As a die-hard Vancouverite, I've survived perpetual grey-gloom-rain, relentless rent hikes, the ever-elusive dream of owning property, and run clubs stampeding at me down the seawall like it's a contact sport. Vancouver, to put it delicately, is by no means perfect.
Even still, I'd take my home city any day over Calgary. I know, I'm about to make a lot of enemies with this one, but as someone who loves drama, I'm here for it.
After visiting the Alberta hub, I can admit, it does have its perks (shoutout no PST!) but alas, it's just not for me. Here are 10 reasons you'll never catch me living in Calgary.
Everything is a highway away
If you're living in Calgary and want to be anywhere other than your house or your neighbour's house, you'd better have a car. This city is the poster child for the anti-hot-girl-walk, which I guess could make it the pro-truck-man-drive.
Want to pop out for a quick coffee? Thrift shop? Grocery jaunt? Ice cream? Get in the truck. There's no such thing as "just around the corner". (Unless, of course, you live in the heart of downtown, that's another story).
But I digress. Calgary is not the city for anyone chasing walkability.
Chinooks make getting dressed impossible
For the uninitiated, Calgary experiences a weather phenomenon known as Chinooks — sudden blasts of warm wind that roll off the Rockies, melting snow and spiking temperatures in minutes. This is also formally known as nature's gaslighting.
One minute it could be -15 °C, the next it's +10°C (yes, a 20-degree jump within hours). These winds come barreling down from the mountains, often shaking buildings and, on a given day, overturning transport trucks. Also of note? Chinooks cause significant fluctuations in barometric pressure, which could trigger migraines.
Of most concern? Getting dressed for the day is an exercise in futility.
The magpies are out to get you
If you Google “magpie”, you'll see an elegant-looking bird praised for its intelligence. What you won't see is the part where they dive-bomb unsuspecting pedestrians and cyclists for sport.
Magpies, like crows, have excellent memories and can recognize human faces — which means if you've crossed one, it might come for you again… or for someone who looks vaguely like you. Though the crows in Vancouver are annoying, the magpies in Calgary are straight up evil. Anyone with ornithophobia should avoid.
You kind of need to like country music
If you live in Calgary, you're familiar with the quiet, unspoken obligation to like country music. If you're like me, modern country feels like a cyclical abyss of recycled clichés: cold beer, Friday nights, sundresses, dirt roads, land, and, of course, trucks. The legends (Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and Shania), whom I love, are the exception, not the rule.
Then comes Stampede. For the country-averse, it's ten days of twang, cowboy hats, and lyrical déjà vu. That said, it has branched out — other genres and artists show up too. So if you're chasing summer debauchery or want to cosplay Yellowstone for a day, it's not a bad play.
The lifted trucks are an eyesore
Picture this: you're just trying to grab your morning coffee in peace when you’re confronted by trucks lifted to absurd, borderline circus heights. There are bumper stickers that say things like “I <3 Oil”, and on a bad day, a pair of dangling "truck nuts" hanging off the rear bumper.
That's all I'll say on this.
Beer, beer, and more beer
Calgary has more of a drinking culture than a sipping culture — an inclination to "crush beers" rather than "grab a cocktail". If you're planning a night out, prepare your liver. If you have a preference for green juice, kombucha, or whatever the next crazed health fad is, you're probably better off in Vancouver.
The suburban sprawl
Every suburb in Calgary looks almost exactly the same — a sea of beige boxes stretching as far as the eye can see. If you’re craving cultural hubs like Kitsilano, Commercial Drive, or Main Street, Calgary’s scene might feel more subtle.
It's freezing cold
Last but arguably most pressing: the cold. And no, it's not cute, snow-bunny cold. We're talking dry, frigid gusts that leave you with cracked lips, bloody knuckles, and a perpetually running nose you eventually give up on wiping. If you move here, invest in an industrial-strength moisturizer.
The tap water can't compete
Vancouver: crisp, refreshing goodness (actually has been ranked among the best in the world). Calgary: a suspicious tap experience that tastes like someone described a mountain to it once. (I know this is a uniquely pretentious reason not to move somewhere, but it's true nonetheless).
What will I say about Calgary? It is a land full of people who love it. Anyone I know who has grown up or currently lives there defends the city like a mother experiencing "hysterical strength" (A.K.A. the lifting of cars and other heavy objects off their children with superhuman force). There is something quite charming about this defence of their city, despite its shortcomings.
If I could get beyond the cracked skin, messy weather, thick water, evil birds, and "last night we let the liquor talk" of it all, maybe I could learn to like it.
In the interim, (sorry cowboys and girls), I'll take paying extra tax, renting a 1-bedroom instead of owning "land", and driving my Prius to the beach any day of the week.
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
