Alberta’s current slogan may in fact be “The Heart of the West”, although an increasing percentage of the Alberta based population would think it should be “The Place of Big Pay Cheques and diminishing middle class.” Many Canadians uproot their families and leave their lives behind and move to the province of oil in hopes of earning their riches. Eventually, many soon realize living in Calgary is nearly impossible due to economics. Households earning less than a six –figure income are increasingly under pressure to sustain an acceptable and/or minimum standard of living
According to the University of Alberta’s Parkland Institute as quoted by Kelly Cryderman in the November 11, 2013 globe and mail, “Calgary is Canada’s most unequal city, as the bottom 90 percent of income earners saw an average increase in pay of only $2,000 between 1982 and 2010.” The standard and cost of living is increasing each year while the majority of workers have not kept pace. This could lead to the collapse of the middle class in Calgary. It is estimated 14% living of Calgarians are living in poverty; unless you are fortunate enough to get a job in oil/gas or energy industry, living in Calgary is a struggle for many.