Calgary is known as the Energy Capital of Canada because a number of oil companies have headquarters in the city. It is set in the rolling foothills of Alberta against the majestic Canadian Rockies to the west and the great plains to the east. It has a very modern downtown core with tall, mirrored skyscrapers on the shore of the Bow River. Calgary today boast a high concentration of head offices and support such high-technology industries as software and telecommunication development.

The river valleys are natural corridors for roads and railways and have had a strong influence on Calgary’s layout. In the eastern sector of the city the valleys are largely used for industry, but elsewhere they provide attractive sites for homes, parks, and recreation facilities. These include Heritage Park, a reconstructed pioneer village; Canada Olympic Park, which was built for the Winter Olympics in 1988; and the Calgary Zoo, with its botanical garden and its Prehistoric Park, which displays life-size models of the dinosaurs that once lived in Alberta. A 2006 real estate survey has estimated the population of Calgary at 1,079,310.

In recent years Calgary has developed into an important business center, and more than 50 of Canada’s top 500 companies now have their head offices there. Most are engaged in transportation or in energy production. The oil and gas industry alone employs about 75,000 people in more than 400 companies. Calgary also has a large concentration of research facilities and advanced technology companies working in such fields as computer software and seismic data processing. In a related development, telecommunications equipment has become the single largest manufacturing industry, although more traditional industries, like food processing, continue to be important.

As a transportation center, Calgary holds a commanding position in the rail, road, and air networks of western Canada. It has long been the main western base of the Canadian Pacific Railway; for many years, the railway repair shops were the city’s largest industry. In 1995 the company moved its head office to Calgary from Montréal. In addition, Calgary is located on the Trans-Canada Highway, at its junction with Alberta’s main north-south highway, and is a regional airline hub with regular flights to cities in the United States and Europe. A light rail transit (LRT) system called the C-Train connects downtown Calgary with the southern, northwestern, and northeastern suburbs.

Real Estate: Canada - Alberta

Cabin & Cottage Rental: Alberta - Southern Alberta