The Calgary Foundation’s annual quality of life survey has revealed an encouraging shift for 2025, with 5% more Calgarians rating their quality of life as good or excellent compared to 2024. The jump from 61% to 66% reflects an overall perception that life in the city is improving, bolstered by other positive indicators: 87% of residents say they are proud to be Calgarian, 89% believe Calgary is a great place to live, and only 19% say they plan to leave the city, down from 30% in 2021.“Quality of life has improved from last year and has steadily improved since the pandemic. We’re getting close to pre-pandemic range, sense of belonging is growing, and we’re much more optimistic about the city’s future and the economy,” said Taylor Barrie, Vice President of Communications for the Calgary Foundation.However, deeper analysis of the survey highlights persistent challenges. Gender and economic status continue to play a significant role: 72% of men report good or excellent quality of life, compared with 58% of women, and just 39% of Calgarians living with disabilities.The survey also noted declining rates of volunteerism and charitable donations, a trend observed for several years. “If you’re financially stressed, working multiple jobs, you just don’t have the time, capacity, or money to give back. This report offers insight into who we may be leaving behind,” Barrie said..Calgary ranked No. 1 in international survey for real estate investment.Food insecurity remains a pressing concern. While 6% more Calgarians report access to affordable healthy food in 2025 compared to 2023, 44% of parents say they have skipped a meal so their children could eat.“We’re seeing very scary numbers when it comes to food insecurity. More families are skipping meals than a couple of years ago so that their children can eat,” Barrie noted.Sense of community belonging has increased across some groups, ranging from 80% among fully employed Calgarians, 82% for homemakers, 86 per cent for renters and students, and 87% for those earning over $150,000 annually. Conversely, unemployed residents report only a 46% sense of belonging.Economic outlooks are also influenced by personal circumstances. Overall, 42% of Calgarians expressed a positive view of the economy in 2025, up from 2024, while students and unemployed respondents reported just 26% and 23%, respectively..Survey finds Albertans divided on Calgary arena deal.Concerns among Calgarians remain significant. Between 72% and 87% cited climate change as a worry, depending on age.Domestic violence concerned 69% of residents, rising to 79% for women and 90% for women over 65.Safety concerns were cited by over 73% reaching 88% among those with disabilities. Only 27% of Calgarians feel safe downtown after dark, with 41% of men and just 13% of women reporting a sense of safety.Barrie noted the report could serve as a valuable resource for candidates in the upcoming municipal election.“If this can be used as a jumping-off point for questions of candidates, or inform their focus areas, that would be fantastic. We create this report to serve the charitable sector and to start conversations among everyday Calgarians,” she said.The survey, conducted with 1,000 Calgarians, has a margin of error of ±3.5%, 19 times out of 20.
