Calgary is a unique city with a Vibe like no other but let's keep it real
it's not all sunshine and rainbows there are some challenges to deal with now the
city is nestled in Alberta which is home to some of the most breathtaking natural
landscapes you'll ever lay your eyes on. And if you're into arts and culture Calgary's got
you covered with a thriving scene but hold up before you go packing your bags there are a few
things you need to know here are the top five reasons why Calgary may not be your cup of tea
now I will say that I was born and raised in Calgary so I know the city pretty well
reason number one cold Winters. Calgary's Winters are no joke we're talking about six months of
cold and a short period of time within that that can really wreak havoc on your health property
and even the city's economy with businesses and schools shutting down sure we get these Warm Winds
called Chinooks that can provide a little bit of relief but the temperature swings like a pendulum
and the air can be bone dry and that can have both good and bad effects on your daily life in the
city now you might already know this but I gotta emphasize this isn't something to take lightly
your home your activities and your plans are all directly affected by Calgary's Winters so make
sure you're prepared and taking care of yourself and your things and you'll make it through just
fine in all honesty it took me up until this past winter that I finally embraced winter I
did some out of the ordinary things like started doing cold plunges in the Bow River when it was
-26 celcius out which ironically was the best that I've ever felt out of all the coal plunges I did in
the river this past season I ran outside in shorts and minus three and after all those things winter
didn't seem that bad I never thought I would say this but I'm actually kind of sad that winter is
slowly going away by the way if you want to see some of those posts or if you're a cold plunger
yourself please connect with me at felixchan.me on Instagram. Reason number two High Cost of
Living -- Calgary's High Cost of Living is driven primarily by Rising housing costs high taxes
and the elevated cost of consumer goods due to the city's unique remote location Transportation
costs including High gasoline prices and expensive public transportation can also contribute to the
High Cost of Living plus some health care services may not be covered by the government which means
you might have to dig into your own pockets for medical treatment but hey if you're willing to pay
the price there are plenty of reasons to love living in Calgary just be prepared to tighten
your purse to make sure you're budgeting for all those extra costs by the way we have a full video
that dives even deeper into the cost of living in Calgary you can check it out here and if you all
get all the details and tips on really how to manage your budget in this amazing City I will
admit though that when it comes to real estate we are at lower prices compared to a lot of the big
other cities and provinces plus we don't have land transfer fees unlike other provinces which will
save you thousands of dollars when you buy a home and we only have GST no PST here in Alberta reason
number three lack of job opportunities this is a big one guys I'm gonna talk about the unemployment
rate the biggest job sectors in Calgary and the five possible challenges why Calgary is lacking
opportunity let's talk about job opportunities in Calgary they can be pretty hard to come by as
especially in certain sectors like retail Agriculture and construction that are really
facing some challenges right now in the local job market while Industries in Calgary are thriving
it's important to know that some sectors are currently facing challenges according to a report
by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business the cfib retail Agriculture and
construction businesses have expressed a lack of optimism for the province's economic future there
could be a few reasons for this could be Market fluctuations changing of consumer preferences and
increased competition in addition to these sectors local businesses like restaurants apparel stores
and cafes are also experiencing difficulties these businesses often struggle due to factors like high
operating costs changing consumer habits and the economic climate personal antidotes from residents
in Calgary such as the one shared by Marina shretha in her CBC first person article shed
some light on the struggle of finding permanent employment in Canada's precarious labor market
Marina's story of working 15 short-term jobs in nine years highlights the challenges faced
by many to find stable long-term employment this job in security can lead to negative impacts on
Mental Health confidence and overall well-being the increasing Reliance on the gig economy and
precarious work in the Canadian job market is a concern for a significant amount of people
including immigrants gig economy meaning roles like being an Uber or food delivery driver for
newcomers to the country finding stable employment can be even more challenging due to factors like
language barriers lack of Canadian work experience and difficulties in getting foreign credentials
recognized the situation also raises questions about the effectiveness of pre-immigration
training and support from organizations in helping immigrants integrate better into Canada's labor
market while these programs aim to equip newcomers with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed
in the Canadian job market their effectiveness in addressing the growing concerns of the gig
economy and precarious work remains unclear according to recent statistics from January
2023 Alberta's overall unemployment rate was six percent slightly up from 5.8 in December
2022. among Alberta's major metropolitan areas Calgary acquired the highest unemployment rate
at 6.6 percent while that's an improvement from the 10 percent Peak during the energy crisis back
in 2015-2016 is still higher than the Canadian average of five percent comparatively Edmonton's
rate was 5.4 percent and in Lethbridge Alberta they had one of the lowest rates at only three
percent as we can see unemployment rates can vary significantly across the country some
cities like Windsor Ontario have the highest unemployment rate at 8.2 percent While others
like Peter bro in Ontario have the lowest rate at just 2.7 knowing these raids can be helpful
when considering job opportunity communities moving to a new city or simply just staying
informed about the Canadian job market generally cities with higher unemployment rates may have
experienced recent economic downturns changes within the key Industries or other factors that
have impacted job growth on the other hand cities with lower unemployment rates may have more stable
economies or growing industries that create more job opportunities but don't let that discourage
you keep in mind that these unemployment rates can change over time so it's always a good idea
to stay updated on the latest labor Trends in addition to that other factors like job sector
skill set and overall economic conditions can influence your personal job prospects in each
city as for Calgary it's a total Melting Pot of Industries we're talking about Aerospace
Logistics agribusiness creative stuff energy Financial Services interactive digital media
life sciences and Tech so there's a little something something for everyone out there
while Calgary has diverse range of booming job sectors some people still might feel like the
city lacks opportunities in the job market let's look at a few different factors that
could contribute to this perception number one economic fluctuations Calgary's economy like many
others experience ups and downs for instance the downturn in the energy sector in 2015 and
2016 led to job losses and increased unemployment these kinds of fluctuations can create uncertainty
and impact job opportunities across different sectors second competition now while there are
opportunities in these major job sectors you might also face strong competition for these positions
highly skilled and experienced professionals from across the country even globally might
be vying for the same opportunity so it could be tougher to secure a job third mismatched skills
now even though there are job openings in these sectors your particular skill set may not align
with the demand in the market in such cases you may need to invest in further education
or training to make yourself more attractive to employers fourth is networking Cowboys job market
like many others relies heavily on networking you may find it difficult to access job opportunities
if you're new to the city and haven't yet built a strong network of professional connections and
fifth limited opportunities in specific Fields while the eight sectors listed are booming in
Calgary you might find a niche field that isn't as prevalent in your city in such cases the job
market might feel restrictive for your specific line of work to overcome these challenges you have
to consider leveling up on your skills expanding your network and staying in 4 formed about the
latest trends in your industry this will increase your chance of finding a fulfilling job in Calgary
despite the perception of limited opportunities for some folks finding permanent employment in
Canada's labor market can be a real struggle this often leads to turning to Gig work and other types
of precarious work just to make ends meet it's tough out there but don't let that discourage
you with some perseverance and hard work you can still find your dream job in Calgary also here's
a fact albertans are the highest paid out of the entire country reason 4 crowded Transportation
now Calgary does have a public transportation system with a network of trains and buses to
get visitors from place to place safely reliably and affordably but Cowboys High car ownership the
public transit routes designed to feed sea trains and inconvenience for longer Journeys can make
it challenging for residents who rely on public transportation and I'm not gonna lie if you need
to get from one side of the city to the other it completely sucks we don't even have a train
system to go from downtown to the airport that's how much it sucks but here's the deal Calgary is
still very much a car city and while public transit routes are designed to feed into the
sea train system it can still be challenging for people who don't have their own set of wheels for
a longer Journey it's a straight up inconvenience Reason 5 crime rates Calgary's crime rates have
been a topic of concern for some residents but according to recent statistics the city remains
relatively safe compared to previous years right now I'm going to dive deep into Calgary's crime
rates the perceptions of crime and how compares to other cities in Canada a recent poll by Alberta
municipality shows that 61 percent of survey respondents believe that crime is increasing
Calgary but this perception doesn't match reality the Calgary Police Service or CPS reports that
overall crime rates have only slightly increased and the Sid remains safe compared to previous
years while there have been some increases in commercial robberies and discharging of firearms
with intent sound serious experts still consider these changes to be normal to better understand
the crime situation in Calgary let's look at the crime severity Index this index measures
police reported crime by reflecting the relative seriousness of individual offenses and tracking
changes in crime severity here's how Calgary compares to other Canadian cities as we can see
from the table Calgary's crime index is 46.11 while its safety scale is 53.89 compared to
cities like Edmonton Vancouver Surrey and Toronto Calgary's crime situation is generally on par or
slightly better but it's crucial to note that the perception of crime can be influenced by a few
different things like media coverage personal experiences and conversations with others now
let's dive into the specific crime-related worries that residents have in each City from this data we
can see that worries about crime and Calgary are generally low compared to other cities but there
are still some areas where improvements can be made such as addressing property crimes like
vandalism and theft so while perceptions of crime in Calgary might be higher than the actual crime
rates is essential to look at the bigger picture overall Calgary remains a safe place with crime
rates comparable to or lower than those in other major Canadian cities it's always a good idea to
stay informed about the latest crime Trends and take precautions to protect yourself and your
community now that we've analyzed the crime situation in Calgary we hope that you feel
more informed and can make decisions based on data versus perceptions additional factors to
consider while there's some factors you should consider before moving to Calgary it's essential
to wield the pros and cons and recognize the unique opportunities the city has to offer
first let's talk about the Wildfire risk recovery is situated in a dry climate zone and droughts
and wildfires they do happen but the city has a robust Emergency Management plan in place to
mitigate these risks and residents can take steps to protect their homes and prepare for potential
emergencies now sometimes we do get a lot of smoke blowing into Alberta from our wonderful
neighbors over in BC but it wouldn't completely ruin your summer keep in mind the city's location
near the Rocky Mountains offers breathtaking views and a ton of outdoor activities which is
a significant draw for nature lovers and Adventure Seekers while Calgary's distance from other major
Canadian cities might be a little bit challenging for some it's important to remember that the city
itself has plenty to offer including a vibrant arts and culture scene world-class dining and
countless recreational activities in addition the city's International Airport makes travel
convenient as long as you're okay taking the bus downtown and you can find affordable flights to
explore other parts of the country or even International destinations my final thoughts
while it's essential to consider the potential challenges of living in Calgary it's crucial
to recognize the city's unique strengths and opportunities the city's growing and diverse
job market beautiful natural surroundings and affordability make it an attractive option for
people from various walks of life by staying informed and considering all aspects you can
make an educated a decision about whether or not Calgary is the right fit for you and to be honest
I think there's many challenges no matter what city you decide to choose to live in some could
be the same as Calgary some could be different but if you're willing to put in the effort and
make the necessary adjustments Calgary can be an amazing place to call home and I'm happy to
call Calgary home so have you considered Calgary as your next destination or are you looking at
other Canadian cities as well let us know in the comments in the chance that you're thinking about
Edmonton I put out a video comparing Calgary and Edmonton so if you want to watch that then check
it out here or in the description below we also put out videos comparing Calgary and Vancouver and
Calgary and Toronto links in the description and guys if you found this video valuable we
would love your support if you took two seconds to hit the like button and if you want more content
like this feel free to subscribe and turn on the notification Bell my my name is Felix Chan Calgary
realtor and mortgage broker with real broker and we'll see you in the next video [Music]