The Calgary Foundation’s latest 2021 vital signs report painted a complex picture of the past year for Calgarians.

Statistics like 30 per cent of Calgarians foresee moving from the city in the near future contrast with 88 per cent believe it is a good place for families to live.

The report was intended to highlight and present those contradictions, and to provoke conversations.

“The intent was always that it was a bit of fodder for conversation that you might take back to your workplace and say, ‘Did you know and where can we, you know, move the lever a little bit to have an impact,’” said Taylor Barrie, vice president of communications for the Calgary Foundation.

The outcomes from the annual reports have also helped guide the Calgary Foundation’s giving. Over the past year the foundation has granted $66.9 million to 1,105 different organizations.

Topics in this year’s report included quality of life, seniors, mental health, racism, and the pandemic.

Quality of life perceptions down generally, up for seniors

The majority of respondents, 64 per cent, believe that Calgary offers a good quality of life.

This is down from 2020’s 75 per cent. It was lower than the 69 per cent in 2019 and 75 per cent in 2018.

“That up and down is pretty normal,” said Barrie.

“I think that ebb and flow just kind of comes and goes depending on what’s happening in our city.”

Calgary has had a consistent belief in the quality of life being good. Although Barrie noted 64 per cent is the lowest they’ve seen in recent years.

The past three years have also seen a significant increase in the perception that Calgary is a good place for seniors. From a low of 44 per cent in 2019 to 70 per cent now.

The perception that Calgary is a good place for young people to live is even higher at 83 per cent and up to 88 per cent for families. Only 68 per cent of respondents thought the city was a good place to raise kids in 2019.

Young Calgarians can’t find support and plan on leaving Alberta

Overall nearly a third of respondents said they plan on leaving Calgary. Of those, 60 per cent under the age of 25 plan on leaving within five years. And 82 per cent plan on leaving Alberta.

The province has already seen its sharpest decline in inter-provincial migration since 2016 with a net loss of 9,179 Albertans in quarters one and two of this year, according to Statistics Canada.

“You’ve sort of heard that peripherally right in the last few months about young people leaving the city and the city getting a bit older in terms of average age,” said Barrie.

“So that was interesting to see that confirmed with the results.”

Half of Calgarians were worried about young people leaving the city.

“When I look at how young people especially don’t feel that sense of connection with their communities and their city, that’s very concerning,” said Barrie.

Only 28 per cent of respondents said they have a strong sense of belonging to Calgary.