Daycare demand creates prime opportunity for Calgary's downtown office properties to address service needs

Nearly 52% of children aged 0–6 in Alberta are enrolled in full-time licensed childcare, and demand continues to outpace capacity, with waitlists continuing to grow despite an increase in the number of spaces over the past 5 years. This demand is likely to continue, as Alberta leads the country in birthrate (1.45 children per woman), population growth (0.4% in Q1 2025), and median age (39.1 years).
With childcare needs rising alongside Calgary’s strong downtown office workforce, demand is growing for accessible daycare options in or near workplaces. As a result, daycare facilities are increasingly viewed as a valuable amenity for office properties, enhancing convenience for working parents and supporting tenant retention.
Of all daycare facilities in the Downtown area, 75% are located within an office building, while 25% are in residential or retail properties. Yet, only 7% of office buildings in Downtown Calgary have onsite daycare. The need for more integrated daycare facilities is at an all-time high. This presents a heightened opportunity for owners to capitalize on this growing demand to offer a valued and essential amenity to their tenants. Efforts are underway at the municipal and provincial levels to provide financial relief and zoning relaxations to facilitate daycare expansion.

28 août 2025

US-TX-HOU

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