Future of the City 2026

Future of the City. Three questions about the city we're becoming.

Calgary is changing - fast. More people. New cultures. New industries and ambitions. New pressures on the places and systems we already share.

So, for this year's Future of the City, we're getting a room full of curious Calgarians together to ask three big questions.

Join us for a salon-style night about Calgary and where it's headed. A handful of artists, entrepreneurs, researchers, community-builders and other interesting people will get each conversation rolling.

No big predictions. No definitive answers. Just a good room, provocative ideas and people who care about this city and its future.

Who are we becoming?

The city is becoming younger, bigger and more diverse. But has our idea of Calgary kept pace?

We'll talk identity, immigration, creativity, belonging and the people adding new layers to the city's culture. What needs an update? And what kind of city will make ambitious people want to put down roots and make something here?

• Col Cseke, Artistic Director, Inside Out Theatre
• Noel Bahliby, Director of Youth Programs, Centre for Newcomers
• Avinish Mehta, Community-Builder

What are we keeping?

What becomes more precious as we get bigger? Wild spaces. Water. Heritage. Affordable places to make things. Neighbourhood character. Gathering places. Social connection. Maybe even a little weirdness.

What deserves to be protected, invested in or simply left alone as Calgary grows toward two million people?

• Dr. Gráinne McCabe, Chief Conservation Officer, Wilder Institute
• Celia Lee, Executive Director, Sustainable Calgary
• Kristen Shima, Executive Director, Inglewood Business Improvement District

Who's building what's next?

Forget predicting the future. Some of it is already being prototyped here. We'll hand the mic to a few Calgarians working on things that could change how we live, power and experience the city — across technology, science, culture, entrepreneurship and community.

• Guy Levesque, Executive Director, Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, University of Calgary
• Alison Anderson, Director, Programs and Partnerships, Contemporary Calgary
• Franci Sterzer, Co-Founder & CEO, SyncMed Technologies

Then… It’s Your Turn

Before the night wraps, foresight practitioner Sabrina Sullivan will leave us with one more prompt: What if…?

What if Calgary became...? What if we tried...? What if we stopped...? What if we were bold enough to...?

Add yours to a collective What If? wall — a growing snapshot of what this city is wondering about, hoping for and ready to try.