Employees find meaningful work at the City of Calgary

Renee Walker’s connection with the City of Calgary began when she was just nine years old, growing up in a household where both parents worked but there wasn’t always money for expensive recreational activities and camps so these activities were limited.

"I was a participant at the Park n' Play summer program, which is one of the programs that I supervise now,” says Walker. “It gave me a sense of ownership, like I belonged in my community. That’s really where I fell in love with social programming.”

As Walker grew up, she started volunteering in Calgary’s day camps, landing a job as a recreational leader while in university. Now, in her current role as the team lead of social programs, she oversees a team of 200 front-line employees, who deliver programs grounded in social development and emotional literacy.

Like Walker, most of her team started as participants in the City’s programs and are a reflection of Calgary’s diverse population. The team frequently eats lunch together, sharing food and cultural traditions as well as providing an opportunity for in-person collaboration.

“For me, it’s really about the impact we make on the greater community and on individual lives where our programming is helping build that sense of belonging and connection,” says Walker. “We intentionally offer programs in marginalized communities, focusing on families with more complex backgrounds, to help eliminate the financial barriers that might otherwise prevent access.”

One of the most popular programs is Koko’sinooniks (“all our children” in Blackfoot), a culturally-based program that Walker and her team developed alongside Indigenous Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers in the community.

“It’s open to everyone, but really is focused on the urban Indigenous population,” says Walker. “We’re on Treaty Seven land, which is Blackfoot territory, but the children come from a variety of different nations, so we’ll bring different Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers to complement the population that we’re serving. As a Métis person, I was missing a program like this when I was a kid, but being able to connect with the Indigenous community has impacted me profoundly as an adult. I’m excited about the content that we deliver in our programs.

“This is the kind of meaningful work that makes a difference in the lives of people who live here.”

David Duckworth, chief administrative officer, says the City of Calgary is committed to reconciliation, anti-racism and inclusion, not just within its organization but in the community.

“We have an anti-racism program team with leaders who listen and learn from those with lived experiences, so that we have a better understanding of how we can make a difference,” says Duckworth. “Additionally, we have a dedicated team in our Indigenous relations office to help move us down the path of truth and reconciliation.

"As the third most diverse city in Canada, we're also trying to ensure that our workforce, consisting of City colleagues and police officers, actually looks like our community and feels a sense of belonging at work."

Duckworth says that one of the most meaningful things he hears from employees is how they enjoy directly seeing the impact of their work on the community, because they see it every day where they live.

"Our vision, our common purpose as an employee, is to make life better every day for Calgarians,” says Duckworth. “And we like to listen to what’s important to Calgarians and turn it into action. So, whether an employee is cutting grass or is an accountant, lawyer, designer or engineer, we all have an ability to have a small stake in making life better every day for our people.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Alberta’s Top Employers winners, published January 28, 2025 in the Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.