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Calgary Facts Weather, demographics, cost of living and more — find out how Calgary stacks up! Grow Your Career Explore opportunities available in the key sectors driving Calgary's economy.

Attractions Looking for things to do? Calgary: A city where everyone is welcome In Calgary, we celebrate and support all of the people who make our city great in a number of different ways. Country of Origin: El Salvador. Patricia Cruz left El Salvador during the civil war. She was newly married and pregnant when she arrived in Canada in She left her career in medicine and her loving grandparents.

While raising her two children in the 80s, she went to college and gained a marketing and business diploma. She started her career as a senior Outreach Coordinator in the 90s and created the first video and manual How to Reach Isolated Seniors in Dense Apartment Buildings , funded by the federal government.

Over her 22 years in business, Cruz hired, trained and encouraged thousands of women to pursue their dreams. Many of them graduated from nursing, doctors while working. This made her win the Latin American Inspirational award in In , she founded a non-profit society called Senior Link Independent Living Society dedicated to helping lonely and vulnerable seniors who were isolated due to physical and mental health issues. Her passion for seniors and immigrant women has led her to join many boards in the community.

She formed a team of Latin and Canadian seniors who worked together and sent 3 containers to the most affected areas. Cruz has become an icon in the health care industry.

She leads programs to serve the health authorities. Her courage, faith and kindness has been appreciated by many and recently her own staff entered her in a contest as the kindest person in Canada, gaining more than 1, votes in the community.

She is focused on developing her theory of practice from a social work perspective, which considers how lived experience impacts and influences public policy development and implementation, possibly impacting changes to Canadian foreign policy, domestic employment and affordable housing policies. Kotchapaw has also developed a program specifically for Black youth who share her aspirations of being public leaders, but who also faced similar challenges to exposure and learning opportunities.

In March , Kotchapaw officially launched the Black Diplomats Academy, the first of its kind in Canada focusing on Black aspiring diplomats and the concept of Black diplomacy. In this experiential learning program, 25 fellows engage directly with diplomats and non-diplomatic representatives from Global Affairs Canada and other foreign affairs leaders, to discuss a wide range of global policy topics including human rights and advocacy for Black diplomacy through the UN Decade for People of African Descent.

Beyond the immediate impact of how this program is positively changing the career outlook and trajectory for these young people, this program is also a broader structural solution for advancing social justice, equity and access to leadership development opportunities for Black communities in Canada and globally.

Most recently, in June , Kotchapaw was recommended for the prestigious U. Kotchapaw is a highly sought-after panelist and consultant. She addresses topics of intentional program design for structural change, navigating entry into hidden and emerging job markets and avoiding mission drift!

Her mother conceived her in Canada; she was born in Pakistan and migrated to her soul country, Canada in , with her husband and two children. The journey of losing her self-esteem and self-identity continued until she was introduced to MWC, where she started volunteering as an outreach co-ordinator and photojournalist in Today, she serves as the executive director of MWC.

Under her leadership and guidance, the organization has done tremendous work to achieve its vision and has served hundreds of women across regions. In addition, her excellent networking and outreach skills helped the council to collaborate with more than organizations, groups, clubs and networks. She served as a project co-ordinator for Malton Community Building Project, from to She promoted civic awareness, community engagement and social justice amongst diverse communities.

Under her leadership, the project was able to create some legacies. In , she worked as community engagement co-ordinator for Toronto West Local Immigration. Summing up her work in words is like capturing an ocean in a bowl.

She is a community developer by heart, she is there for anyone and everyone. She is a mother, leader, fighter, artist, inspiration and a role model for many. Country of Origin: Fiji. From , Patel rose through increasingly influential positions in the post-secondary education sector — from kinesiology instructor at Langara College to its division chair in health sciences, dean then associate vice president of international education, and vice president external development — to his recent appointment as president and CEO of Vancouver Community College VCC.

Leading the oldest public post-secondary institution in B. Throughout the pandemic, Patel creatively mobilized existing resources and successfully leveraged external partnerships to launch a series of COVID relief initiatives.

Patel is an exemplary Indo-Fijian Canadian who through his leadership and public service, inspires and touches the lives of many.

Frederick Dryden was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He migrated to Collingwood Ontario, when he was 11 years old. After experiencing abuse as a teen, he was inspired to start Liberty For Youth in Dryden ran more than kilometres and conducted more than 72 speaking engagements along the route.

The book captures his at-risk teen years, when he experienced homelessness and abuse, along with his Run For Youth journey. The rural-based programming will allow for multiple program spaces, outdoor use year-round and farm experiences beyond the inner-city lifestyle. A large focus of the program will be on improving mental and physical health through restorative experiential learning.

Watch this video of Dryden to learn more. Ng holds a bachelor of arts and two diplomas in film studies. From its onset in , he found opportunities for technological innovation within the industry. He was an early adopter of industry drone services, brought Matterport a 3D scanning technology to Canada in , and was the first to implement 3D printing for architectural purposes.

Partnering with more than 3D printing professionals and enthusiasts, they produced more than , pieces of PPE to date. As co-chair of the Future Leaders of St. The campaign targeted a younger demographic and resulted in a large-scale photomosaic mural of the participants with a layer of AR technology displayed in downtown Vancouver.

Ng is on the board of directors for the SUCCESS Foundation, which assists and empowers immigrants at all stages of their life in Canada through services such as language, housing, employment, settlement and community engagement. Ng is a board advisor for the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, celebrating diversity and minority representation in film.

He was also awarded with the Amethyst Award, the highest order of recognition for excellence in Ontario Public Service. Maharjan has been a true advocate to promote diversity and inclusion in these sectors and leads by example in promoting internationally trained professionals.

His municipal and institutional clients and colleagues consider Maharjan as trusted advisor in his professional field. He spreads positivity, planning and patience as a recipe to a successful career in Canada with all aspiring newcomers.

Raised in Nepal, Maharjan is the eldest of two siblings and has called Canada home for almost 11 years with his wife and year-old daughter. He believes in continuing education and looks for learning opportunities with every interaction every day.

Within six months of immigrating to Canada and at the age of 14, Leena Ronak Yousefi began washing dishes at Taco Time and worked various labour jobs to pay for her education. Today, she is a multi-award-winning lawyer, accredited mediator and the founder of YLaw, the fastest growing female-led law firm in Western Canada.

In , she was named by Lexpert as the only family lawyer in Canada to become one of Rising Stars of the legal profession. A week in her life was featured on BBC. Yousefi has been successful on numerous precedent-setting cases including those on cultural and matrimonial issues for Canadian immigrants, child abduction , child alienation and more. Yousefi obtained her undergraduate degree with distinction from the University of Victoria and went on to obtain her Juris Doctor from the same university in She currently manages two law firms with two more opening in , all while raising an infant and practicing as a lawyer.

At the age of 20, Yousefi found herself suffering from chronic depression and anxiety due to the trauma of living through war in her childhood and the cultural shock experienced as a teenager when she immigrated to Canada from Iran. She was then expelled from university. Then one day she decided to turn her pain into a lethal force that jolted her back to university, straight As, acceptance to almost all law schools in Canada, and her eventual career in law as a leading lawyer and entrepreneur.

She is the first female lawyer in Canada to implement four-day work weeks for a law firm of her size and has been at the forefront of advocating for mental health. With four young daughters in tow, they arrived in Canada.

Watching them face systemic challenges, Gupta wanted to make Canada a better place. She excelled in academics thanks to the support of her Canadian teachers in the International Baccalaureate program. It was her teachers and mother who sparked her desire to pursue a career in law.

She is a graduate of University of Toronto — St. Early on, Gupta saw that a lot of things were broken in the way professionals talked about self-care and mental health.

It did not take her long to realize her lifelong goal: help people reach their potential through meditation, yoga and community empowerment. The honour is just one of many accolades Gupta has received as the founder of Mindful Lawyer Canada, a health technology startup. With Mindful Lawyer, Gupta travels across Canada to shine a new light on inclusive mental health and wellness.

By teaching me what pain and humiliation were all about, he awakened my heart to mercy. Through these hardships I learned hard lessons … never be discouraged by hard times and hard people. Embrace those who are placed last, to whom even bottom looks like up. She mentors foreign-trained lawyers and law students, helping to advance their legal careers in Canada. She has devoted herself to advocating for diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace and serves as a board director with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers and South Asian Bar Association of Toronto.

Gupta is a Council Member with the Ontario Bar Association, an organization serving 16, lawyers, judges and members. A pioneer and expert in ESG environment, social and governance , sustainability and social responsibility in mining, Silvana Costa has contributed significantly to sustainable practices in the mining industry — one of the most important economic sectors and employers in Canada.

For almost 18 years Silvana has been an agent of positive change, an inspiring role model and a mentor for other women in a heavily male-dominated sector. Her long-standing commitment to the Oficina Curumim Parents Society in the Lower Mainland BC , whose mission is to ensure children of Brazilian immigrants learn Portuguese as a heritage language and celebrate Brazilian culture, has supported many Brazilian immigrant families to embrace their new lives in Canada while retaining cultural ties to Brazil.

A mother of two children, Costa was one of the founding members of the Oficina Curumim Parents Society and has served as the President and a Board Director since Throughout the COVID pandemic she provided the courageous leadership that helped the organization to operate without incident while increasing the number of programs offered to new families. Born in Bahia, Brazil, Costa came to Canada in for post-secondary education in environmental design and community planning.

Since completing her PhD, reconciliation, Indigenous inclusion, and sustainable development have been at the core of her commitment to the betterment of Canadian society. She has facilitated the active participation of First Nations in mining projects and directly contributed to improved social responsibility and Indigenous engagement practices of mining companies working in Canada and abroad.

As Director Social Responsibility for Equinox Gold in Vancouver, Costa continues to advocate for meaningful Indigenous and community engagement, inclusion and equity, and sustainable development.

Souvankham Thammavongsa is the author of four acclaimed poetry books, and the short story collection How to Pronounce Knife , winner of the Scotiabank Giller prize and Trillium Book Award.

It is also available in French, with foreign rights sold in China, Korea and Turkey. Her second book was made into a short film by Paramita Nath, available here.

Thammavongsa was a judge for the Griffin Poetry Prize, and is editor of its anthology this year. President, Futurevic Global Sourcing Inc. With more than 20 years of experience in international business and 16 years of volunteer in serving Canadian communities, Jaclyn Jie Zhang has devoted her career to entrepreneurship, innovation and growth. Zhang is the president of Futurevic Global Sourcing Inc.

Zhang also leads the Canada China Trade Innovation Alliance CCTIA , a non-profit organization to facilitate the advancement of innovative bilateral trade as well as to promote cultural and technology exchange between businesses in Canada and China. In the past five years, CCTIA has promoted more than 90 projects overseas from potential projects. CCTIA has hosted five consecutive Innovation Forums in the sectors of agri-food, clean technology, healthcare and commerce with more than participants.

With unremitting efforts, the organization led by Zhang has contributed to the signing of MOU and cooperation agreements between Canadian and Chinese health institutions. Zhang has lived in Ontario since Through her efforts, she has contributed to the creation of employment opportunities, support of multiculturalism and the promotion of trade.

She has demonstrated the spirit of immigration with perseverance and hard work. She was awarded the Leading Women Building Communities in The province of Ontario recognized her for her exceptional community leadership to improve the lives of girls and women in Ontario.

Zhang believes the company grows with the community development and needs contribute to the community. He currently operates within the capacity of a design strategist at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and is working toward his chartered professional accounting designation with CPA Ontario.

Following his resignation, he decided to return to university. He worked full-time from 9am to 5pm and attended classes from 7pm to 10pm. He then graduated in with an honours degree in accounting.

In , his challenges grew as he lost his apartment while facing an enormous amount of debt. With nowhere to go and no savings, he resided at a partially uninhabited home owned by his in-law. Smith sought to use this opportunity to clear his debts and did so successfully. In this, Smith found his passion and would volunteer his time in different communities to teach people about financial literacy. To date, more than 3, people have benefited from this initiative.

Smith is now a mentor to several in Toronto and Jamaica. He founded a voluntary scholarship program, which awards a male and female that demonstrate strong leadership and community development skills each year. He authored and published his first book entitled, Living Purposefully Beyond the Walls of the Ghetto as he continues to inspire youth. A digital platform for psychological wellbeing is also being explored. Arriving in Canada, Tsimerinov encountered many obstacles. Undeterred, he persisted, graduating from Rotman Commerce and receiving the George J.

Leonidas Graduation Award in Commerce and Finance. Tsimerinov brings top-level global executives and Canadian leaders of various backgrounds together to create dynamic impact.

He is honoured to contribute a Canadian perspective at global summits, and as a speaker at conferences from New York to New Delhi. Boris helped create two case studies, one based on situations he encountered and taught at several of these schools. Additionally, he received the University of Toronto Arbor Award for outstanding volunteer service. Scientist entrepreneur City: Burnaby, B. Country of Origin: Mexico.

Viridiana Perez was born and raised in Mexico City. She immigrated to Canada in Later on, while carrying out postdoctoral research at Simon Fraser University, she earned a graduate certificate in science and technology commercialization from the Beedie School of Business and a Certificate in University Teaching and Learning. As a woman in STEM, her contributions extend beyond her academic achievements. Perez actively engages the community through science outreach events focused on empowering young women to unlock and reach their full potential in STEM fields.

Alive program as well as other science outreach events with local K schools. In a radio interview with Global News CKNW, she raised awareness about the dangers and benefits of nanomaterials, as well as the urgent need for regulatory guidelines around safety of such materials. The company was also awarded first place for its business plan at the Apex competition hosted by the University of New Brunswick in Her startup focuses on commercializing portable instrumentation to protect workers from exposure to toxic metal nanomaterials, a risk often overlooked in various industries.

Her research focuses on designing interactive technologies that empower people, improve lives, and contribute to solving many societal problems. She applies her work to tackle real-life problems in various domains including improving a wide range of health and wellness objectives such as mental health.

She has won millions of dollars from competitive grant funding to support her work. With more than scientific papers, Orji has won more than 60 prestigious awards and recognitions for her outstanding achievements both in academia and in society at large.

She also won many research excellence awards and a digital leadership award as a Women Leader in Digital Economy for her work in advancing technology.

Orji is a renowned speaker who has delivered more than speeches including speaking at a United Nations panel and at Canadian Parliaments. Above all, Orji is a champion of diversity and inclusion in STEM through her numerous activities and using herself as a practical example. She is passionate about inspiring the next generation of youth and female tech leaders, promoting research excellence, equity, diversity and inclusion in STEM.

She is a positive influencer and mentor who broke the barriers of growing up in a disadvantaged background and making a great impact on the global stage. She graduated as a top student with first-class honours standing in all her studies and was recognized by various governments. Since , ComIT has been working with those less fortunate who are in need of a no-cost training strategy. ComIT has expanded its program nationwide, helping more than people per year, offering them full access to a tailored IT education so they can take their rightful role in the Canadian economy.

In , Listingart was featured by the federal government of Canada on their ImmigrationMatters campaign where his story and work was shared to portray the importance of immigrants in the future of the country. In , ComIT launched along with Google Canada and the support of organizations such as Indspire, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and many others, its Recoding Futures program for Indigenous learners, reaching people across the country with an interest in pursuing a career in IT.

More than people already participated in the trainings, from coast to coast. Raised in Buenos Aires, Listingart is the youngest child of a low-mid class family and has called Canada home for six years. City: Victoria, B. Country of Origin: Pakistan. Through his lived experiences of being a person of colour and an immigrant, he understands what it takes to create a space that encourages belonging. As a volunteer, he has led numerous organizations where he has played a significant role in transforming organizations and engaging the community.

Tharani is a digital health professional with 22 years of experience in the social services sector across Canada and internationally. He has worked nationally and internationally in both public and private sectors. Throughout his career, he has continued to support many professionals through coaching, mentorships, co-op placements and employment opportunities.

He is the founder and CEO of a boutique digital health consulting company providing bespoke management consulting services to clients in Canada and abroad. Tharani was recently elected to the board of Digital Health Canada, where he will contribute to and influence the development and advancement of the Canadian digital health industry.

Tharani arrived in Canada in as the youngest of four siblings, all of whom were born in Pakistan. His parents made Pakistan home for more than two decades before making the life altering decision to move their family to Canada. Arriving in Canada as a teenager, Tharani looked to his siblings as role models for navigating his new identity as a Canadian.

This transition at such a pivotal age, was the beginning of his journey in articulating his personal values of authenticity, trust and empowerment. He currently resides in Victoria, B. Director, global supply chain logistics, Apotex Inc. Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, Alma Arzate relocated with her family to Canada in , where they had no family or friends.

Back then, she had to make the decision to take a step back in her career as part of the move. Arzate is now a director, global supply chain logistics for Apotex Inc, where she leads a diverse team of supply professionals. As a leader in the workplace, Arzate embraces inclusion and constantly provides opportunities to leverage the skills, education and experience of many immigrants.

Over the last few years, she has been involved in facilitating developmental moves or promotions for more than 30 of her team members.

She has made a positive impact on their self-confidence and career advancement. Many organizations reach out to Arzate to seek her advice and participation. Despite her hectic schedule, she constantly volunteers to assist. Her hope is that her audience will connect with her, learn from her journey and the many obstacles she has had to overcome to find her voice and be recognized as a leader in male-dominated industries and professions, and will get inspired to find ways to achieve their dreams and become the best version of themselves.

Honestly, if this helps to prove something, is that if I could do it, anyone can! Her family is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC , and they were working in the diplomatic field which is the main reason they moved around. Kumbakisaka studied international relations at the University of Manitoba, in addition to that she completed a course in peace building and conflict resolution at the University of Ottawa and recently completed a research work remotely with the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin, Germany.

Kumbakisaka was the Canadian delegate at the UN where she elevated her voice in international dialogue, empowered youth to advocate for future generations and mobilized youth as agents of impact change. Now residing in Ottawa, Kumbakisaka is a foreign policy researcher and strategic communications and partnerships co-ordinator in the international cooperation sector with International Association of Political Science.

She also got appointed as the Global Ambassador of Canada for Youth Opportunities which is a large international youth organization for young professionals doing extraordinary things in both local and the international community. Her second job is with a union for federal government employees in Ottawa.

Being fascinated by sciences from a young age, Zeynep Cildir always found herself wanting to study medicine. Before she can start high school, her family had to immigrate to New Jersey Within the same year, her family had to move to Texas which then followed moving to Calgary within 3 months. Being discouraged by her grades dropping whenever they moved, Zeynep was hesitant to study sciences, and even was told by one of her teachers that she should not be thinking of going into medicine due to her grades.

Despite the discouragements, when her family moved to Ottawa, she started studying to get accepted into Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ottawa. Following her acceptance, her first semester did not go as planned as she had limited resources. With her willingness to learn and strong passion, she ended up getting 4. Just so other students do not go through the hardships and lack of resources she encountered, she co-founded Passionate Minds which is a non-profit helping students transitioning into university.

Additionally, she is a competing athlete and an undergraduate researcher. Additionally, she is working part-time as a Medical Office Assistant at CareMedics while maintaining her academic excellence. Juanita DeSouza-Huletey is a trailblazer. She wears many hats: an industry and community leader, educator, mentor, life coach and patron. DeSouza-Huletey has been a phenomenal pillar of the African community contributing enormously to its success and growth for several decades.

ACOMI website and fundraising activities. Advocating for immigrants, she works with prominent community and industry leaders to provide sustainable platforms, resources and support for successful integration in Canada. A champion for women in STEM careers, she has successfully transformed the lives of many by breaking barriers in the workplace, providing career mentorship and creating platforms for women to own and launch their success stories. An eloquent public speaker, DeSouza-Huletey leaves people roaring with laughter yet also sometimes they are moved to tears.

As a result, she is held in high esteem by her students, colleagues and community members. Her advice on integrating in Canada: stay positive, speak up, have courage even if you are the only one standing in the room representing your community. She is an internationally recognized researcher on immigrant health.

In , she was a collaborating researcher at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development and presented her work to international policy makers across UN organizations in Geneva. The African Child and Youth Migration Network is a network of around 35 researchers located worldwide. The program seeks to socially and economically empower Black youths to contribute meaningfully to society.

It is the first interdisciplinary, university-based mentorship program for Black youths in Western Canada. Several social service agencies have used her work to inform the design and development of their programs. For example, her work on the mental health of Black youth has informed the development of interventions and the creation of a mental health clinic for Black people in Alberta.

She is also currently associate editor for the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Bukola Salami migrated from Nigeria to Canada in President, Ni-Met Metals Inc. An immigrant does not have too many choices.

Failure is not an option, and success is not easy. Within a limited timeframe and with limited career choices, the immigrant must embark upon their new life in a new land and then furiously work to achieve goals. The challenges multiply multifariously when the immigrant chooses to become an entrepreneur. Group, chose the hard path of turning into an entrepreneur when he immigrated to Canada in Three decades later, by any measurable standards, Shah is immensely successful — despite the humble beginning and limited resources.

The reason for his success is simple. It is said that behind the success of every man is a woman. Shah explains in his case there are six women: his mother, his wife, his sister, his daughter, his daughter-in-law and his granddaughter. An eager and enthusiastic believer in the power of doing good and sharing his good fortune with the society, Shah has utilized his entrepreneurial skills to contribute to the Canadian economy through Ni-Met Metals Inc.

As a philanthropist, Shah is involved with community-based organizations. He never refuses any request for philanthropic assistance, and he has made a substantive difference to the Trillium Health Partners Foundation, the Canada India Foundation and the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce. As a public policy enthusiast, Shah has advocated for a better understanding and co-operation between Canada and India — two countries that share many commonalities. He dedicates his time and resources to promote bilateral trade, investment and runs a golf tournament, the proceeds of which are divided between families of fallen soldiers in Canada and India.

Learn more at www. Jack Rabba was born into abject poverty. During adolescence, his father was bedridden and at 13, Rabba had to take any job he could find in restaurants and hotels to support his parents and siblings. These jobs afforded him an opportunity to serve visitors from many nations, but it was the compassion and kindness of Canadians that sparked in him an undying love for our land.

Rabba immigrated in with only the promise of a clerical job at a hotel, the clothes on his back and his Canadian aspirations. Unwilling to take his opportunity for granted, he spent every moment focused on building a better life. He and his wife, Ingrid, were married at Old City Hall while they were both on their lunch break! Soon afterward, he got work as a convenience store manager.

Working long hours, Rabba was able to put a down-payment on a small convenience store in the heart of Toronto. He helped his parents and young siblings to immigrate a few years later and continued to carry his immigrant family on his shoulders while building a successful neighbourhood business. Before long he realized Torontonians were looking for more variety, so he expanded the store. Customers liked the new selection and so one small store became multiple neighbourhood markets.

In , Rabba renamed the chain and launched Rabba Fine Foods. Today, there are 36 locations across Ontario! Rabba has created thousands of jobs and he continues to give opportunity to, mentor and support new Canadians. His companies have also been proud contributors to countless charitable and community organizations.

Rabba also provides hundreds of thousands of dollars of food and financial donations annually to the Mississauga Food Bank to help support the goal of ending food insecurity. Throughout it all, Rabba remains a fiercely proud Canadian who still helps immigrants establish themselves in the great nation he idolized as a youth.

By making the most of his opportunities he has managed to help improve the lives of innumerable fellow Canadians. Alwar Pillai is the co-founder and CEO of Fable, an accessibility testing platform powered by people with disabilities. With Pillai leading the charge, Fable is helping world-renowned companies like Walmart, Shopify and Slack build products that work for everyone, and unlocking access to the digital world for millions of users.

Pillai grew up in India and attended an alternative school that focused on holistic learning and abstained from academic learning. At a young age, Pillai was made aware of her privilege and the role she can play in providing equal opportunity.

Pillai is passionate about sharing the importance of accessibility and inclusive design with people all around the world. Amir Miri is an experienced realtor with a focus on the Vancouver real estate market. He holds a dual bachelor of arts with honours in hotel management and tourism from Manchester Metropolitan University and IMI University in Switzerland.

Miri comes from a family of real estate investors, architects and interior designers, giving him the ultimate real estate understanding.

Miri brings constant and needed change to the real estate sector in Vancouver. With his wealth of experience and education, he has utilized strategies that have contributed to the growth of exclusive luxury hotels such as Four Seasons hotels and resorts, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Kempinski hotel groups, and Starwood hotel group.

When Miri is not helping clients get the best deals in real estate or talking at conferences, Miri sits on the board of directors at the Canadian Iranian Foundation, a charitable organization that facilitates the social and cultural integration of newly arrived immigrants in Canada. His involvement in the Canadian Iranian Foundation, which is a non-profit organization has allowed him to help families in need and provide scholarships to students. The organization also educates and advises new immigrants about education, charitable work and social reform in Canada.

Having been an immigrant himself, Miri uses his wealth of experience to train new immigrants on what they can expect in Canada. Born with a natural interest in people and foreign communities, Ankur Mahajan stumbled upon a globe at the age of six, and could not stop wondering what happens in other parts of the world. Following this passion, Mahajan has lived in 14 countries globally. When he got here in , starting life alone in Canada was tough for him. No one was willing to hire him without Canadian experience.

So, he decided to contribute to the Canadian International Development Programs in war-torn countries. Mahajan served for years in war-torn areas of rural Afghanistan and African nations until , while receiving recognition for numerous development initiatives related to gender equality, food security and more.

Following his passion for documenting the culture of war zones and a desire to assist struggling charities, Mahajan authored his bestselling memoir Life Beyond Bullets , about humanity in diversity. All royalties from this memoir are donated to Canadian NGOs. He continued to volunteer with humanitarian groups like the Ottawa Mission, Canadian University Service Overseas, among others.

He received an Assistant Deputy Minister award for providing outstanding service as a public servant for the tumultuous year As a competitive judo athlete, Mahajan achieved successful results at the provincial and national levels, and also represented Canada internationally. Despite exploring more than a dozen countries, Mahajan sees Canada as the home of actualization.

An internationally acclaimed Indian classical vocalist, Ramneek Singh is a highly coveted musician who performs in Canada and all around the world. Rajan Mishra. The Calgary Olympics pioneered the use of community volunteers — something Canadians pride themselves on.

The Stampede is a rodeo where cowboys from different places gather to showcase their talents. Hotels and flights get very busy and expensive during this time, so book early. Most of downtown Calgary shuts down during the Stampede to join in the festivities.

For more, read our 10 things to do in Calgary guide. Calgary is a mountain-high city at 1, metres above sea level. The climate is dry, with generally low levels of humidity. More often than not it is mild, especially when compared with most of Canada. This can make living in Calgary in an attractive prospect. Weather in Calgary is characterised by four distinct seasons. It almost always cools off comfortably at night, when frost can occur at any time of the year.

The most distinctive characteristic of a Calgary winter is the Chinook. This is a warm wind from the Pacific Ocean that can raise the temperature by as much as 15 degrees in a few hours.

When the dark Chinook arch appears in the western sky, the warm wind is about to blow in. One day you might be wearing your winter jacket, the next, a short-sleeved shirt and shorts. Running enthusiasts have been known to boast that they have run in shorts on at least one day in every month of the year, even in the depths of winter.

May is typically a windy month, while June has above average rainfall. July and August are the warmest months. Calgary receives low amounts of annual rainfall, with most of its annual precipitation coming in the form of snow during the winter months. Depending on the year and the frequency of the warm Chinook winds, winter snowfall events may only remain visible for a few days.

If you were to visit Calgary, August is known to be the most pleasant month in terms of weather. And if you plan on living in Calgary year-round, make sure your wardrobe is fit for all seasons. Around one-in-three people living in Calgary were born outside Canada , so the city is very diverse.

Calgary is ethnically diverse, with a population that is made up of many immigrants from outside Canada, with large Filipino, Indian, and Chinese communities. Just over one-third of the population is a visible minority. These are people who immigrated to Canada, settled elsewhere Toronto or Vancouver, for example before deciding to relocate again.

Explore more City of Calgary recreation and sports options here. This booming city has plenty of wealth, but Calgary living costs are lower than in its coastal neighbour Vancouver.

This is due in part to Alberta having no sales tax and a lower price of gasoline and natural gas. The cost of living in Calgary is high relative to smaller towns around Alberta, but quite reasonable compared with many other Canadian cities. There is a good supply of rental properties, most of which are only available unfurnished. Learn more about the cost of living in Calgary. The C-Train rolls through Calgary all year round. Calgary is served by buses and light rail transit the C-Train.

The C-Train can prove useful, but note that living in Calgary can be tough without access to a vehicle. For detailed and concise info on transport in Calgary, visit our dedicated page.

A special thank you to Sharon Whelton and Michael Brophy for their help with this section. Calgary has a huge variety of cafes, restaurants, and pubs. All of them have an impressive offering in terms of dining out. Many restaurants in Calgary have daily specials that are particularly good value if you want to treat yourself any day of the week. Here is a list of 10 places that are each unique and have great cuisine, as well as providing a variety of atmospheres.

Many of the options listed below can be found throughout Calgary, making it a great excuse to explore the city, but 17 th Avenue is typically the best place to go as many of the best pubs and restaurants are situated here. This beautiful Nepalese restaurant is located in a popular South-West residential hotspot on 17th Avenue. The interior is beautifully decorated, with stunning canvas paintings of traditional Himalayan scenes dotted across the walls.

The menu includes plenty of curry and noodle dishes, most of which are available in all levels of spiciness — beware that medium would be hot enough for most foodie daredevils! The Vegetable Mo:Mo is a light, delicate, exquisite starter, which can be shared with others while waiting for the sizeable main courses. This delightful British pub is located on 17 th Ave SW, barely a five-minute drive from the busier nightlife spots on this popular street.

There are great value food and drink specials any day of the week, so keep it in mind if you want to treat yourself on a low budget. This bulging feast includes an egg and delicious onion ring inside two tasty burger buns. You might have come across this chain elsewhere in Canada, but this is the only location in the entirety of Alberta.

This noodle dish contains lots of chunky vegetables and Asian greens. Its downtown location means that it usually gets quite busy in the evenings, giving it a lively, youthful atmosphere. Go for the Tennessee Lemonade for a tangy whiskey hit to wash down your meal!

Oriental Phoenix is a fantastic Vietnamese restaurant.