Calgarians may have to wait two more years for an accurate head count of the city's population, as the city administration recommends delaying the first civic census in nearly a decade until 2028. The census was originally scheduled for 2027, but difficulties in finding a suitable contractor have forced a postponement.
According to a report set to be presented to city council's executive committee on Tuesday, administration evaluated potential contractors and conducted an options analysis but concluded that no contractors are available to deliver a census at the scale required for Calgary. The report states, 'Following an evaluation of potential contractors, and after completing an options analysis, in administration's opinion there are no contractors available to deliver a census at the scale required for Calgary.'
As a result, administration recommends conducting the civic census in 2028, which they argue will provide better viability, repeatability, and be better timed after federal census data releases. The city will work on ways to 'bridge the data gap' and ensure a 2028 civic census delivers on expectations.
'This is disappointing news for Calgarians, businesses, institutions and council who were anticipating a civic census in 2027,' the report states.
Calgary's last municipally run census was performed in 2019. The city used to conduct door-to-door counts annually, but council discontinued the practice in 2020 as a cost-cutting measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2024, the previous city council approved a motion to reinstate the civic census on a biennial basis, starting in 2027, with a budget of $10.7 million spread between 2025 and 2030.
Administration currently estimates Calgary's population to be around 1.6 million people. The last formal head count was the federal census conducted by Statistics Canada in 2021, which recorded 1.3 million residents. However, the city has experienced rapid growth since then. An updated federal census is currently underway, but its data won't be released until next year.
Accurate population counts are valuable because they highlight specific growth and demographic trends, allowing for more data-driven decisions. The city's report emphasizes that 'data is critical in forecasting, planning, infrastructure modelling and measuring service delivery effectiveness.' Earlier this year, the city posted a job advertisement for a census program co-ordinator to oversee the development, planning, execution, and management of census operations.
