Business, community and government leaders gathered this week for the 2026 Uplook Assembly — an annual convening focused on Calgary’s long-term economic future and the next phase of Calgary’s economic strategy, Uplook: An Action Plan for Our Economy.
Hosted by Calgary Economic Development (CED), the Assembly brought together partners from across the city to reflect on progress made over the past year. Discussions focused on how Calgary can continue building a more resilient, competitive and inclusive economy amid rapid global change.
As the steward of Uplook, CED works alongside partners across the city to advance Calgary’s long-term economic vision and strengthen its global competitiveness.
“Every single day, Calgary is competing for decisions — against other cities, other regions and even other countries that are making cases for why capital and talent should choose them instead of us,” said Geraldine Anderson, Vice President, External Affairs at CED.
“At CED, our job is to tilt those decisions in Calgary’s favour — to make Calgary the easiest ‘yes’ when people around the world are making tough choices about their company’s future, or their personal future.”
Transformational initiatives driving momentum across Calgary
The Assembly marked the release of the 2026 Uplook Annual Progress Report, which outlines progress across the strategy’s five drivers: talent, livability, business environment, innovation and brand.
Throughout the morning, speakers highlighted transformational initiatives outlined in the report — collaborative efforts aimed at strengthening Calgary’s long-term economic resilience and competitiveness.
The report points to a city that is evolving and diversifying as Calgary continues to invest in itself. From downtown revitalization and expanded public spaces to growing support for innovation through initiatives like Living Labs and Calgary’s Innovation Strategy, the update highlights how long-term city-building efforts strengthen Calgary’s resilience.
It also highlights growing global connectivity through expanded air routes and trade activity, alongside investments in workforce development across aviation, cybersecurity and digital media.
Together, the findings paint a broader picture of Calgary’s evolving economy — including improving external perceptions of the city as a place to build a career or business. At the same time, the report acknowledges ongoing challenges tied to affordability, labour market shifts and broader global economic uncertainty.
As Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly explained, strategies like Uplook and efforts to diversify Calgary’s economy are ultimately about “making sure that everyone has a seat at the table.”
“Uplook reminds us that while our energy sector remains a cornerstone of our economy, we are actively growing tech, aerospace, creative industries, agri-food, finance, life sciences,” he said.
“And we are working to build the resiliency to embrace new emerging sectors that we can't even imagine yet."
The event also highlighted broader momentum tied to Uplook and Calgary’s economic trajectory.
Last year alone, CED supported more than $1 billion in investment into Calgary, nearly 8,000 jobs and enabled local companies to secure 45 international trade deals generating more than $60 million in export revenue.
Pressure testing the future of Calgary’s economic strategy
A key focus of this year’s Assembly was introducing the next evolution of the strategy: a pressure testing process led in partnership with Intelligent Futures.
The process will examine whether Calgary’s economic priorities remain aligned with where the city is headed next.
“At its core, this is about asking a simple but important question,” said Helen de Faye, Director, Corporate and Economic Strategy at CED.
“Are we still focused on the right things — and are our priorities aligned with where the world is going, and where Calgary needs to go to stay competitive?”
The pressure testing phase will continue throughout the year through additional engagement aimed at ensuring Uplook remains responsive, resilient and future-focused.
Explore the full 2026 Uplook Annual Progress Report at UplookCalgary.ca.