Over half of Calgarians with a full-time job can't find suitable housing
A new report has highlighted the dire state of housing in Calgary, showing the rough situation that renters and homeowners face.
The Calgary Foundation published its annual quality-of-life report, and this year, it found that renters have it particularly rough. In 2024, 54% of people with a full-time job can’t find suitable accommodation—a 14% jump from last year.
Among renters, 80% had a rental increase in 2024, and 78% had to make sacrifices in other areas of their lives to be able to afford rent.
The housing situation is just as bleak for homeowners.
The report found that 38% of Calgarians make sacrifices to pay their mortgage. This is especially difficult for younger homeowners, with 60% of people between 24 and 35 years old having to make sacrifices.
However, the housing crisis for younger generations is also impacting older generations, as many young adults can’t afford to leave home. The report found that 23% of Calgarians earning less than $120,000 per year financially support their adult children’s housing costs.
In addition to touching on the city’s housing crisis, the report discussed the state of food insecurity, safety, and mental health in Calgary. The statistics are based on survey responses from 1,000 Calgarians, who were randomly selected based on demographic quotes.
You can read the full quality of life report here.