Economic resilience

Provincial election 2023

Calgary matters in the 2023 Provincial Election. Calgary's economic priorities include financial reforms and achieving economic diversification.

Review the information below to see how decisions made impact our quality of life here in Calgary. It will help you understand the issues, so you can make the best choice for you, your family and our city’s future on voting day.

Election day is May 29, 2023

Calgary in the New Economy


Why is this important?

The economic strategy, Calgary in the New Economy, sets out to achieve an ambitious vision for the city, creating long-term prosperity and opportunities for all. It is a path forward toward economic diversification and an economy that is inclusive and accessible for everyone.

Calgary has recently experience economic shocks and stressors. Beginning in 2015, two years of economic recession resulting from significant declines in oil prices were followed by a significant recovery in 2017 that stalled in 2018, before slowly restarting in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic brought uncertainty and public health measures that caused another significant economic recession in 2020.

This was followed by a strong rebound in 2021 and 2022, fueled by higher oil prices and worldwide demand, although also accompanied by high inflation.

At the start of 2023, Calgary is seeing some gains through economic development efforts and a downtown revitalization strategy that has accomplished 30% of its targets just two years into a 10-year plan. However, we still face the highest unemployment rate and downtown office vacancy rate across major cities in Canada. This has contributed to strained assessed values of downtown office properties. Revitalizing our downtown is necessary to keep building upon our economic growth. 

Questions to ask your candidates

When candidates ask for your ideas and priorities, use this list of questions to find out how they will support Calgary and our community:  

Q: How will your party support small and medium-sized businesses in Calgary to accelerate start-ups and scale ups and to compete globally?

Q: Calgary has created and funded organizations that assist us with economic development, including attracting talent and businesses, as well as tourism initiatives. What economic incentive programs and investments will your party invest in to support business attraction and retention?

Q: Calgary has invested $336 million into our Downtown Strategy. How will your party assist in Calgary’s downtown recovery?

A modern government


Why is this important?

Municipal governments shape communities, yet they are often the most removed from measures helping the people they serve. Cities have limited revenue sources. Most revenue sources available to cities do not grow with the economy, making it difficult to keep up with the demands a modern municipal government may face.

The main source of funding for public services is through property tax. Your property taxes support services like police, fire protection, transit, parks, recreation, social services, and more.

Funds collected through property tax get shared between the Alberta Government and The City. In 2021, about 65 per cent of all property taxes went toward City services, with the remaining 35 per cent for the Government of Alberta.

The City of Calgary seeks a collaborative partnership with the provincial government to ensure that municipalities like Calgary have financial certainty and predictability to invest in programs and services valued by Calgarians.

Questions to ask your candidates

When candidates ask for your ideas and priorities, use this list of questions to find out how they will support Calgary and our community:

Q: What would your party do to ensure municipalities like Calgary have financial certainty and predictability?

Q: How will your party give municipalities certainty on the proportion of property tax required by the provincial government as we set our budgets?

Q: How will your party ensure a fair formula to return dollars generated in our city to the people who live here?

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