Ward 3

At a glance

Quadrant: NW/NE
Population: 80,635 (2016)
Households: 26,605 (2016)
Total contacts to 211* for basic needs: 322 (2020)

Communities: Carrington, Country Hills, Country Hills Village, Coventry Hills, Harvest Hills, Hidden Valley, Keystone Hills, Lewisburg, Livingston, MacEwan Glen, Panorama Hills, Sandstone Valley

Through an online questionnaire and interviews, we heard from the community that Ward 3 is a diverse community where there are strong relationships and collaboration. People in this community come together to meet the local needs.

When asked what is working well to address poverty in Ward 3, residents said there are strong collaborations that promote physical and mental health, play, art and cultural expression. They also mentioned community involvement, food boxes and lunch supports. Community members identified the following key issues as concerns: food security, childcare, employment, financial well-being, and access to appropriate cultural supports.

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Low income demographics (LIM-AT*, 2015)

1,970

Ages 0-17

3,290

Ages 18-64

575

Ages 65+

Statistics by category

Statistics relating to this ward, compiled from several separate surveys.

Income inequality

2016 graph of income distribution by sex in Calgary's Ward 3

What we heard

This section contains a snapshot of information provided by residents from this ward through an online questionnaire and interviews. The experience of poverty is unique and personal, and these comments do not reflect the entire ward.

When asked what is working well to address poverty in Ward 3, residents said there are strong collaborations that promote physical and mental health, play, art and cultural expression. They also mentioned community involvement, food boxes and lunch supports.

When asked what poverty looks like in Ward 3, we heard that accessing food (healthy and fresh produce) without a car can be challenging. Residents also shared that it is sometimes difficult to access services in the community without a car. Based on the population of the ward, they lack resources—especially walkable resources— available within the community.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health concerns. Some residents have experienced job loss, which has made it difficult to pay their rent or mortgage. We heard that some residents are moving out of the community to seek out more affordable housing options, as they are “house rich and income poor.” Childcare was also highlighted as a key issue, especially in terms of affordability and access during unconventional hours.

Ideas

Residents from this ward shared the following ideas to help eliminate poverty from their community:

  • A social service organization that is physically in Ward 3, providing an inclusive and accessible place where people can have their needs met
  • Better accessibility for bikes and improve public transportation public transportation
  • 24-hour health care centre, as most residents have to travel to access this service
  • More government financial supports, such as basic income
Simple map of Calgary's municipal wards

Next Ward

Ward 4 is located in northwest/east Calgary and includes the following communities:

Beddington Heights, Brentwood, Cambrian Heights, Charleswood, Collingwood, Dalhousie, Edgemont, Greenview, Highland Park, Highwood, Huntington Hills, North Haven, North Haven Upper, Queens Park Village, Rosemont, Thorncliffe, Winston Heights/Mountview

Poverty Profiles 2021