As a rapidly evolving city, Calgary has continuously climbed to the top of many categories that make a city great. Calgary's recent accolades include being named:

  • The Cultural Capital of Canada in 2012 (the last year the award was issued by the Government of Canada);
  • Second in the 2014 world prosperity ranking;
  • The cleanest city in the world and the best place to live in Canada in 2013; and
  • The fifth most liveable city in the world by The Economist Intelligence Unit in 2014

Calgary has also become increasingly known for its cultural, artistic, and culinary scenes. It is after all, the home of the "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", the Calgary Stampede, which celebrated 102 years this past summer.

Perhaps more important than awards and renowned culture is that Calgary's residents are amongst the most community driven and charitable in Canada.

All of Canada witnessed the amazing community support that helped thousands of Calgarians return to their homes and begin rebuilding their lives after the devastating effects of the 2013 flood. Countless hours were devoted to assist those most affected.

However, Calgary's community spirit goes well beyond providing assistance during natural disasters.

According to Statistics Canada, of the 20 largest cities in Canada, Calgarians contribute the highest amount of donations per person. In 2012, this amounted to $652 per tax filer ($449 per resident), which is $103 per tax filer ($64 per resident) ahead of Saskatoon, which holds the number two spot on the list.

This results in total yearly donations from individuals of $588 Million, third on the list behind Toronto ($1.9 Billion) and Vancouver ($719 Million). Incredibly impressive when you consider the top two cities have 2.5 times the population of Calgary.

Calgarians also top the list of Total Percentage of Income Donated coming in at 1.16%, slightly ahead of Winnipeg (1.14%).

With the average age of the donors being 49 (the youngest of the 20 cities) and the highest average donations per person aged 25 to 44, one can expect that this high level of dedication to the community will be continued into the future.

At Crowe MacKay, we echo the City of Calgary's strong belief in community. We are committed to giving back to the places in which we live and work. Not only are we involved in charitable organizations as a firm, but we support and encourage our employees and the many community organizations with which they are involved as well. We firmly believe that a strong community creates endless opportunities for education, employment and increased quality of living.

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