Advancing community prosperity: Strengthening our communities to support well being

A strong economy starts with strong communities. Our quality of life is underpinned by housing affordability and accessibility, reasonable cost of living and strong economic growth. When Canadians do well, businesses do well. That means a more resilient workforce, more compelling talent attraction and consumers who have the disposable income to support their business.

In Calgary, there are pockets where efforts to build community infrastructure is very encouraging. Investments including BMO Centre, Scotia Place, Arts Commons and Glenbow Museum have breathed vibrancy and expectation into the downtown area. And recent progress on other projects such as public transit has also been promising.

But across the country, these foundations are becoming more vulnerable. Housing has become less affordable, especially as Canada’s population grows at historic rates. In 2023 alone, the country’s population rose by 3.2% — the fastest growth since 1957 — yet housing starts have not kept pace with demand. To meet demand, we need to more than double construction from 240,000 to 500,000 units per year. But builders face barriers at every turn: limited access to land, skilled labour, materials and capital.

At the same time, public safety concerns are mounting, infrastructure is falling behind and access to reliable internet remains out of reach for many rural and Indigenous communities — creating barriers to economic opportunity and essential services for millions of Canadians.

These challenges are interconnected — and the private sector will be central to solving them, from construction and telecom to small businesses that bring vibrancy to our main streets. Canadians are also looking to governments to invest in the infrastructure that matters for community vibrancy — from transit and housing to digital connectivity and climate resilience — and ensure it keeps pace with a growing population and evolving needs.

Five key recommendations to build strong, vibrant communities

• Accelerating housing starts with targeted tax measures, direct funding programs and the release of underused federal land. 
• Increasing access to skilled labour by supporting interprovincial and international credential recognition, including in the construction sector. 
• Prioritizing community safety through crime prevention infrastructure, modernized legislation and a small business security grant program. 
• Investing in community infrastructure such as transit and cultural spaces, and ensuring funding programs reflect population growth, economic potential and sector-specific needs.
• Closing the digital divide in rural and Indigenous communities and protecting critical infrastructure from theft and disruption. 

About Inflection Point

Inflection Point is a plan for a competitive, productive and prosperous Canada. On behalf of our business community, we share 82 evidence-based public policy recommendations, across five pillars, backed and supported by both our business community and Canadians. Through extensive consultation with our membership, the business community and Canadians through roundtables, surveys and national opinion polling, the recommendations are for all political parties, elected officials and civil servants to consider how both the business community and governments have integral role in working together to address the challenges facing Canada.

Share your voice

The tariff situation is ongoing, complex and rapidly changing. The Calgary Chamber is actively advocating to all levels of government to support you through this uncertain time. To inform our advocacy, we have developed a 1-minute survey to better understand how tariffs are impacting your business.