Calgary's Next Big Bet: Students & City Hall Champion Local Economy

The Gist: Smart Minds Tackle 'Buy Canadian'

Here in Calgary, the future of our local economy is getting a serious boost, thanks to some sharp minds at the University of Calgary's Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking. Their Experience Ventures Solutions Lab just wrapped its Fall 2025 program, focusing on the high-impact challenge of the \"Buy Canadian movement.\" This isn't just an academic exercise; it's part of a larger, Government of Canada-funded initiative, Experience Ventures, aiming to ignite entrepreneurial thinking in 6,000 students across 11 Canadian post-secondary institutions with a $12 million commitment over three years. Our UCalgary students, working in teams over a nine-week sprint from October 8 to December 2, were eligible for a $525 honorarium for their efforts to innovate and uplift our national and local markets.

Impact on Calgarians: City Hall's Local Love Affair

So, how does this actually hit your wallet and your neighborhood? The students' focus on \"Buy Canadian\" couldn't be more timely, as our very own City of Calgary updated its procurement practices effective March 31, 2025, to prioritize local and Canadian goods and services. For bigger contracts – think over $75,000 for goods and services or $200,000 for construction – the City has juiced up the weighting for a social procurement questionnaire to 10%, giving our small and medium-sized businesses a much-needed competitive edge. For smaller purchases, the goal is now to snag all three quotes from local suppliers whenever possible. This isn't a random act of kindness; it's a calculated move under the \"Public Value through Procurement\" policy, adopted by Calgary City Council in September 2021, and its \"Benefit Driven Procurement Strategy\" – all designed to bake in social benefits and economic opportunity for everyone, including historically underrepresented groups. And it's not just talk: the City's Benefit Driven Procurement Strategy pilots have already injected a whopping $31 million (before taxes!) into our local economy through City contracts awarded with a BDP component.

The Reality Check: Is 'Buy Local' Always Best?

But before we pop the champagne, there's a vital counterpoint from the academic trenches. Dr. Trevor Tombe, a sharp mind over at the University of Calgary's economics department, offered a word of caution in February 2025. While \"buy local\" campaigns \"mean well,\" he warned they \"might lead to real economic costs if things get out of hand.\" His concern? That an overzealous approach could inadvertently reduce overall trade and undermine broader efforts to boost Canada's productivity and growth. It's a delicate balance, ensuring we support our own without closing ourselves off to the wider world.

The Flip Side: Beyond This Year's Challenge

While the "Buy Canadian" movement dominated this year's Solutions Lab, the program, which launched in 2021, has a history of tackling pressing local issues. In 2024, for example, students focused on developing solutions for community resiliency in the face of natural disasters – a topic that hits close to home for any Calgarian who remembers our past floods or freak snowstorms. And the Fall 2023 lab specifically addressed campus sustainability, proving that these student-powered initiatives consistently target challenges that make a real difference to our city and beyond. These initiatives are breeding grounds for innovation, giving students the skills and a platform to directly shape the economic and social fabric of our community.

The Bottom Line: A Win for Ward 11 (and Beyond)

So, what's the takeaway for you, the everyday Calgarian? Whether you're a small business owner in Ward 11 hoping for a city contract, or simply someone who believes in supporting local jobs and growth, these initiatives are creating tangible opportunities. The synergy between student innovation at the Hunter Hub and the City's strategic procurement policies is building a more resilient, self-sufficient Calgary. It's a complex equation with economic trade-offs to consider, but the collective push towards a stronger local economy, powered by fresh ideas and smart policy, is undoubtedly a win for our city.