In an ambitious push to future-proof its economy amid growing global trade disruptions and geopolitical volatility, Calgary Economic Development has unveiled a sweeping innovation strategy aimed at positioning the city as the innovation capital of Canada.
Announced at the 2025 Report to the Community event, the new strategy lays out a roadmap for Calgary to leverage its existing sector strengths and talent pool to build a resilient, innovation-driven economy. If fully implemented, the strategy is projected to add up to 187,000 jobs and inject more than $28 billion into the local economy by 2034.
“Calgary is a leader in innovation,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “The Prairie Economic Gateway is a prime example of how we’re reimagining our economy—improving supply chains, attracting investment, and boosting manufacturing. It’s expected to create 30,000 jobs and bring in over $7 billion in investment.”
Calgary Economic Development developed the strategy following extensive research, including an Innovation District Scoping Study that analyzed global best practices. The findings highlighted the value of clustering researchers, startups, funders, and accelerators in strategic locations—often anchored by post-secondary institutions and major private sector players.
But rather than replicating a single innovation district, Calgary’s strategy champions the creation of multiple sector-specific “innovation nodes” spread across the city. These nodes will centralize infrastructure, resources, and collaboration opportunities, forming a connected city-wide network designed to scale startups and support sector growth. Existing hubs such as the Life Sciences Innovation Hub, the Energy Transition Centre, and the Aerospace Innovation Hub demonstrate this approach in action.
“Now is the time to double down on innovation,” said Brad Parry, President and CEO of Calgary Economic Development and CEO of the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund. “Despite global uncertainties, we can build a resilient economy. Calgary has the talent, momentum, and vision to become Canada’s innovation capital—and a globally recognized innovation city.”
The strategy outlines four key goals:
- Establish sector-specific innovation nodes across the city.
- Launch a comprehensive innovation roadmap.
- Amplify the impact of Calgary’s innovation ecosystem.
- Align stakeholders to tell Calgary’s innovation story on local, national, and global stages.
Platform Calgary will continue to serve as a central hub, connecting startups, investors, talent, and industry with essential resources and programming. “Calgary is where game-changers turn ideas into real-world solutions,” said Terry Rock, CEO of Platform Calgary. “With over 850 community partners, we’re ready to help lead this charge.”
To ensure success, the strategy hinges on three critical factors: unlocking more capital, aligning local players, and continuing targeted investments from the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF).
Calgary’s startup scene is already booming. Since 2018, venture capital investment has increased by 1,000 per cent. The city’s tech ecosystem valuation rose by 235 per cent since 2019, reaching $8.1 billion, and CBRE recently named Calgary the fastest-growing tech talent hub in North America.
At the 2025 Report to the Community, Calgary Economic Development also highlighted its 2024 accomplishments:
- Over 7,400 jobs created or retained and $719 million in investments attracted.
- 3,200+ work-integrated learning opportunities created.
- 1,500 Calgary companies engaged.
- 130 SMEs explored 17 markets through the Trade Accelerator Program, generating $11 million in revenue from 42 trade deals.
- Every dollar committed by OCIF has returned $11 in economic activity, resulting in a projected $925 million in total economic impact and nearly 3,000 jobs created or retained.
Calgary also ranked among Canada’s top destinations for venture capital investment, closing $630 million across 63 deals in 2024.
As Parry noted, “Calgary’s time is now. This strategy isn’t just about growing our innovation economy—it’s about securing our future.”
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