Supporting local business
We are committed to:THE CITY OF CALGARY
- Supporting business success in Calgary – from idea to open
- Reducing the time and money it takes to run a business in Calgary
- Improving communications with Calgary’s business community
Business and Local Economy
This page is a glimpse of the work we are doing to support businesses. To see what else we are working on visit:
Business and Local economy
Here's what we've been up to

What's been done?
We have:
- Created a #SupportLocalYYC campaign to encourage Calgarians to support local businesses. As part of this, we also provided marketing resources for businesses so they too could promote buying locally.
- Provided Canada's first virtual one window approach to permitting online. We offer live chat, saving business applicants time and money.
- Approved pop-up and interim businesses in all commercial areas (another Canada first). This eliminates lengthy approval process and licensing restrictions.
- Frozen construction permit fees at 2016 rates until the end of 2020, creating greater cost certainty for builders.
- Reduced licencing fees by 10% for new and renewed business licences, making licencing more affordable for businesses.
- Established the $100-million Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund to attract and support transformative investments in Calgary that will support economic growth, diversification, and increase employment.
- Created a Business and Local Economy team to support businesses by cutting red tape through streamlining City processes and reducing the time and money it takes to open and run a business in Calgary.
- Created a ‘Living Lab’ program to open City of Calgary assets to companies and researchers, to test and try their ideas and products.
- Created a Business Advisory Committee made up of members of the local business community. This Council-led committee gives us insight and feedback into how we can improve City processes.

What's in the works?
We are:
- Improving the journey from idea to open a business in Calgary.
- Dedicated counter for businesses and more focused communication on dedicated phone line for businesses.
- Updating the process for the Film industry to do business in Calgary.
- Developing a Smart City Strategy.
- Developing tools and online resources to assist businesses through their life-cycle.
- Increasing communications to the business community.