Vibrant Communities Calgary spent over six months connecting with Calgarians about what matters most to them in the future of our city. Calgarians spoke, and we listened. People are telling us loud and clear that housing pressures, access to education, the high cost of food, and barriers to jobs are pushing people to the edge.  

These are real voices behind our new report, Your Voice, Our Future. In total, we connected with over 5,000 Calgarians. From those we engaged, 1,017 people shared their insights through our survey and community conversations.  

As Calgary prepares for its municipal election on October 20, 2025, this report serves as a valuable resource. It identifies what people want in our community and the changes people are seeking to address the needs of Calgarians. 

This work is part of our ongoing effort to ensure that voices of lived experience are front and centre in the decisions shaping our city. This publication is not just a report. It is also our way of reporting back to the community. Calgarians shared their perspectives on housing, employment, food security, health, education, safety, and civic engagement. Their words, captured in direct quotes throughout the report, are at the heart of what we are sharing back.  

This report is grounded in the principles of Enough for All, Calgary’s community-driven poverty reduction strategy. Enough for All calls us to centre lived experience and to act collectively to address the root causes of poverty.  

Our goal was simple but vital: document what we heard and use it to support action. That action could take many forms, such as shaping better policies, improving services, informing election priorities, or building stronger connections between communities and organizations. 

This work goes beyond identifying issues. It also asks: 

The stories and insights we heard are deeply interconnected. They speak to how housing, food security, employment, health, education, safety, and civic engagement are all tied to the overall well-being of our city. 

We invite people to use this report to spur action. For policymakers, this could mean spearheading changes to local policies or bylaws, advocating to other levels of government for targeted investments, or aligning funding with community-identified needs. For organizations, it could involve adapting programs and services, building new partnerships, or deepening community engagement. 

In every case, the message is clear: listening must lead to action. 

We share this with the hope that it will spark collaboration, influence decision-making, and support the vision of a Calgary where there is truly enough for all.