The CDA Experience
Richard White
Executive Director
Calgary Downtown Association

The Calgary Downtown Association (CDA) represents over 3,500 businesses that call Downtown home. Collectively these businesses contribute over $220M in property and business taxes, which is over 20% of the city’s total tax revenues. The CDA’s vision is “to be the catalyst for Downtown vitality.”

One of the ways the CDA can be a catalyst is to conduct research in key areas. For example, in 2003 the CDA hired Cameron Strategy to conduct a Downtown Housing Market Study. We feel this study was a catalyst for a significant increase in condo development in 2004.

The study documented that 25% of those Calgarians who are thinking of moving would consider living in the city center (3 km from the Downtown core) and 15% in the Downtown office core. Further calculations showed there is demand for over 1,000 units per year for the next 5 years in the City Center and over 500 units per year in the core.

This information was circulated to media, presented at a Chamber of Commerce workshop and circulated to developers. Since the fall of 2003, over 2,000 new condo units have been announced in the City Center, in part as a response to the knowledge that there was a strong demand for housing as per the Cameron Strategy study.

In 2004, the results of a public opinion poll conducted by Cameron Strategy showed that over 80% of Calgarians had a positive image of their Downtown – overall, as a dining spot, entertainment spot and a place to bring family and friends. 83% viewed their Downtown as an ascetically pleasing place.

The study also pinpointed some of Downtown’s weaknesses - safety (even though Downtown crime is less than 5% of all the crime in the city), homelessness, panhandling, shopping and parking. The CDA used this information to build its 2005 operational plan and budget and will be using it as part of our new 2010 business plan.

The CDA values its working relationship with Cameron Strategy. All of the work conducted with Cameron Strategy has been delivered on time and on budget. The CDA values the independent information that can be obtained from public opinion polls as part of our strategic planning process.