Calgary is the largest city in Alberta, Canada. It has a current population of just over one million people. The main industries in Calgary are oil and gas. Several other major Canadian corporations have their head offices in Calgary. The city has been one of the fastest growing in Canada, and the lowest unemployment rate in major centers. Because of the strong oil industry and western roots, Calgary is often referred to as the "Houston of Canada". In June 2008, Statistics Canada reported that Calgary has the highest rate of hate crime in the country, three times the national average. A white supremacist group in Calgary, The Aryan Guard, is known to recruit new members through the Stormfront organization by paying the security deposit on a new rental apartment if they relocate to the city.[1] Calgary is per capita the most conservative city in Canada, even more so than Edmonton.[2]
Calgary, along with a number of other areas in southern and central Alberta, were adversely affected by flooding caused by heavy rains and the subsequent overflows of the Bow, Elbow, Oldman and Highwood rivers in that part of the province in June 2013.[3] Calgary schools were closed and approximately 75,000 people were forced to evacuate homes located near the Bow and Elbow rivers due to the flooding, while the city's downtown area was also hit by the flood waters, leading city officials to request that the 350,000 people who work downtown remain home where possible.[4] When flood waters began receding later, city officials began lifting evacuation orders for several Calgary neighborhoods, allowing 65,000 residents affected by the flood to return to their homes and businesses,[5] while Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi announced that most parts of the downtown area would be ready to open again by about midweek once building assessments are finished and power is restored to the downtown core.[6]
Among the facilities in Calgary damaged by the flooding were the Calgary Stampede grounds and the Scotiabank Saddledome, the home arena of the NHL's Calgary Flames.[7] Flood waters inside the Saddledome were reported to have reached as high as the first ten rows of seats from ice level, while the arena's dressing rooms and video replay screen control room were also completely flooded and the Flames' equipment and team memorabilia were ruined by the flood. Flames president Ken King reported that the Saddledome's event level was a "total loss", then added that he expected the arena to be repaired and ready in time for the 2013-14 NHL season in October.
In addition to these Professional Sports Teams, Calgary was the host of the 1988 Winter Olympics, so it has a number of world class sports facilities.