How Canada Wins: A rapidly growing city never stops planning for the future

In 2023 , Calgary 's population grew by 96,000 , or about six per cent , according to Statistics Canada .

The city’s rapid growth, fuelled by international immigration and interprovincial migration, has influenced a housing affordability crisis, increased urban sprawl and other growing pains.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek says long-term strategies are necessary to help “future-proof” a constantly growing city.

Calgary Police Service data from 2022 showed violent crime in the city’s downtown was 7.5 per cent higher than the five-year average.

The city struck a downtown safety leadership table in 2023 , comprising representatives from the Calgary Downtown Association and the non-profit social services sector.

A $15-million public transit safety strategy, targeting criminal and illicit activity along the CTrain network, was approved in fall of 2023 .

Council recently voted to table it until 2026 , another long-term road map the city intended to launch this year was the Calgary Plan .

Coun . Jennifer Wyness claimed the plan contradicts other policy decisions council has made.

Coun. Dan McLean called the plan a political football that focuses too much on “woke” ideologies.

Davies Murphy predicts the next council will see an amended version of the current 136 -page plan.