Steve Lafleur: Alberta is calling—should Ontarians answer?

If you’ve been on the subway in Ontario lately, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the ads: Alberta is Calling. The ads highlight Alberta’s lower cost of living, shorter commutes, and high average wages. There’s also a slick website that lists a number of real, tangible advantages to living in Alberta. They make a strong case. It’s not just good marketing, though. Alberta is, in fact, a very good place for a lot of people to live. Should broke and exhausted GTA commuters pick up and move to Alberta? I’d argue that a lot of people should give it serious consideration. But it’s not for everyone.

I’m probably not the first person you’d expect to make this case. After all, I went in the opposite direction. In late 2020, my partner and I packed up and moved to my home province of Ontario. We did it in spite of the many advantages Alberta offers. The truth is, Calgary just wasn’t for us. It’s not home for either of us, we don’t love the climate (for different reasons than you might expect), and it’s not the best place for car-free urbanites. 

There are some clear advantages to living in Alberta. Our rent was twelve hundred dollars a month less in Calgary than what we pay in Toronto. That cost difference goes a long way. You could take a weekend trip to New York or LA every month with those savings—and the Calgary airport is a dream compared to Pearson (I could get from my living room to my gate in a half hour!). You could also buy a suburban house for half the price and get to work twice as fast as if you were commuting into Toronto from somewhere you could afford a backyard. And if you happen to be into skiing or hiking, Calgary has got you covered. If this sounds attractive, Alberta may well be a good option. Indeed, a lot of Ontarians have come to that conclusion. 

Of course, whether those are genuine advantages depends on your lifestyle. Both Edmonton and Calgary are largely car cities. While it’s possible to live in either without a car (as I have in both), your world will be somewhat limited (it’s really too bad that Car2Go didn’t work out). Alberta is also fairly remote. Other than Vancouver, everything is far from Calgary and Edmonton. It’s nice that it’s easy to get to the airport, but you’re probably flying at least three hours. And while there are some very good restaurants, there are only so many (RIP Bar Von Der Fels). Calgary and Edmonton punch above their weight when it comes to live theatre (the Edmonton Fringe Festival is legitimately great), but there’s only so much variety two mid-sized metropolitan areas can support. 

There aren’t any Jays games in Calgary. There’s no Church Street. And Drake’s not coming (unless you drive to Edmonton). There is a giant two-week-long outdoor corporate party that a lot of people enjoy, though. If you like taking weekend drives, your destinations are fairly limited. Banff and Edmonton are the obvious destinations, though Lethbridge and Medicine Hat are worth a visit. If you’re flying, Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver are under two hours. Las Vegas and Denver are within three hours. Weekend trips to New York or LA aren’t really practical, though, unless you’re the kind of person who catches up on sleep in the air.

The erratic weather in Calgary and cold weather in Edmonton aren’t ideal either (and Chinook headaches, sadly, are a real thing). Worse still, is the seemingly annual wildfires that blow through the province. The 2019 wildfire season was the beginning of the end of our time in Alberta. Or was it 2018? I honestly can’t remember. But the thought of getting choked out by another wildfire season while sitting at home during lockdown was the last straw for me. 

Then there’s geography. It’s also easy to forget just how big Canada is. If you’ve got deep family roots in Ontario, living three thousand kilometres away might be challenging. Not only does it mean you don’t have a family support network to lean on (say, for childcare) and don’t get to see your loved ones as often. But it also means that visiting friends and family is exhausting. Ten hours of travel time and two time zones away isn’t a quick weekend trip. The math is much easier if you’re from Vancouver. I travelled there four to six times a year for work and my partner went about as often to visit family. It’s about 90 minutes away in the air, give or take. If the pilot really punches it, you might make it back in 70. Much more doable than nearly four hours to Toronto.

There are also career considerations. Alberta does offer high average wages. There are, however, some limitations. Bay Street isn’t going to pick up and move to Stephen Avenue. Neither is Ontario’s tech sector. Calgary and Edmonton’s economies have and will continue to diversify, and are attracting some satellite jobs from big companies. But if you’re hoping to work up the corporate ladder outside of the energy sector, you might be disappointed. Flexible work arrangements might only get you so far—at least as things stand now. Of course, not everyone is gunning for the c-suite. Though living a several-hour flight and a few time zones away from the head office can be limiting, whether anyone will admit it or not. 

One thing that I don’t think matters that much: politics. Calgary isn’t the wild west that some people think it is. It’s not West Texas. There’s an unmistakable populist current that blows through the province. But while Alberta politics have been chaotic for a long time, Calgary and Edmonton are as diverse and socially tolerant as any mid-sized North American city. Of course, not everyone is going to find their community outside of larger cities. But if you’d fit in Hamilton, Ontario or Columbus, Ohio, you’re probably fine. Calgarians aren’t a bunch of yahoos, even if it might seem like it during Stampede. 

Whether Alberta is really an option depends on the person. Alberta offers a relatively low cost of living without punishing commutes and has as much variety as you can expect from a province with two mid-sized cities. If you don’t have deep roots in the GTA and your alternative is a 90-minute drive into the city every day so that you can afford to have a backyard, Calgary or Edmonton might be a good option. But if you’re used to the level of amenities you’ll find in Toronto, you’ll be disappointed. 

Obviously, I’m not the target audience for this campaign. I spent a decade out West. I enjoyed my time there. It’s not home, though. I think the campaign has been well executed—it’s been weeks, and we’re still talking about it! Will it work? I hope so. Given how unlikely it is that Ontario will address its housing crisis any time soon, some people are probably better off moving to Alberta. Just be prepared for the guilt when you miss Thanksgiving dinner.