Calgary will resume its municipal census in 2028 after a six-year pause.
Council voted 13–2 on Tuesday to bring back the Civic Census, which will be conducted every two years and used to fill gaps left by less frequent federal counts.
City officials say the census provides neighbourhood‑level data that other sources cannot match. The information guides planning for roads, transit, recreation and water services, and helps school boards forecast enrolment and plan future schools.
“This is crucial data that we need to make decisions right now,” says Ward 8 Coun. Nathaniel Schmidt. “Without that, we’re often guessing and grasping at straws as to where things should go when we distribute funding with new populations.”
The Civic Census used to be done annually until budget cuts put it to a stop in 2020.
“This was a big mistake that a previous council made by,” says Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly. “We’re growing at an incredibly fast pace, and as a result of that, we need more regular data.”
Officials say the rebooted census will use both online responses and door‑to‑door collection.
Administration told council the size of Calgary makes it impractical to hire an external contractor, so the City will run the process itself.