Array
(
[id] => 512
[active] => 1
[city_id] => 162
[city_name] => Calgary
[contact_name] => Lorèn
[contact_surname] => Lailey-Irvine
[contact_email] => sustainability@tourismcalgary.com
[organisation] => Tourism Calgary
[website] => https://www.visitcalgary.com/
[environmental_description] => Calgary is building the foundation now, to achieve net-zero by 2050. Our priority is reinforcing programs that lower emissions and reduce impacts of climate change. Actions are focussed on programs for Calgary’s residential communities, on Calgary’s commercial buildings, for Calgary’s mobility options and with Calgary’s energy supply. Also, work is consistently being done to protect, restore, and maintain Calgary’s vast, natural environment.
Calgary is home to the most extensive urban pathway system in North America, making it easy for visitors to walk, bike or e-scooter between venues, hotels, restaurants and more in the downtown core and connecting neighbourhoods. Furthermore, we are proud to be home to one of the few transit systems in North America registered with the ISO 14001 for environmental standards aiming to minimize the impact of services on the environment. Calgary’s light rail transit system – the C-Train – is 100% powered by renewable energy.
[social_description] => Listed in the top 10 Global Livability Ranking for 2022 and 2023, Calgary is proud of its rich history, culturally diverse communities, and expansive natural environment. Calgary is the third most diverse major city in Canada, home to more than 240 different ethnic origins and over 165 spoken languages (Statistics Canada) and is among the top 25 most affordable cities in the world (Demographia International Housing Affordability, 2023). Furthermore, Calgary is a safe, low-crime, clean and healthy city. Compared to the rest of Canada, Calgary has the third lowest rate of incidents of violent crimes.
Calgarians are community-minded and are generous with their time and money. From markets to small businesses, neighbourhood shops and non-profits, locals take pride in their connected community. Over 45 per cent of Albertans volunteer, and the province has the highest average annual charitable donation among Canadian provinces.
[supplier_description] => Calgary’s Sustainable, Environmental and Ethical Procurement Policy (SEEPP) provides guidelines for contracted venues and hotels regarding purchasing products and services at reasonable prices while considering key environmental and social benefits such as worker health and safety, energy efficiency, and packaging.
Calgary’s two major convention centres, the BMO Centre at Stampede Park and the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, are committed to sustainability including achieving Green Key and ISO 14001 certification.
Calgary’s food action plan – Calgary Eats! – builds on community-led efforts to create a healthy, equal, and sustainable food system. Event planners can work with venues and caterers to ensure that meals are sourced locally and sustainably, to ensure vegan and vegetarian items are available to reduce the carbon footprint, that the occurrence of food waste is reduced, as well as working with food recovery organizations to deliver any surplus food to local hunger relief agencies.
[dmo_description] => We are proud to acknowledge that Calgary, or Moh’kinsstis in Blackfoot, is cradled between the Rocky Mountains to the west and vast plains to the east. This is Treaty 7 territory. Made up of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Îyâxe Nakoda, and Tsuut’ina nations, Treaty 7 is also home to the Métis Nation, Region 3.
Calgary is a year-round destination like no other: a mix of big-city energy and warm Western hospitality. From a bustling downtown with character-filled neighborhoods, to the peaks of the Canadian Rocky Mountains just an hour west and the dramatic landscape of the Canadian Badlands to the east, Calgary is your basecamp to adventure and home to innovators, dreamers, visionaries and game changers.
In alignment with the City of Calgary sustainability goals and foundational action plans to achieve net-zero by 2050, we are committed to climate resilience and creating social benefit as part of our destination performance goals. In 2024, Tourism Calgary will release a new Destination Strategy, which will solidify our commitment to Calgary’s environmental, social, and economic practices and inform a new DMO sustainability strategy and reporting program to guide our efforts.
[logo] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_logos/9RwRSqb0zWQoIYUepPCkPuQuI8oW8LhRDyjTL8wq.jpg
[video] => 3yY9_jCfUso
[img_1] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/XXSZvSjmmT1rtaWhMkovrx9DKOMclVJrqakpksRc.jpg
[img_2] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/owzJia4phqz5ocBTisHSFBSWQFHDBovjs3UrLKc4.jpg
[img_3] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/zISz614JCmb8eHcsURTkgmBSmtjweKkdLk6KF1hR.jpg
[img_4] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/erNh6a9P4rkqZc4gPvoEMOIPqDU7Bs7pOQOzJf4D.jpg
[img_5] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/F0mJ3JQeUzp5BBOSQ9hk7Z9soeQPMAx0dOWZCvXU.jpg
[high_env_1] => 17
[high_env_2] => 47
[high_env_3] => 1120
[high_soc_1] => 77.7305
[high_soc_2] => 88.17
[high_soc_3] => 74
[high_sup_1] => 23
[high_sup_2] => 50
[high_sup_3] => 0
[high_dmo_1] => None
[high_dmo_2] => 0
[high_dmo_3] => None
[created_at] => 2023-10-05 07:33:08
[updated_at] => 2023-12-07 12:02:19
[year] => 2023
)
Array
(
[id] => 512
[year] => 2023
[city_id] => 162
[city_name] => Calgary
[score_type] => city
[Total] => 45.22
[Total_rank] => 73
[Environment] => 63.56
[Environment_rank] => 35
[Social] => 69.74
[Social_rank] => 14
[Supplier] => 41.67
[Supplier_rank] => 44
[DMO] => 17.48
[DMO_rank] => 63
[longitude] => -114.07136031405754
[latitude] => 51.04481047782345
[population] => 1640000
[country] => Canada
[region] => North America
[created_at] => 2023-10-05 07:31:01
[updated_at] => 2023-10-16 12:00:28
)
Calgary 2023 GDS-Index Report
Calgary, Canada
2023 Performance Overview
DMO
Supplier
Social
Environmental
Performance Highlights
Summary
Environmental
Supplier
Social
We are proud to acknowledge that Calgary, or Moh’kinsstis in Blackfoot, is cradled between the Rocky Mountains to the west and vast plains to the east. This is Treaty 7 territory. Made up of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Îyâxe Nakoda, and Tsuut’ina nations, Treaty 7 is also home to the Métis Nation, Region 3.
Calgary is a year-round destination like no other: a mix of big-city energy and warm Western hospitality. From a bustling downtown with character-filled neighborhoods, to the peaks of the Canadian Rocky Mountains just an hour west and the dramatic landscape of the Canadian Badlands to the east, Calgary is your basecamp to adventure and home to innovators, dreamers, visionaries and game changers.
In alignment with the City of Calgary sustainability goals and foundational action plans to achieve net-zero by 2050, we are committed to climate resilience and creating social benefit as part of our destination performance goals. In 2024, Tourism Calgary will release a new Destination Strategy, which will solidify our commitment to Calgary’s environmental, social, and economic practices and inform a new DMO sustainability strategy and reporting program to guide our efforts.
Calgary is building the foundation now, to achieve net-zero by 2050. Our priority is reinforcing programs that lower emissions and reduce impacts of climate change. Actions are focussed on programs for Calgary’s residential communities, on Calgary’s commercial buildings, for Calgary’s mobility options and with Calgary’s energy supply. Also, work is consistently being done to protect, restore, and maintain Calgary’s vast, natural environment.
Calgary is home to the most extensive urban pathway system in North America, making it easy for visitors to walk, bike or e-scooter between venues, hotels, restaurants and more in the downtown core and connecting neighbourhoods. Furthermore, we are proud to be home to one of the few transit systems in North America registered with the ISO 14001 for environmental standards aiming to minimize the impact of services on the environment. Calgary’s light rail transit system – the C-Train – is 100% powered by renewable energy.
Calgary’s Sustainable, Environmental and Ethical Procurement Policy (SEEPP) provides guidelines for contracted venues and hotels regarding purchasing products and services at reasonable prices while considering key environmental and social benefits such as worker health and safety, energy efficiency, and packaging.
Calgary’s two major convention centres, the BMO Centre at Stampede Park and the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, are committed to sustainability including achieving Green Key and ISO 14001 certification.
Calgary’s food action plan – Calgary Eats! – builds on community-led efforts to create a healthy, equal, and sustainable food system. Event planners can work with venues and caterers to ensure that meals are sourced locally and sustainably, to ensure vegan and vegetarian items are available to reduce the carbon footprint, that the occurrence of food waste is reduced, as well as working with food recovery organizations to deliver any surplus food to local hunger relief agencies.
Listed in the top 10 Global Livability Ranking for 2022 and 2023, Calgary is proud of its rich history, culturally diverse communities, and expansive natural environment. Calgary is the third most diverse major city in Canada, home to more than 240 different ethnic origins and over 165 spoken languages (Statistics Canada) and is among the top 25 most affordable cities in the world (Demographia International Housing Affordability, 2023). Furthermore, Calgary is a safe, low-crime, clean and healthy city. Compared to the rest of Canada, Calgary has the third lowest rate of incidents of violent crimes.
Calgarians are community-minded and are generous with their time and money. From markets to small businesses, neighbourhood shops and non-profits, locals take pride in their connected community. Over 45 per cent of Albertans volunteer, and the province has the highest average annual charitable donation among Canadian provinces.
Summary
We are proud to acknowledge that Calgary, or Moh’kinsstis in Blackfoot, is cradled between the Rocky Mountains to the west and vast plains to the east. This is Treaty 7 territory. Made up of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Îyâxe Nakoda, and Tsuut’ina nations, Treaty 7 is also home to the Métis Nation, Region 3.
Calgary is a year-round destination like no other: a mix of big-city energy and warm Western hospitality. From a bustling downtown with character-filled neighborhoods, to the peaks of the Canadian Rocky Mountains just an hour west and the dramatic landscape of the Canadian Badlands to the east, Calgary is your basecamp to adventure and home to innovators, dreamers, visionaries and game changers.
In alignment with the City of Calgary sustainability goals and foundational action plans to achieve net-zero by 2050, we are committed to climate resilience and creating social benefit as part of our destination performance goals. In 2024, Tourism Calgary will release a new Destination Strategy, which will solidify our commitment to Calgary’s environmental, social, and economic practices and inform a new DMO sustainability strategy and reporting program to guide our efforts.
Does Tourism Calgary have a Sustainability Strategy?
Does Calgary have a sustainable destination certificate?
Does Tourism Calgary report on its sustainability performance?
Environmental
Calgary is building the foundation now, to achieve net-zero by 2050. Our priority is reinforcing programs that lower emissions and reduce impacts of climate change. Actions are focussed on programs for Calgary’s residential communities, on Calgary’s commercial buildings, for Calgary’s mobility options and with Calgary’s energy supply. Also, work is consistently being done to protect, restore, and maintain Calgary’s vast, natural environment.
Calgary is home to the most extensive urban pathway system in North America, making it easy for visitors to walk, bike or e-scooter between venues, hotels, restaurants and more in the downtown core and connecting neighbourhoods. Furthermore, we are proud to be home to one of the few transit systems in North America registered with the ISO 14001 for environmental standards aiming to minimize the impact of services on the environment. Calgary’s light rail transit system – the C-Train – is 100% powered by renewable energy.
OF ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLES
HECTARES OF GREEN AREA PER 100 000 POPULATION
Supplier
Calgary’s Sustainable, Environmental and Ethical Procurement Policy (SEEPP) provides guidelines for contracted venues and hotels regarding purchasing products and services at reasonable prices while considering key environmental and social benefits such as worker health and safety, energy efficiency, and packaging.
Calgary’s two major convention centres, the BMO Centre at Stampede Park and the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, are committed to sustainability including achieving Green Key and ISO 14001 certification.
Calgary’s food action plan – Calgary Eats! – builds on community-led efforts to create a healthy, equal, and sustainable food system. Event planners can work with venues and caterers to ensure that meals are sourced locally and sustainably, to ensure vegan and vegetarian items are available to reduce the carbon footprint, that the occurrence of food waste is reduced, as well as working with food recovery organizations to deliver any surplus food to local hunger relief agencies.
OF HOTEL ROOMS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF VENUES SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF PCOS/DMCS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
Social
Listed in the top 10 Global Livability Ranking for 2022 and 2023, Calgary is proud of its rich history, culturally diverse communities, and expansive natural environment. Calgary is the third most diverse major city in Canada, home to more than 240 different ethnic origins and over 165 spoken languages (Statistics Canada) and is among the top 25 most affordable cities in the world (Demographia International Housing Affordability, 2023). Furthermore, Calgary is a safe, low-crime, clean and healthy city. Compared to the rest of Canada, Calgary has the third lowest rate of incidents of violent crimes.
Calgarians are community-minded and are generous with their time and money. From markets to small businesses, neighbourhood shops and non-profits, locals take pride in their connected community. Over 45 per cent of Albertans volunteer, and the province has the highest average annual charitable donation among Canadian provinces.
78
SDG IMPLEMENTATION SCORE
88
SCORE ON SOCIAL PROGRESS INDEX
74
SCORE ON CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX
About the Global Destination Sustainability Movement
The Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDSM) brings together the sustainability pioneers of the business and leisure tourism world, working with destinations to co-create their tourism and events strategies, benchmark and improve their sustainability performance and transform value chains in order to catalyse regeneration.
Our purpose is to engage, inspire and enable the business events and tourism industry to become more sustainable and regenerative.
Our Methodology
In 2022 the GDS-Index used 70 indicators that evaluate destinations sustainability performance across four key areas. If you are interested, you can read our benchmarking methodology in detail here.
Environmental
Performance
Climate, Energy and Emissions
Circularity and Waste
Water
Air Quality
Transportation
Biodiversity
Social
Performance
SDG Alignment
Corruption
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Health, Safety and Wellness
Accessibility
Resident Engagement
Supplier
Performance
Hotels
Airport
Agencies (PCOs & DMCs)
Restaurants
Venues
Academia
Destination
Management
Performance
Destination Strategy
Governance and Reporting
Policy and Certification
Capacity Building
Measurement, Impact and Reporting
Marketing and Communications
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
Ownership
The GDSM is not owned by any one organisation. It is operated as a multi-stakeholder partnership founded and endorsed by IMEX, MCI, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA). Gubi Consulting and Guy Bigwood are responsible for the management of the Secretariat.
