CALGARY 2035:
THE QUANTUM LEAP
From postcarbon economy to vertical urbanism: An unprecedented look at Calgary's radical transformation over the next decade
CALGARY By 2035, Calgary will have undergone the most dramatic urban metamorphosis of any North American city this century. What was once defined by boombust oil cycles has transformed into a globally connected innovation hub, a testbed for sustainable urban technologies, and a model for postcarbon economic transition.
After an 18month investigation with unprecedented access to civic planning documents, corporate R&D labs, and architectural simulations, Action News can exclusively reveal how Calgary will reinvent itself over the coming decade. This isnt incremental change its urban reinvention at quantum scale.
The Vertical City: Urban Form Redefined
By 2035, Calgarys downtown core becomes a 24/7 vertical city. The ambitious Calgary 2.0 program converts 72% of vacant office space into mixeduse vertical communities with integrated housing, workplaces, education, and vertical farms.
Were not just converting office space; were creating a climateresilient vertical urban ecosystem with sky parks and internal mobility. The +15 becomes a multilevel yearround skyway.
Marcus Chen, Director of Urban Transformation, CMLC
Economic Metamorphosis: Beyond Carbon
Calgary has leapfrogged from an energy capital to a solutions capital. Our talent density in quantum, agritech, and renewables now rivals Silicon Valley with a quality of life they can only dream of.
Prospects Dashboard 2025 2035
Mobility 3.0: The End of Traffic
The Transformation Timeline: 20252035
Phase 1: Foundation (20252028)
Pilots launch, Green Line LRT Phase 2, Quantum Institute opens, downtown residents hit 40,000.
Phase 2: Acceleration (20292032)
Vertical farms in 50% of conversions, hydrogen at commercial scale, AV network covers 60%.
Phase 3: Transformation (20332035)
Carbonpositive status, 75,000 downtown residents, MaaS becomes default.
Calgary 2035: The Quantum City Realized
By 2035, Calgary completes one of the most remarkable urban transformations in modern history reinventing itself as a global hub for innovation, sustainability, and quality of life.
Additional reporting by Michael Chen; drone footage by the Action News Aerial Division; data visualization by the Action News Futures Lab.
