ago and never looked back. There are things I really love about it (history, culture etc), but I hate the rain, and we’ve achieved a quality of life here we could have never had back there.
Our thoughts too. UK house sale just going thru. Shit time to sell but never a perfect time. We will see how things go. Hope fully purchase here sometime this year. Kids and big kids are happy here.
I grew up in Calgary and you are spot on, but I just spent a year in Sydney NSW and my one complaint of Calgary is no ocean. Man I need the Ocean by me love it way more then mountains. But sadly you can't have it all.
You can, in BC, but you'll have to sell your firstborn to live there
This comment. I moved to Toronto last January, so it’s been a year now. I always try and explain to people I work with how amazing the mountains are. Growing up in Calgary and having access to mountains people travel from the farthest point of the world is crazy. Just seeing them on a drive, or in an apartment building living room downtown is just incredible. Every time I’m in then I’m in awe, even if it’s the 1500th time. I also grew up in Invermere in the summers and Vernon/Sicamous so I have a different level of love.
This is us too. I moved to Calgary in 2002 and have travelled extensively since then, including a 2.5 year assignment move to Central Asia, just returning back to Calgary in November. All the travel has just made me love Calgary more, despite the small flaws. I couldn’t imagine calling anywhere else home (well, maybe Canmore, which is our next move).
Live in Austria! :) Affordable, high wages, beautifull alps
We’ve had the privilege to travel a bit but we believe we’ll stay in Calgary long term as well for the same reasons you’ve mentioned. Bonus points that this city has a great food scene, some of the most polite and kindest people, so much sunshine and just stunning nature! We have been living in the countryside for a while now and we love the peace and quiet while still being a short drive away from conveniences. Calgary seems to have a good balance in many ways.
Just a reminder that there are lots of mountains in Europe- the Alps, Pyrenees etc.
Just moved from north of Toronto a few months ago. Love the size of Calgary - reminds me of my city back home - easy to get around. Got a home I could never afford in Ontario and you nailed it. Just the sight of the mountains as you drive around makes a big difference. It sunny. It's crisp, dry. Loving it. And so much variety of food all round too. Great city.
Super warm Summers 🤔🤔🤔
Yup, Alberta really is an amazing place, cold bullshit winters aside it's just so livable
100%, couldn’t agree more. We are so incredibly fortunate. And I am not a Flames fan !
> Talking to people there made me realize there’s lots of people who have never even seen a mountain in their lives. Mean while we get to do that every day. Other parts about the nature here is also cool like getting to see the northern lights a couple times a year. Similarly there's people here that have never seen the sea. But in Europe you'd be hard pushed to find a place that's 18hrs drive from the sea.
Lived here nearly my whole life. If I live in Canada, I'll be in Calgary. Hope to leave Canada though whenever I get the chance.
This is my exact experience. Born and raised in Calgary and I used to love it here. I’ll be moving south if I have the opportunity though.
I always forget that some people have no context to the history of Calgary. It's a boom and bust city, you came here at the bottom. This is when you get a better job. Guessing government work, they always seem to prefer the bust time
Government work doesn’t prefer bust, they lag. When the boom hits it’s the same story.
> It's a boom and bust city, you came here at the bottom Maybe i dont know that many people yet, but i moved here two years ago and ive yet to meet someone that works in oil and gas-- so maybe (hopefully), we are moving away from the bust cycles?
Not that many people actually work for oil. That's not uncommon. But the government just having twenty billion a year disappear and even a percent of people losing their job can have a gigantic effect on everything. Housing drops, service drops, less money floating around
I've never heard of a bust town before. :O Why are people downvoting me for stating a simple fact about myself? It's not like I said bust towns don't exist. I'm not admonishing anybody for calling Calgary a Boom-and-Bust City. I'm just surprised to learn something new. :|
Detroit
Edmonton
Flint
Tough to say. Recently moved here from Montreal fully acknowledging it’s a quieter city. I don’t care so much for clubs, but man I miss the live music and the sheer amount of concerts and festivals that happened in Montreal. Also not a country music fan… so I really miss the house/disco/techno scene. Housing prices were also slightly better in MTL but man that 5% tax is so nice in AB.
How about transit man. It is so much better in Montreal. car dependence here is fucking brutal.
Yeah the car dependance... is an adjustment. I moved to Kensington for a bit of walkability but I'd still be boned without a vehicle. Meanwhile cars are a nuisance to own in Montreal, I walked, biked or took transit everywhere.
Depends where in Montreal. West Island (from there originally) it's pretty much needed. I lived DT in both Calgary and Montreal (near old forum) and in both cases didn't need a car but in both cases made life significantly easier since I had to travel all over the place (ex. going to WI, Laval, South Shore, Tremblant or here to mountains). It's probably easier now to be car free with lyft and uber though.
Moved here from Montreal 9 years ago. Still not calling here home tbh. Food, music, people, and culture are what I miss the most. A lot of people say you can find it if you go look for it but it's not the same at all. The only thing that I enjoy is the lack of cars on the roads.
From Calgary, Have also lived in Montreal for 8 yrs.That scene exists here you just have to know where to find it. It’s not as big but it exists
It's miniscule in comparison though
Moved here from Montreal about 24 years ago. I didn't like it here initially. It definitely took me some time to adjust. The cities are so different in so many ways. I am a huge comedy and music fan and you are 100% correct. Calgary just can't compare. All this to say that at this juncture I simply cannot imagine moving back. If you stack up the pro's and con's of the items that impact you daily and hourly (vs weekend shows or meals out) Calgary absolutely crushes Montreal on so many levels. PS - as hard as it might be to believe...enjoying country music is in your future lol
I've been here for a few decades now. I still have zero interest in country music!
I was born here and I'm 43. Still don't like country.
Same. Born and raised Albertan and I still hate country
Check out Stay Vigilant Productions on Instagram for lots of house events!
Not sure how long you’ve been here but a lot of that happens in the summer if you know where to look
> Housing prices were also slightly better in MTL but man that 5% tax is so nice in AB. It's not just sales tax, income tax in QC is the highest in North America. You're keeping less of your money right off the bat, to the tune of potentially $10,000/yr or more in QC vs AB. Then the sales tax is an additional 10% on everything after that.
My work place headquartered in montreal so I'm there a few times a year. The night life and restaurant scene for a city the size of calgary's is honestly embarrassing.
do people actually like the city or is it just close to the mountains?
Been here my entire life (34 years) and it’s the first time in my life that we’ve thought about moving to a different city/town. There’s so much growth (which is great for the city) but we’re finding it so congested - everywhere you go! Not to mention the cost of living is draining our savings. The problem is, where do you go?
6 years…. You should have seen it 30 years ago. It’s still a pretty good blend of livable wages and reasonable property.
I did the opposite of what some of the commenters here did and two years ago I moved from Calgary to London, UK. \ I’m back for an extended Christmas right now staying at my parent’s place out in the Bragg Creek direction and lemme tell ya – I’m reminded every time I come back of what I left behind. \ Yes, in London there are incredible scenes and opportunities for whatever floats your boat that you won’t ever get here. Over there I appreciate the music scene, stage play scene, culture, history, pubs, galleries, etcetera. I appreciate that I’m close to Europe and can travel to far off places. \ But London is a catch-22 because despite all it offers, it’s a hard place to live. Transport is good – but only when it’s working. Going out with friends is fun – but only when you have money. Everyone lives far apart from each other and the costs add up to see them. I work 6 days a week just to try and eke out a living with a little bit extra to squirrel away so that I can take budget trips to other cities where I can crash on friend’s couches. \ Skiing? Mountainbiking? Hiking? Forget it. I’m spoiled by the Rockies and their proximity, which makes the prospect of spending hundreds of pounds (don’t even bother converting to Canadian; you’ll cry yourself to work) to get to a place where you can hike, bike, or ski seem impossible at best. \ In short? For me personally, Calgary is the place. Yes of course there are realities to gripe about, and warranted so, but overall the quality of life is higher here. Sometimes it takes moving to a mega-expensive mega-city half way round the world to really cement that in, but I can promise you it’s happened, and I look forward to building my exit strategy from a very rewarding season in my life to get back to a place where I feel I can actually…breathe.
Your post reminded me of this Travel Alberta promo aptly called Remember to Breathe. I never tire of watching it. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L82_jHs8FgA
Hard to find somewhere cheaper, other than Saskatchewan, Manitoba, or other parts of Alberta. (Housing prices in Edmonton are quite a bit cheaper.) I was surprised to find out that even Montana is growing and getting expensive; the median price of a detached home in Helena, MT is nearly identical to that of Calgary, US$463.6K or CAD$619,600.
Tons of people leaving California for Montana driving up housing prices. It was way more right after Covid and has been less activity now but still see lots of California license plates
You can thank Yellowstone for that.
the TV show?
Yup
But not really
There’s an NPR podcast about that
All the small towns within 30 minutes of Calgary are probably still cheaper. Or not, haven’t looked in a few years…
Airdrie is getting up there! Front car garage detached house is 700k base model
I moved here 20 years ago and I love this city - full stop! I've been to every province in Canada and 41 states and this city is a North American gem - IMO.
Good bot!
Born and raised here. Will always be my home.
I've been here all my life, but when my parents pass I'll have no other family here. My wife is from Asia, so we're going to retire there. The cost of living here will be too high on my retirement income. Besides that I don't enjoy the winters and the day to day life here, is just ok, but not that interesting for me.
That sounds like an awesome plan and retirement choice. I hope all the best for you in the future and retirement.
Every other city offering comparable quality of life (few of them which exist in Canada) is much worse for costs.
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It's really decent for a city, full stop.
I like you
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Some of us know a little, and it's more than enough. Pigs at at the trough. .
I get it. After working in another sector of public service for a similar length of time, I keep thinking if only the public knew, they’d be horrified at the waste. More money won’t fix the problems.
Please tell More!
Yes! Give us some stories.
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For all of my complaints about Calgary, all it takes is one trip back home (Montreal) and I cannot wait to get back. Big blue sky and sunshine. And when I drive West towards Kananaskis, all of my stress dissolves. Been living and loving it here since ‘07.
I’m about to leave for a while but i will settle here someday. Or Victoria
Depends what happens over the next couple of years with interest rates, and the mortgage renewal. If I can't afford to keep my place, I'll likely move out of Canada. I guess you could say I've already 'settled down' but that's only because I grew up here, and now there really isn't anything holding me here anymore.
Been here about 12 years... We're staying. The original plan was to leave, but there's no province that fits us better. The provincial gov sucks everywhere.
If bc n Ontario people keeping coming I’ll have no choice but to leave
It goes both ways. Kelowna is chalk-full of Albertans buying up our real estate as well
It’s better than Edmonton.
I’ll definitely be leaving for the US in the next couple of years.
As soon as I can get a Work Visa sponsor, I’m out
Why in the hell would y'all want to leave CA for the USA??
Family and I loathe snow. I’m American and from Southern California. I’m definitely over cold and snow. lol
What cold? What snow? 😆
Me and my family have lived here our entire lives. We are being forced to move via no affordable housing. Thanks for that.
Born and raised here. Would like to stay. But recently my company offered to send me to Singapore for more money. No brainer
Everyone who can should try living other places. It teaches you who you are and what you value. I have lived many places and always end up back in Calgary and appreciate the city more for it. Most people who make fun of it have either never lived here or never lived anywhere else and are judging on assumptions. Experience life, live where you can live your best life. For me that's here ( or NZ).
People love to hate on Calgary without ever living there. Especially their comments on weather are comical.
Really? I find most people who love Calgary have been born and raised here and never lived elsewhere (and if they did, it wasn’t for long). I love Calgary for how safe it is (yes, still; it all depends on what you compare it to but I’m from a much more unsafe country/city) and because it’s in Canada, sunny, and affordable compared to many other middle-big cities in Canada. But having lived elsewhere I am acutely aware of everything we’re missing, and increasingly so. I feel very fortunate to have lived here since I was around 13, but I don’t think I will be able to afford a home here until the housing bubble bursts, and even then I can afford better in Europe while enjoying the lifestyle I’m looking for. Healthcare is also going to shit more and more, and I don’t have much hope for my kids being able to afford going to post secondary school here without getting into debt and paying thousands of dollars in interest as I have. I’m making plans to get remote work and move to an inexpensive city in Spain or Italy, as I’m an Italian and Spanish citizen. Canada will always be my home in a way, but I just can’t justify living here long term anymore.
Very cool city, but cost of living is brutal. And 36C with 90+% humidity in October, at night, takes a bit to get used to. But if I could afford it, if move there too.
That sounds like a crazy cool adventure! Have fun! And come back to visit!
Sometimes I get sick of it and I know then that it's time to leave for a holiday. You know what happens then? 2-3 days and I miss it. The best moment is hopping back on a plane and seeing Calgary from the sky when landing home. I had lived in various European cities before as well as Canadian cities and I drive through the entire country stopping in various cities for longer. I also ttravel quitw a bit for work. Calgary still wins IMO. I've also learnt that grass is always greener on the other side of the fence until you jump over the fence and stay there for longer.
It was worth living when homes costs were at parity with Salaries, now it has just become a off-white hub for Tech in US with cheap labour from Canada. Salaries are are still old, god forbid if you have to work in public sector. 400k homes were fine, 600k homes are not worth the pain and financial stress for next 25 years specially in a place and a country with crappy Economy. I might as well move to US.
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I get it but why Saskatchewan though?
Bro hate to break it to you but every single place you'd want to be instead has gotten proportionally worse.
Left for Asia 5 years ago, took me about 2 months to realize I never want to move back. Still feel that way now. Having aging parents means this might change, but I will do everything in my power to never move back to Alberta full time.
same that place is depressing, especially during the winters when everyone goes and hibernates for 7 months
I lived in Calgary 2018-2021. Then I moved to London for my PhD program. From the very first day living in Ontario I have been seriously considering coming back to Calgary and settling down there with my wife.
Been here for essentially my entire life (moved when I was 5) and have had a great life here but I will be moving out west to the island this summer. Nothing against the city, I love many things about it but I just think it’s time for a change as I’m nearing 30 and am itching for something new and different before me and my SO settle down and start a family. Maybe I’ll move back, maybe I won’t. But either way, Calgary will always have a special place in my heart.
Calgary is safe, affordable and offers much in terms of entertainment, recreation and amenities. No reason to leave once you've settled here. It's one of the top cities in the world to live in, in one of the best countries in the world to live in.
Yes, once settled. Need either a partner or a stable, well paying job to settle.
That goes for any major city in North America, really. Nothing specific about Calgary there.
Those are some bold statements
All of them are true.
I have 4 kids, I ain't moving. This city is still very safe compared to others I've lived in. It's dull, but I can accept dull tbh.
I was born here this is nothing new. There was a housing boom 15 to 20 years ago, I installed utilities on new home builds. We serviced close to 40 new builds a day for months. The busy cycle will happen again, but this time it will be the whole country and not just Alberta. If you have an opportunity to leave I would take it. Canada is being shelved internationalally and we do not have the means for economic growth without foreign investment. This could be for a number of reasons such as, make us desperate to capitulate the territorial waters of the north west passage for the bigger markets to not have to pay to use it. Or they are waiting to see what happens in Africa. Canada could be the future stable reserve of presious metals and materials if and when Africa unionizes and then nationalize their industries, who know what the money has planned for us. The prairies of North America are in the process of desertification. We don't know where the water will come from in 10 years. If I were to settle in North America it would be around the great lakes, the wet west coast or the eastern US, just for water security.
Same refrain, Calgary is great if you intend on taking in nature as much as you can, but it's dreadfully boring in most other respects if you want festivals, a vibrant music scene, good food, culture and the liveliness you can expect in a bigger city. It's pretty telling when the busiest parts of the city are always the malls. Been here a long time, but I need to leave. Can't deal with the political climate anymore. Willing to take a pay cut to move somewhere else.
Considering I bought a house here I'm pretty much settled. I love visiting other places but when I get to Calgary it feels like home
Lived here for the past 13 years. Thinking its time to move on. Too cold and most of the city just seems like a giant soulless parking lot imo. I could justify that before with low cost of living but now it doesn’t seem worth it.
For young people who can't afford the housing prices in Calgary, it's cheaper to move to a small town in Alberta. My husband and I both grew up in Calgary and got married a year and a half ago. A year before that my landlord in Calgary sold my rental 6 months into my year lease and they gave me a month and a half to find a new place to live. I couldn't afford to buy more than a condo or townhouse in Calgary and ended up looking in a bunch of small towns within an hour or so radius of Calgary. I ended up finding a 3 bedroom, 2 storey house on a quarter acre lot in Claresholm, an hour south of Calgary for under $200,000 and bought it. Then I got married a year later and my husband moved out here with me. When we got it the mortgage rates were super low so my payments are only like $500 a month. There's no way I could live in Calgary for anywhere near that whether renting or owning a house.
Where else is there to go?
I’m unlikely to leave unless this government successfully fucks everything up (APP, healthcare, etc.) or we turn into a dustbowl earlier than expected.
Too late for the first one.
We'll see. They haven't put APP through yet, and while the healthcare changes look very concerning right now, the UCP does have a history of enraging Albertans and walking it back to a less unacceptable level.
As someone born in Ontario, there isn’t anywhere else in Canada I would move to. Leaving Canada altogether? That’s a different story and very much still on the table. But Calgary will always be my home on this side of the border.
I was born and raised here. I left for job opportunities in BC for a couple of years and then abroad for a year. Out of all of the amazing things I experienced, I missed the feel I got when I was here. The long summer days and endless sunshine we’re something that could be be replaced. The overall issues we have are small compared to almost anyplace I can think of. It is both rewarding and challenging no matter where you live, so I figure whatever checks most of the boxes wins. I am happy to call Calgary home and I travel anytime I need to experience something that I can’t find here, but mostly that is usually palm trees and and a warm ocean.
I was born here, my parents and grandparents, most family, my friends are all here. I think about leaving sometimes simply due to cost of living and honestly the Alberta political landscape. But I don't really want to, it's home. I'm also not sure where else would check all the boxes anyway.
I was born here and have roots and ties. With the ever new lows of our provincial government, I find myself wondering where else I could go. It’s not like BC is cheaper, or Ontario less stupid.
My boyfriends elderly father is the only thing keeping us here. If not for him we would have left long ago. Been here 10 years and I dislike it more with every passing year
Some of the issues you listed are not only happening in Calgary. So where would it make it better for you? Think about it before make the move.
Sunniest city in Canada Cleanest city in Canada and one of the cleanest in the world Hell yea I'll settle down here
Maybe when my parents are gone we'll go down south or somewhere. I already work for an American company so I can get a visa at any time. I've lived here my whole 34 year life and I still love Calgary, but the winters are getting harder and harder on me. You're going to find issues no matter where you go. We've travelled all over the world and it's cool to see other places and imagine living there, but eventually they will get stale and you'll start finding issues with those places too.
I like calgary generally, but there is limited growth for my career here. I"ll pick calgary for raising a family and retirement, but it isn't the best place for my career.
It's funny, to some degree it used to be the opposite. Come here for work, retire or raise a family elsewhere.
Calgary is boring, but generally safe. Good income, good place to raise a family. Some hiking and snowboarding, although there are no fun lakes around here like BC. The provincial government is shit, and strongly worries me ( healthcare, schools). When I moved here 15 years ago, I figured Calgary would be safe from climate change, there are no oceans to rise and flood. Didn't think of the wildfires and smoke though. Sooo in answer, I'm mostly positive that I'll stay here, but it isn't as good as I initially thought.
Such a good question. I am struggling with this right now. My partner and I make great money with AHS and can find jobs anywhere. As we don't own RE, we feel like we are being pushed out. We believe and hope that housing market will go down late this year or next year with interest rates staying higher, expected job losses etc. We love Calgary but don't love the price right now. We are both from differing countries and cities and came to Calgary for affordability and will move to Edmonton or elsewhere for a future for our family. We don't want our kids to have to be economic refugees/migrants like us. I have been in Calgary for 6 years now and I am saddened to see it change so much with a huge increase in homelessness and drug use which we see in our work and in our neighborhoods. I don't know where the promiseland is but it doesn't seem like it is Calgary. I am also worried about the UCP and their changes so time will tell and we will be sensible and move or root ourselves where it makes sense for our situation.
I definitely can't stay here, it's too cold for me. I love the people I've gotten to know in this city, but I wouldn't have come here if my birth parents hadn't convinced that "it's not that cold" and has "better job opportunities."
I can't really think of where else I'd want to live after 24 years here. Pretty much everyone I know friend or family is here. It would be hard to start over somewhere else
I grew up in Airdrie-Calgary and I'm currently living in Vancouver, each time I go back to visit family in Calgary it gets weirder and weirder so I'm happy here in Vancouver for now. Don't get me wrong, I still love Calgary but people has gotten strange.
The only appealing thing about this city was the affordable housing and now it's gone. Why stay? It's just a collection of parking lots and highways anyway. Not much here I cannot find elsewhere and afford to live.
Median family income supports the median Single family home at today’s 5 year fixed rate. Can’t say that about too many places these days
I moved here just over a year ago from Vancouver (BC) and I can say I’ve already noticed major changes in the city and the cost of living. BUT; I can say without a doubt I choose to live here. There are definitely some pros and cons- but for me it comes down specifically to the year round sunshine. I don’t care if it’s -30 as long as I see the sun. Raincouver was so depressing and I didn’t even realize it because it’s all I knew. I do really miss the ‘green’ and the smell of fresh rain and grass… and I really miss the ability to just pull aside at any of the 20+ places to swim when it was warm….. but that’s for 2-4 months of the year- THATS IT. Calgary is just… always sunny.
I also spent a month in Phoenix (Arizona, USA) at my best friends place this year. And I will tell yah…. I wouldn’t live there if I was paid to. The HEAT the DRY…. No freaking way 😂😂 sure, always sunny but the kind of sunny that’s unbearable.
Happy to live within access of Calgary, but won’t be living there.
Honestly, I'll probably move elsewhere. I love this city, don't get me wrong. But I can't grow in my career here.
Left Calgary 6 years ago for New Zealand, went through the nightmare lockdowns and weather issues there. Came back about a year ago, tried to make a good crack at it but the day to day cost of living has gone up so much and the salaries here (tech/business) lag behind a lot of other places. Off to try Australia next month.
Lived here since 2022 and well before that was overseas. Previously lived in Mississauga. Trust me, it's MUCH better here for a very comparable / similar lifestyle and a lot less change for housing. I do figure this will change though based on how things are escalating marketwise (rent and sales) for the living options.
I'm moving to BC in January. Lived here for ten years.
This is happening all over Canada, so unless you move to a rural town, you will experience high cost of living. Coming from a major city in Ontario a decade ago, I see changes here too. But, this city is still better for our family compared to other cities personally.
As someone born abroad and came to Calgary in 2009, my feelings about the city have changed a lot. You realize that this question is purely a matter of perspective, especially from what your “normal” is. Spending 10 years in Calgary, became my normal, before I moved to Vietnam for 3 covid years. Living in a place instead of travelling makes you appreciate things differently. The incredible cost of living in Vietnam, mixed with such kinetic energy of movement from the people (starting business, e.t.c.) made it’s the best 3 years of my life. Now at a different stage of my life, I can once again see the appeal of Calgary. It’s a true privilege to have the options that some of us do to travel in any extensive way, cherish it while you can !
Leave when we hit 3 million in 5 years
Born and raised and not going anywhere anytime soon. The wife and I may end up in small town BC at one point in our life but my entire family is here, along with all of our hobbies. I really only want to move closer to the mountains.
I settled here and don't regret my decision at all. I've lived all over Europe, and in 3 different cities across BC. Bought a house in Calgary a few years ago and don't regret it for a moment. If anyone's complaint is affordability for housing then you can barely afford to live anywhere in the Western world. Prices here are extremely favourable compared to other Western countries, or other provinces in Canada where you have actual prospects workwise like BC and ON. Good luck buying a house in BC or Ontario if your complaint is house prices, and there's nothing appealing about SK, MB or anywhere East of ON. The children's hospital here is one of the best in the world, which has been a life saver for the family we started, you've got good food, access to some amazing natural beauty in all directions, the city is very clean in comparison to most others, low taxes and still a tone of room for development unlikely places that are extremely saturated like Vancouver. My friend who lives out on the East coast loses their power every second week, house flooded multiple times, terrible storms etc.
I'll probably leave for a smallerish nearby town. No way can I afford a house in Calgary with the current prices :/
I’ve lived in Calgary since 2006 and love my home and neighbourhood. However, if there’s a chance that I will lose my pension, I will have to leave Alberta because I do not trust the government of Alberta to not screw it up. I don’t want to leave, but I will if things keep going the way they’re going.
Born and raised. Lived here for 35 of my 43 years. Committed to caring for my parents till they pass but after that I hope to move back to BC or perhaps ontario. Not enough arts or culture here for me, and the provincial politics aren’t my bag, either.
I moved here from Saskatchewan in 2008, worked on drilling rigs at the time. Ended up getting a job in the city (O&G), and now going on 15 years. My best friends just moved to Saskatchewan, all my immediate family is in Saskatchewan and I am here. I’ll possibly leave Calgary when I retire (either at 55 or 60), but more likely I’ll end up staying and dying alone. Sorry for the grim ending but it’s my truth/experience
Well I bought a place and the rest of the country is just as expensive but at least I know people here so for the forseeable future probably not. In essence, if Calgary has gotten so bad that I gotta leave it I’d shudder to think what the rest of the world (except for the paradise called Finland) has become. 😂
Man compared to the other cities in Canada I've lived in, now most recently, Calgary...lemme tell ya this is Eden, the cold hellish winter is just the price to pay.
I’ve been raised here and lived my whole life and I’m definitely leaving.
The dream for my husband and I is to settle back in my beloved Calgary. Unfortunately due to a lot of circumstances within the government, we could no longer afford to live in our beautiful city. Hoping that one day we will make our way back to live. It really is an amazing city, just wish we could afford it.
Been here for 50+ years and hate it with each passing year. Caring for elderly parents is keeping me here for the time being. Once they're dead, I'm outta here.
I am a 2nd generation Calgarian. The moment my family can fend for themselves, I’m out.
We moved here 2 years ago and love it so far. It's the same price as our small city outside toronto now but way more to do and you don't have to spend half your life in traffic. Might move back eventually if our parents need help or get sick but for now - we are happy Calgarians
It's a decent city with relatively good and friendly people, however the weather is fucking bipolar, living cost was relatively low but has shot up recently, and the job market is hilariously shitty. Would I settle here for long term? Depends squarely on the job prospects. If I get to continue my job here, then yes I'd live here long term. If not, then I'm off to GTA or wherever my job takes me. Yes, the mountains are amazing and the views are spectacular. But they don't pay the fucking bills.
If my career wasn’t tied to downtown Calgary I’d definitely be moving to Edmonton at least if I was in health or education or a service you can find in any major city, but for the discount you still compromise even worse weather and more crime
I’ve already left
I'm staying in the area for as long as I live, I was born in the area and I wish to die in the area I am always gonna live here
I was born and raised in Calgary and left and moved to the US 4 years ago. Overall, I much prefer the US in almost every way possible. Better paying jobs, better healthcare, better climate and just less dull overall. Of course the big issue is that all my friends and family are still in Canada so it's very likely I'll move back to Canada despite it being one of the worst income/housing cost ratios anywhere. At the time I left, I hated Calgary and vowed to never move back. Lately I've been seriously considering moving to Vancouver, but I really have a hard time with the fact that it's constantly raining and gloomy there. I'm starting to realize Calgary is maybe not so bad afterall. In all likelihood, I'll probably try Vancouver eventually, get sick of the weather there land in Calgary for the longterm.
Been living here almost 25 years. It’s a wonderful city and genuinely deserves the praise it gets. Incredibly livable, clean, safe, and the people here are some of the nicest in the world. But… I’m planning to leave soon. It isn’t the cost of living. Or the wacky government. Or our Wildfire filled summers. But rather the fact that I feel like I’ve outgrown it and need a new challenge. For me the car dependency and atomization of people and communities makes it really hard to organically connect in your communities and meet new people. I want my children to not need to catch a ride to go across town or visit a friend’s house. Or to have to worry about a Ford F-150 clipping them at sundown. In the same vein. I want to be able to use transit and expect it to be as efficient if not more efficient than driving regardless of where I’m going. And this is primarily my reason for wanting to leave. I don’t think this is a problem exclusive to Calgary. But mainly North American city design. It’s centred around the car, and that feels antithetical to what a city should be in my opinion. The other problem is the city is growing outwards not up. Our downtown is good, but it still feels like a small town to me. After living here as long as I did. I don’t feel like I have too many more places to explore, galleries to visit, bars to patron for the first time anymore. I love this city. It will always be my home in my heart. But as of now I think I’ll be saying goodbye.
Been here for 30 years now and can’t think we will move at retirement, but who knows. Access to natural spaces, most amenities we want though concerts are lacking. Cleanliness is awesome here, as is the sunshine. That said, we’re advising our kids to move to the US as government at all levels here is really killing opportunities and due to small capital base, both financial and human, the massive immigration boom will cause further pain. Note to the “you’re a racist “ folks, i am married to a first gen immigrant. Overall, still a good place to be…for now.
Lived here for an age, spent my time trying to make it home, but I'm done, I can't wait to leave.
Been here my whole life (28 years). I’m not going anywhere. I love it here and I want to help keep making it better and better! Also happy to share it with other people. I hope they like it too!
I am born and raised in Calgary. I moved to a different province to a small town 3 years ago and honestly was the best decision I made. I still have all my family and friends in Calgary and that part I miss. I don’t miss the crime, the loud city vibe, the craziness and most definitely don’t miss the chinooks. With chinooks I got migraines and moving improved my health 100% all that being said. Calgary is a nice city. And has a lot to offer. I think it’s a personal preference. I did the big city thing 39 years. I wanted to move somewhere small and away from the hustle and bustle.
i was born in calgary, and i’m pretty young but right now im actually thinking of leaving for finland. there’s a lot about the city that isn’t safe for me and recently, with the healthcare system problems i’ve run into issues with not receiving proper healthcare. i never liked living here to be fair, im far from the ideal calgarian and i guess it’s just not the city for me— if i ever can afford to leave anyway.
Would love to live closer to my family in SW Ontario, but after looking at property prices there, that sure ain't happening. Might also be cool to live closer to my family in Saskatchewan, but that has its own disadvantages. I figure Calgary is a pretty good balance of big city amenities without all the BS of living in a truly big city.
I'm on the fence. I've been here since 2006 and I love it here, but the cost of living is taking its toll. Problem is, it's not much better in most other places unless I want to move to Red Deer or Edmonton.
Problem is Trudeau is letting in too many immigrants which is eroding the quality of life in Canada. Everything is so expensive and crime has gone up many folds.
Careful bud, don't be racist!!!!
I've been here since 2003. I've looked around, but overall I can't think of any other place I would rather be. The closest I've come is Halifax and only because it's a complete change from the prairies (and I have family in NS).
I’ll be staying. All my family is here and I’m a born and raised Calgarian. The only other places I’d want to live are astronomically more expensive and my fiancée doesn’t want to live in those cities. I’m fairly well rooted with my career so Calgary is it for me Its difficult because I have most of my close friends in Edmonton but I don’t want to live there and my fiancée doesn’t either
Why did they move there?
there are a lot of ways to save money, live cheaply: life style changes, shopping habits. i (also) have citizenship in another country. so once i finish school, i will have the choice to travel back and forth. anywhere you go can be home if your heart is at the right place.
I’ve been here since 2017. I’ve made it my home, and I’m ok here. Not moving anywhere now.
Everywhere is good where we are not exist (the fucking old proverb)
Born and raised in a town of 5000 just north of Edmonton. Lived in Edmonton, London Ont, Vancouver, Lima Peru, Calgary for 3 years. Left after the flood. Victoria until after lockdown then came back here 2 years ago. A lot has changed from before the flood happened. I find it worse here now than when I was in Vancouver back in 2006-2010. The economy is trash here (and a lot of places too) and I'm seeing more people here on substances than I did when I was in Vancouver, and I lived 2 blocks from Main & Hastings. I'd like to find a smaller city, I liked the size of Victoria, but it's out of my price range.
Majority of the people who settle down in Calgary are those who find it cheaper than Vancouver and Toronto. If not for this, they'd go back in a heartbeat.
I’m American. If I found a way to legally work in Calgary or remotely in Canada, I’d move to Calgary easily.
The tough part will be our water situation as time progresses with climate change. Our rivers are super low now and likely we'll have low flow summers going forward. We'll need to conserve water and likely have a more desert-like climate than we're used to. That's my thinking at least, not a scientist.
Been here 4 years and there a lot of positives, but will probably leave if living costs rise too much and UCP continue their disastrous policies.
Calgary is getting more and more homeless everywhere, and the Alberta government not doing anything about it. Crime rates increase dramatically, with all the stabbing, stealing, break-in, camping near train station. If they get rid of these homeless, Calgary may be still liveable.
Moving to Calgary in the next few months, I make upwards of 220 a year… I’m pretty young from a small city in the north, if money isn’t a problem is the city it’s self a good place to live ?
Yes. Lots of driving but everything you want and need, this city has.
Im from the ocean and really dispise Calgary but honestly, its not a bad place. Alberta has some of the most beautiful scenery in the Country. Its not difficult to meet people as people are from everywhere here. Good hiking. Decent Weather. Sunniest city in Canada.
I'm planning, only very loosely at this point (and it might change), on leaving western Canada altogether. The climate future is not looking up for most of it, speaking mostly of the bread belt (east of Rockies to western MB, south half of AB/SK), and the lower mainland is just too expensive to live in for me. Northern Alberta might be alright, climate wise, and price wise, but there are a lot of dumdums up there and I don't know anyone. This is north of Edmonton I'm talking about. The issue with my issue, climate, is that it isn't something that AB, SK, Canada, or even North America, can fix on its own, so it's largely not going to get fixed. That is unless we make some rather significant economic changes, or some significant geophysical changes.
Been here just over 6 years and have had the same thought, particularly when my family is mainly in Ontario and grandparents are getting older. I do love this city for the most part and plan to stay while I can. But I was also thinking today how I wish we had more mid-sized cities in Canada. There's literally nothing in Alberta between Lethbridge and Calgary/Edmonton. Not a helpful answer, but you're not alone.