In a new Calgary Foundation report, just over half of Calgarians surveyed rated their quality of life as good, down from 75 per cent in 2020.

The Calgary Foundation’s 2026 Quality of Life report, released Oct. 7, shows that 58 per cent of respondents rated their quality of life as good or excellent, a 17 per cent drop over the past six years.

Meanwhile, the number of Calgarians who rated their quality of life as below-average or poor has nearly tripled from five per cent in 2020 to 14 per cent in 2026.

It’s an annual survey of 1,000 randomly selected Calgarians from a variety of demographics (based on specific quotas). Comparatively, the survey would have a margin of error of +/- three per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Taylor Barrie, vice president of communications for the Calgary Foundation, described Calgarians’ view of quality of life as “uneven.” It’s much better for some than it is for others.

“When you dive into those age brackets; I mean, if you’re living with a disability, if you’re living below the poverty line, you’re having a completely different experience of this city than somebody else,” she said.

 “I think it’s just that uneven distribution of quality of life or experience of quality of life.”

The headline for them is that Calgary is still a great place to live — a statement with which 86 per cent of respondents agreed — but Barrie said that you’re starting to see that quality of life is under pressure.

“Affordability is really shaping everyday choices for Calgarians. Rising costs, food insecurity persists. Real concerns around safety seem to hold true,” she said.

“There’s that continued lower giving, volunteering stats that show that you know Calgarians still really care deeply about their city, but they just don’t have the capacity to participate or give back in the same way they maybe once did a few years ago.”

Some relief experienced for Calgarians

The Quality of Life report does show some general bright spots, including a sharp reduction in people experiencing housing-related stress (19 per cent, compared with 28 per cent in 2024).  Further, roughly two-thirds of renters could find a suitable rental option, up from half in 2024.

Also, it’s the lowest recorded mark for people looking to leave Calgary in the next five years, with only 17 per cent saying they may bid adieu to the city. That’s down from 30 per cent in 2021.

Nearly 9 in 10 aged 18-34 believe that this is a good place to live, along with 94 per cent over the age of 65. That drops to 81 per cent for people between 35 and 64.

One of the elements of people’s responses that can’t be escaped is the general turmoil in the world; be it separation questions, ongoing trade feuds with the United States, the angst over AI, the war with Iran – all having an impact on things like affordability and quality of life.

That pressure also impacts Calgarians’ ability to give back to the community, Barrie said. They’re seeing it in the results: 34 per cent of Calgarians responding haven’t made a donation to a local charity in the past year, nearly triple the number compared to 2020.  Older Calgarians say they’re giving less.

Half of Calgarians didn’t volunteer at all in the past year, according to the report.

“Most Calgarians would say they have a strong or moderate sense of belonging; many Calgarians are still feeling very lonely,” Barrie said.

“So, I wonder about that isolation factor … coming back to that extra capacity to be out in community to be able to afford your life here to make ends meet. Then to have that little bit extra to give back to the city.”

On top of that, charitable organizations, many of them funded by the Calgary Foundation, are facing significant cuts at a time when the services are needed the most, particularly those who deal with specialized cultural, place-based work.

“I hope as a city we have stronger social ties and a better sense of community that will sort of guide us through this time, but it’s definitely a trend we’re watching really closely at the foundation,” Barrie said.