The Calgary Chamber of Commerce has released its 2025 Municipal Election Platform: Business Matters; A Vision for a Thriving, Inclusive and Ambitious Calgary.
The platform includes seven recommendations the chamber has for the new city council to adopt to ensure a competitive, business-friendly environment in the city, including one that may not go over well with residents.
“Calgary has been growing at an explosive pace. Between 2020 to 2024 we welcomed nearly 220,000 new residents to our city. From 2023 to 2024 alone, Calgary’s population grew by nearly 100,000,” says the Chamber in the report.
“This rapid population growth is fueling our economy and stands as a testament to our city’s competitive standing in Canada and across the globe.”
“Our municipal government must proactively address the challenges that come with it to ensure we maintain our competitive edge. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Calgary has dropped from the 5th to the 18th most livable city globally, in large part due to strains on infrastructure, the cost of housing, public safety and access to health care.”
The chamber maintains “Calgary businesses are facing growing challenges in today’s economic landscape. From persistent supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures to escalating trade tensions with the United States, local enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, are operating in an environment of growing uncertainty.”
A majority of Calgary businesses that responded to a poll conducted by the Chamber feel current municipal support for small business falls short, with 55% indicating it is insufficient and only 14% expressing satisfaction with existing measures.
Additionally, 38% of businesses believe the city is on the wrong track as a place to start a business, a signal that renewed focus on competitiveness is urgently needed, says Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
“Calgary businesses continue to adapt, but resilience alone won’t secure our city’s future,” says Yedlin.
“To build a competitive, future-focused economy, Calgary needs a municipal environment that removes barriers and fosters a business-friendly culture. A vibrant, competitive business climate drives innovation, creates jobs and generates the fiscal capacity to reinvest in services that improve the quality of life for all Calgarians.”
Rising costs are a concern for Calgary businesses, with 66% identifying cost-related pressures as their primary challenge and 77% of small businesses saying these costs are directly limiting their growth potential.
“Without a focused effort to strengthen Calgary’s competitiveness, these pressures risk slowing innovation, expansion and long-term economic growth,” says the Chamber.
Streamlined regulations, tax fairness, fiscal responsibility, business-friendly construction policies and access to talent and investment are all essential to strengthening the business community, says Yedlin.
“The opportunity is clear,” she says. “To strengthen Calgary’s competitiveness, the city must embrace a business-matters mindset. Creating the conditions for business success today will determine Calgary’s economic resilience and vibrancy for years to come.”
The sticking point for homeowners will likely be increasing the tax burden on residential properties now through to 2028.
Currently the tax ratio is 54% residential to 46% business, with the Chamber proposing a ratio of 56% to 44% in 2026; 58% to 42% in 2027 and; 60% to 40% by 2028, based on Calgary’s growth rate.
“The City of Calgary must continue shifting the tax burden, committing to incremental annual shifts of two percent for the next three years until we reach the targetted 60-40 balance,” says the Chamber. “As Calgary’s population, and number of residential properties increases, the tax burden is shared by a growing number of account holders. This has not been the case for businesses, as the open rate for businesses has remained relatively low, putting pressure on businesses to cover a significant share of property taxes.”
The six other Chamber recommendations are:
Simplify, clarify and accelerate the process to obtain municipal licenses and permits, adhering to consistent response timelines to allow businesses to plan for various approvals.
Create user-friendly and customized tools to support seamless engagement with local businesses.
Close Calgary’s $436 million municipal fiscal gap for capital and operating needs, ensuring critical priorities are fully funded.
Implement a business-friendly construction policy that ensures impacted businesses are an integral part of the consultation and engagement process.
Provide direct financial support for businesses impacted by construction, assessing the impacts of construction to businesses and providing commensurate financial compensation.
Develop a comprehensive talent attraction strategy, working with provincial and federal partners to align immigration targets.
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