Calgary Tops Global City Prosperity Ranking

Wooster · #1 Posted **Apr 7, 2009, 8:44 PM**

Rankings aren't worth paying too much attention to, but this is kind of interesting I guess. By the Toronto board of Trade.

Overall Ranking:

1 Calgary A (0.66)
2 Dallas B (0.54)
3 Hong Kong B (0.52)
T4* Toronto C (0.50)
Boston C (0.50)
London C (0.50)
New York C (0.50)
T8* Vancouver C (0.49)
Seattle C (0.49)
10 Quebec City C (0.45)
11 Shanghai C (0.44)
12 San Francisco D (0.43)
13 Montreal D (0.42)
14 Chicago D (0.38)
15 Paris D (0.37)
16 Los Angeles D (0.36)
Barcelona N/A
Madrid N/A
Oslo N/A
Rome N/A
Stockholm N/A

http://www.bot.com/Content/Navigatio..._scorecard.pdf

http://www.bot.com/AM/Template.cfm?S...entDisplay.cfm

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...l_gam_mostview

Calgarian · #2 Posted **Apr 7, 2009, 9:03 PM**

woot woot, #1!

Rusty van Reddick · #3 Posted **Apr 7, 2009, 9:15 PM**

Very interesting! Thanks!

wild wild west · #4 Posted **Apr 9, 2009, 5:14 PM**

Uh oh...the secret is out!

Amusing to check the G&M rants (they call them comments)...funny how Calgary and Toronto are Canada's lightning rods for east-west clashes in this country.

Anyways, it would be fun to stir things up a bit and put this in the Canada section

reflexzero · #5 Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 5:02 PM**

It's interesting. I'm making more money than I ever have in my life, and I'm still broke living in this city. My wife and I get to go out for dinner, or a movie once a month, and I've taken one vacation in the last 9 years. Not really feeling all that prosperous.

freeweed · #6 Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 5:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by reflexzero

It's interesting. I'm making more money than I ever have in my life, and I'm still broke living in this city. My wife and I get to go out for dinner, or a movie once a month, and I've taken one vacation in the last 9 years. Not really feeling all that prosperous.

"Making more money" could mean you're literally making 12 cents above your last highest income. Put that up against a 50% higher mortgage, and yup - no disposable cash.

I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. I've been hearing for years about how Calgary is so bloody expensive for everything, and yet I have more money than I know what to do with. Figuratively speaking, of course - what I really mean is that for the first time in my life I'm not living paycheque-to-paycheque.

Even in the poorest city on the planet, someone is doing very well for themselves. And vice-versa.

Surrealplaces · #7 Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 7:20 PM**

Hopefully this doesn't end up in the Canada section.....we'll never hear the end of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wild wild west

Uh oh...the secret is out!

Amusing to check the G&M rants (they call them comments)...funny how Calgary and Toronto are Canada's lightning rods for east-west clashes in this country.

Anyways, it would be fun to stir things up a bit and put this in the Canada section

Surrealplaces · #8 Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 7:22 PM**

The so called prosperity affects everyone differently. Generally, anyone who's been here, and working for 9 years, should be benefiting from all of this, but there's always exceptions to the rule.

Quote:

Originally Posted by reflexzero

It's interesting. I'm making more money than I ever have in my life, and I'm still broke living in this city. My wife and I get to go out for dinner, or a movie once a month, and I've taken one vacation in the last 9 years. Not really feeling all that prosperous.

reflexzero · #9 Posted **Apr 20, 2009, 2:33 PM**

Well, I have worked for the city since February, and my 40% raise in income from my last job is mostly gobbled up by taxes, union dues and pension payments. So, technically speaking, while the actual amount of take home cash isn't 40% more than it was before, my long term prosperity has increased, because now there is some hope of retirement.

But seriously, it's the take home cash that has the feel-good factor, and a 40% increase in gross really only equals 18% net after deductions.

So, to be fair, yes, I am more prosperous, but I don't feel more prosperous.
But my house will be paid off before I am 40.

freeweed · #10 Posted **Apr 20, 2009, 3:26 PM**

I think it shows just how freaking prosperous Calgary is overall that someone could, with a straight face, talk about how an 18% net increase in pay doesn't really feel like much.

Where I come from, that's just about 10 years worth of raises. Most people I grew up with would be dancing in the streets to see something like that.

And yes, I've done the exact same thing - brushed off a 10% raise as "meh, it only feels like a few bucks a week more". Which was met with some serious hostility by some friends of mine.