Calgary shoppers are getting an unprecedented look into the financial pressures many Canadian families face behind closed doors through an innovative interactive installation at Southcentre Mall.
Bringing Hidden Struggles to Light
The powerful display, which opened to the public on November 25, 2025, aims to create awareness about the growing affordability crisis affecting households across the country. Unlike traditional exhibits, this installation uses interactive elements to help visitors understand the difficult choices families must make when budgeting for essential expenses.
Creating that awareness has become increasingly important as more Canadians find themselves struggling with rising costs of housing, groceries, and other necessities. The exhibit provides a rare glimpse into the financial realities that many families keep private due to social stigma or embarrassment.
Interactive Experience Creates Empathy
Visitors to the mall encounter various scenarios that simulate the budgeting challenges faced by typical Canadian families. Through hands-on activities, shoppers must make difficult decisions about allocating limited funds across competing priorities like rent, food, utilities, and childcare.
The installation has been generating significant discussion among mall patrons, with many expressing surprise at the extent of the financial pressures facing their neighbors. The emotional impact of the experience has proven particularly powerful for those who haven't personally experienced such struggles.
Addressing a Growing National Concern
This initiative comes at a time when affordability has become a central concern for Canadians across the political and economic spectrum. The exhibit not only highlights the problem but also provides resources and information about support services available to those facing financial hardship.
Organizers hope that by making the invisible visible, they can foster greater community understanding and support for policies and programs that address the root causes of the affordability crisis. The installation will remain at Southcentre Mall through the holiday season, a time when financial pressures often intensify for struggling families.
