Located in the providence of Alberta, Calgary is a friendly, beautiful, and dynamic city on the banks of the Bow River, with the rolling Great Plains to the East and the majestic Rocky Mountains an hour drive to the West. Over 1.2 million people live in the economic region, comprised of Calgary, the Tsuut’ina Nation (an Athabaskan nation whose reserve adjoins the southwestern edge of Calgary), and the municipalities of Airdrie, Banff, Canmore, Cochrane, and Strathmore, along with the municipal districts of Bighorn, Foothills, Rockyview, and Redwood Meadows.

The city is neatly divided into four quadrants: North East, North West, South East, and South West. Most of the downtown core is in the South West quadrant. The Bow River separates most of the South from the North of the city.

Overall, Calgary is a young city, with 48% of its population between the ages of 25 and 54, and the median age being 36.1 years. As the city’s population grows over the next few years, the proportion of toddlers and preschoolers is expected to stay about the same, teenagers will decline slightly, while the ratio of seniors is set to increase.

Expat Population

Expats working in Calgary benefit from a stable economy, beautiful natural surroundings, and a comprehensive social system. Most individuals and couples choose to live centrally while many families prefer to live in the South West area; however, there is no set expat neighbourhood. A diverse and accepting city, over 120 languages are spoken in Calgary, and 25% of the population is born outside of Canada. Expats who embrace the outdoors will especially enjoy the abundance of hiking, skiing, and natural lakes in the area.

Cultural Expectations

Canadian culture and tradition has been greatly influenced by its own indigenous customs as well as those from Europe (most notably French and British). Over time, immigrant and US influences have also added to the culture. Although Calgary is typically welcoming and laid back, there are some tips to keep in mind. Calgarians generally are more self-reliant, individualistic, and value privacy. When conversing with acquaintances, it is suggested to not discuss politics, religion, or sex, nor take sides in political debates. While Canada and the US are friendly neighbors, they are individual countries and should not be compared.

People in Canada tend to smile when greeting others, and maintaining eye contact shows sincerity and respect. When meeting people in public and business settings, a firm handshake is acceptable both for and by males and females. Respecting the personal space of individuals is also important. As a general guideline, standing at arm’s length when speaking with someone in an uncrowded area is appropriate. The amount of appropriate personal space changes as the available physical space changes. For example, on a nearly empty bus, passengers will space themselves apart by several rows, and oftentimes occupy the aisle seat. It is only as the bus grows crowded with passengers that people start sitting closer to one another – and a person boarding may need to ask to sit in an empty window seat. And while on that bus - and in general, it is considered impolite to point at strangers.

Punctuality is important – even arriving 5 to 10 minutes early for a business meeting is acceptable. It is respectful to address the person with Mr., Ms., or Mrs. and their last name until they offer otherwise. Along with punctuality comes the importance of deadlines – once set, they are expected to be met on time.

Doing business in the region

When working in the office, relationships are more formal, and most people tend to dress conservatively. When you first meet someone, address them by their full title and name, out of respect. However, once co-workers are out of the office, interaction is more informal and familiar. During business, the use of bullet points and concise summaries allows information to be understood quickly and efficiently. Work is typically organized, with respect given to deadlines and punctuality.

The business day begins each morning at around 8:30am, and concludes at 5:00pm. When first meeting someone, business cards may or may not be exchanged, so assess the situation and the feel of your counterpart. The official business language is English.

Schooling

Public schooling in Canada is funded, in part, by a school tax paid through property taxes by homeowners and renters. Therefore, if choosing to send your children to a public school, the location will be determined on your home address. As choice is one of the important principles on which Alberta's education system is built, it’s no surprise that Calgary boasts an impressive array of quality educational options. Each school employs Provincial curriculum and similar standard registration and admissions procedures.

Private schools in Calgary are available from Kindergarten through Grade 12. They do not receive government funding, and students are required to pay an annual tuition. Private school tuition varies from one school to another, and some schools require their students to wear uniforms.

Shopping

Discovering neat little shops is part of the fun to be had while exploring a new city. While you can shop almost anywhere in town, the northeast corner of Calgary has the highest concentration of shopping in one area. Other popular shopping areas include Inglewood, Kensington, Marda Loop, International Ave., Stephen Avenue Walk, Bankers Hall, Core Eaton Center, Northland Village, and Crowfoot Centre.

Grocery stores in Canada offer standard items such as fresh, dry, and frozen foods, bakery items, and household cleaning items. Some grocery stores host an in-store pharmacy and in-store café’s. The major chains also offer ethnic items and a growing array of organic foods. Local Green Groceries and small ethnic grocery stores are a feature of the food shopping experience throughout Calgary. These stores are available in most established neighbourhoods. Fruit stands and farmer’s gate sales are available from late spring through the fall, where local fruits and vegetables are seasonal.

Security

Overall, Calgary is an extremely safe, clean, and healthy city. In fact, Calgary was ranked the Cleanest City in the World by Huffington Post in 2013, and in a North American quality of living survey done by Mercer, Calgary also ranked the 16th highest city for personal safety and security. In terms of public safety, the city makes a significant investment in Calgary’s security and protective services.

Health & Wellness

The province of Alberta has a publicly administered and funded health care system that guarantees that residents and their dependants receive universal access to medically necessary hospital and medical services. Tourists, transients, and visitors are not covered by the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP). When you move to Alberta from another province or territory, you become eligible for coverage three months after your arrival, and must register for AHCIP within those three months. If the application for AHCIP coverage is not received within 90 days of the date you arrive and establish permanent residency in Alberta, Alberta Health and Wellness will determine the effective date of your coverage. You are not covered for medical services under the AHCIP until all the required information is received and your application is processed. However, any medical services you receive and pay for before your application is processed may be reimbursed once you have your personal health card and can show eligibility for the period when you received the services.

The AHCIP pays for medically required services provided by physicians in their offices or at hospitals. The cost of treatments provided by chiropractors, podiatrists, optometrists and physical therapists may be partially covered, if at all. The costs of treatments provided by acupuncturists, naturopaths and dentists, and the costs of medication and ambulance services, are not covered.

Transportation

The public transit line in Calgary is known as Calgary Transit and offers bus or train (C-Train) service to nearly everywhere in the city. The C-Train system is roughly X-shaped, with one branch beginning in the north-east quadrant and linking to the downtown core and beyond. Another branch extends from the north-west quadrant through downtown before turning into a southern branch running along the divide between west and east quadrants. Service is available from roughly 3:30 am to 1:00 am.

Many bus routes form an extensive network connecting neighbourhoods all over Calgary to the central C-Train routes. Service is available from roughly 6:00am to midnight, but schedules are specific to each route.

Financial

Calgarians enjoy a low tax regime. With no provincial sales tax, payroll tax, health care premiums, and the lowest fuel tax among provinces, Albertans will generally continue to pay the lowest overall taxes compared to other providences. Only a 5% goods and service tax is applied to or included in the cost of most goods.

Banking in Calgary is like any other first-world country, where you can bank safely anywhere with online and mobile banking options with all major banks and credit unions. Banking options can be personalised to the individual’s requirements. Currency fluctuates per the market.

Future Expectations

Despite the effects of the downturn of the Energy Industry in 2015, a recent poll shows that more than two-thirds of Calgary business owners and senior executives surveyed stated that they are hopeful about the economic future in Calgary.