5 things about Calgary's Vital Signs survey

The Calgary Foundation has released its annual Vital Signs report. The yearly check-up measures Calgarians' quality of life across six categories, with this year's report revealing the 1,819 Calgarians polled for the report were on average less happy than they were in 2014.

Along with Calgarians being a tad more melancholy, CREB®Now explores some of the other findings in this year's report.

Living Standards: Receiving an overall grade of C+ in this year's report, the top housing concern listed by Calgarians was improving the affordability of rental housing, with 26 per cent of respondents citing it as their primary worry.

Population: Also receiving a C+ overall was Calgary's ability to deal with the population growth seen in recent years. Developing more options for assisted living was listed as the main concern
for Calgary's rising senior population. According to City of Calgary estimates, one in five Calgarians will be a senior by 2036.

Environment: With Calgary's energy sector currently in the spotlight as a result of low oil prices, the city's own energy use was one of the main concerns expressed by those in the survey. While respondents gave the city an overall grade of B+, 41 per cent listed improving options for alternative energy as their main sustainability concern.

Community: Although Calgary's annual Neighbour Day giving now commemorates the community spirit that united Calgarians in the wake of the 2013 floods, many Calgarians are still looking for opportunities to interact with their neighbours; 24 per cent listed it as a primary concern.

Learning: Receiving an overall grade of B-, 43 per cent of those surveyed were concerned with the number of high-quality, affordable early-learning services. According to the report, 85 per cent of a person's brain development occurs between birth and five years of age.

Tagged: affordability | Calgary Foundation | Calgary Real Estate News | Calgary Rent | Community