With direct access to a strong agricultural base, Calgary and Southern Alberta is a well-connected region with clear collaboration across geographic areas, industries, and research and training institutions. We have experts in all things ag – including primary production, protein development, agtech innovation, and food safety and traceability, making this a hotspot for Canadian and global food and technology suppliers.
Southern Alberta has historically been an agricultural area, with large-scale production of acreage crops, protein crops, livestock, and some greenhouses. The region has ample access to water and enjoys a sunny climate favourable to growing.
Farm land area in Alberta amounts to 50,350,183 acres of the province, covering about one-third of Alberta. This is even more concentrated in the Calgary and Southern Alberta region.
When looking specifically at Southern Alberta, the region boasts some of Alberta’s best growing land, including almost 70% of Canada’s total irrigated area. Irrigated land in a dry province such as Alberta allows for a greater variety of crops to be grown, diversifying our potential exports from wheat, oats, and pulse crops to include vegetables and some fruits. In 2018, Alberta’s agrifood exports represented 19.3% of Canada’s total agrifood exports, at C$11.2 billion.
Due to its location in the heart of Southern Alberta, Calgary offers proximity to customers and primary agricultural commodities. In fact, in a 20-minute drive you can go from major metropolitan city to being on an actual farm. With the strength of our agriculture sector, multinational industry leaders have major operations in the city. These firms represent key decision makers in the industry, employers of high-value jobs and are leaders in agricultural innovation.
Calgary’s air, rail and road access to key North American and international markets make Calgary an ideal distribution hub for firms to sell their products globally. Calgary is intersected by the Trans-Canada Highway (east/west) and Highway 2 (north/south), the CANAMEX corridor, allowing companies to reach millions of consumers within a one-day trip. Intermodal facilities for two Class 1 railways and one of Canada’s busiest airports provide efficient access to consumer markets worldwide.
Calgary is a hub for precision agriculture and agricultural technology, with more than 22 facilities in Alberta playing an important role in ag research and innovation.
Post-secondary institutions in and around Calgary are educating the next generation of agricultural leaders. Schools offering specialized training in horticulture, food safety and quality, livestock genetics, crop science and veterinary sciences contribute to a vibrant talent base. These research and training institutions have demonstrated an interest in collaboration and strengthening the training offerings of the region and are home to promising applied research projects like the Olds SmartFarm.
With a history rooted in agriculture and a critical mass of companies, Calgary is home to a workforce with specialized skills and technical talent. In 2018, Alberta’s agri-food industry employed 75,600 people, throughout various subsectors and specialties. In Alberta, 64% of the province aged 25-64 has a postsecondary education, the largest proportion of Canada’s Western provinces. The region’s agricultural training institutions also help to create a potential workforce with relevant knowledge and training in agriculture.
Closely linked to these institutions is a strong research and innovation presence in the region, specifically within the production element of the agricultural value chain. The area is known for rapid adoption of new technology, with a strong applied research presence. In 2020, the University of Calgary announced the creation of the Simpson Centre for Agricultural and Food Innovation and Public Education, highlighting significant effort to grow research capability in agrifood and agribusiness with a social and economic context.
A unique partnership between Calgary Economic Development and Olds College, the corridor leverages Calgary’s global corporate presence and distribution hub with Olds College’s Smart Farm applied research pillar and integrated learning.
Through the corridor, companies and entrepreneurs have access to a world-class agribusiness environment that supports the development and scaling of new technologies designed to drive innovation in smart agri-food production.
United Farmers of Alberta and Zone Startups Calgary, an accelerator for pilot-ready tech startups, announced a partnership to support early-stage ag technology companies with technical and commercial validation through their program offerings.
See why Calgary is the engine of the Agriculture industry and what’s driving the region’s agribusiness ecosystem.
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