Calgary's Dual Reality: Housing Boom Continues as Vital Social Supports Face Deep Cuts
As Calgary's urban sprawl pushes further across the prairie landscape and new developments spring up north of the Bow River, a freshly updated dataset on the City of Calgary's Open Data portal offers a snapshot of our city's relentless growth. The "CMHC Builders Report - One and Two Family - Community Detail," last updated December 12, 2025, provides crucial insights into ongoing construction and economic activity across Calgary's communities. This report, categorized under 'Business and Economic Activity,' allows residents and planners to track the rhythm of homebuilding that defines much of our city's expansion. While this specific report focuses on one and two-family homes, other related CMHC Builder's data, such as multi-family reports, are also updated regularly, with recent updates noted in August and September 2025, complementing national housing starts data released as of October 2025.
The Strained Fabric of Support
Yet, amidst this tangible growth, a starker, more concerning picture emerges regarding the social infrastructure meant to support the very families flocking to our booming city. Recent provincial government funding changes have delivered a significant blow to crucial community programs, leaving vulnerable Calgarians in a precarious position. The YW Calgary, a long-standing pillar of support for women and families, was forced to close its Child & Family Counselling program due to a shift in provincial funding allocation for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, with the specific type of programming no longer included.
Similarly, the Aboriginal Counselling Services of Alberta (ACSA) faced a staggering $135,000 mid-fiscal year funding cut in September 2025 for its vital "Circle of Safety" program. This program, designed to support Indigenous mothers who have experienced domestic violence, is now struggling to meet demand, leading to a "huge wait list" for families desperately seeking help. The Ministry of Children and Family Services justified the decision by stating it had "refreshed funding for family violence prevention programs" and could not approve all applications.
An Unconscionable Choice?
This confluence of continued housing development and simultaneous cuts to essential social services has drawn sharp criticism. Julia Hayter, the Alberta NDP's Shadow Minister for the Status of Women, did not mince words, calling the provincial government's decision to cut funding for YW Calgary's program "unconscionable." Hayter pointed to the province's existing surplus, arguing that "This means the UCP government has the money but is actively choosing to cut funding to groups like YW Calgary that provide a wide range of victim support."
The concrete impact of these decisions is undeniable. For the approximately 150 families assisted by YW Calgary's Child & Family Counselling program in 2024, the closure means a difficult transition out of care, with the grim reality of acknowledged long waiting lists for similar services elsewhere in the city. As Calgary continues its outward march of residential expansion, the strain on its human infrastructure—the unseen networks of care and support—is becoming increasingly evident, highlighting a growing disparity between economic prosperity and social well-being.
