'Blue Sky City': Calgary unveils new brand

Calgary has a new brand and it's looking up.

'Blue Sky City' has been unveiled as the new identity for the city after nearly two years of work and consultations with 129 organizations across 26 sectors.

"It’s time to tell our own story or continue having others tell it for us. A strong, authentic and aspirational brand supports long-term growth and will align us around a shared vision for the future," said Brad Parry, the president and CEO of Calgary Economic Development (CED).

The new brand was released as part of CED's 2024 Report to the Community on Wednesday.

'Blue Sky City' represents both the 330-plus days of annual sunshine Calgary receives and tells the story of "being a city of blue-sky thinking and innovation, a place of unexpected possibilities and a place of confluence — where peoples, lands, cultures and ideas converge," the CED report reads.

Members of various community groups -- including Tourism Calgary, the Calgary Stampede, Calgary Chamber of Commerce, and the Centre for Newcomers, Calgary Arts Development and more -- were on hand to announce the new brand.

"As an evolving city, we wanted to gain a deeper understanding of how Calgarians see our city, and what resonates for them about who our city is and how we can better tell that story collectively,” said Cindy Ady, the CEO of Tourism Calgary.

Calgary was due for a refreshed brand that better represents the business community and people from all ages, ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations, the brand release material added.

A logo for the 'Blue Sky City' branding will be unveiled in the months to come.

As part of its Report to the Community, CED said it has created or retained more than 7,000 jobs and attracted more than $734 million in investments in 2023.

More than 60 ventures capital deals were closed last year with value of $501 million, the report states.