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List of tallest buildings in Calgary

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List of tallest buildings in Calgary
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Calgary is the most populous city in the Canadian province of Alberta, with a municipal population of 1,491,900 and a metropolitan population of 1,778,881 as of 2024.[2] The fifth-largest metropolitan area in Canada, Calgary is a major energy, manufacturing, logistics, and financial centre in Western Canada. As of 2025, Calgary is home to 20 buildings taller than 150 metres (492 feet), five of which are taller than 200 m (656 ft). In that respect, it has more skyscrapers than any other municipality in Western Canada, more than the city of Vancouver or Burnaby.

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Downtown Calgary, with Calgary's four tallest buildings in the bottom right

Standing at 56 stories, 247 m (810 ft), the tallest building in the city, and the second tallest building in Alberta, is Brookfield Place.[3][4] The second-tallest building in the city is The Bow, standing at 58-storeys, 236 m (774 ft). The third-tallest building in the city is the 60-storey, 222-metre (728 ft) Telus Sky, which surpassed the 215-metre (705 ft) Suncor Energy Centre upon its completion in 2020.[5][6] While not a habitable building, the Calgary Tower, completed in 1967 at a height of 190.9 m (626 ft), is a major landmark on the skyline.

Calgary's history of towers began with the Grain Exchange Building (1910), the Fairmont Palliser Hotel (1914), and the Elveden Centre (1960–1964). Building construction remained slow in the city until the early 1970s. From 1970 to 1990, Calgary witnessed a major expansion of skyscraper and high-rise construction. Many of the city's office towers were completed during this period, such as the First Canadian Centre and the Canterra Tower office towers. A ten-year lull in building construction came after the expansion, though Calgary experienced a larger second building expansion beginning in the late 90s, which has continued to the early 2020s.[7]

Calgary has a relatively large skyline for its population. Almost all of Calgary's high-rises are located in or adjecent to Downtown Calgary, forming a dense core bounded to the north by the Bow River and Prince's Island Park. The city has height restrictions that prevent any building from casting a shadow over the Bow River and the city hall; however, shadows during winter months are excluded from this limit.

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History

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The Grain Exchange Building, the first building in Calgary with an elevator
Number of buildingsYear02040608010019601970198019902000201020202030Buildings taller than 100 m (328 ft)Buildings taller than 150 m (492 ft)Buildings taller than 200 m (656 ft)Growth of skyscrapers in Calgary by year

1900s–1960s

Among the earliest multi-storey buildings to be built in Calgary was the Grain Exchange Building, a six-storey building completed in 1908.[8] Considered a tall building at the time, it was the tallest building in the city upon completion, and functioned as a hub for grain businesses. It also contained Calgary's first passenger elevator.[9] The city's rapid growth cemented it as a major trading centre in Western Canada, and an influx of tourists encouraged the construction of the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in 1914. Originally built to eight storeys, four additional floors were added in 1929 to accommodate the city's further growth.

With few high-rises built in the first half of the 20th century, Fairmont Palliser Hotel stood as tallest building in Calgary for over four decades, until the completion of Elveden House in 1960. Elveden House formed the tallest component of a complex of three linked high-rise office towers.[10] More office buildings were constructed throughout the 1960s to host the city's increasing demand for office space, particularly its growing energy industry. One Calgary Place, completed in 1968, became the city's tallest building and the first in Calgary to exceed 100 m (328 ft) in height. In the same year, the Calgary Tower opened to the public as an observation tower. Built to honor Canada's centennial year of 1967 and to encourage urban renewal and growth of downtown Calgary,[11] the tower was by far the tallest structure in the city upon completion.

1970s–1980s

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A portion of the skyline as viewed from Calgary Tower in 1991, featuring Bow Valley Square prominently

With a booming population,[12] Calgary witnessed a major expansion of skyscraper and high-rise construction in the 1970s, mostly in commercial skyscrapers. The title of the city's tallest building was broken three times in this decade: first by Altius Centre in 1973, then by Bow Valley Square 2 in 1975, and finally by the Scotia Centre (now known as the Stephen Avenue Place) in 1976. Other significant high-rises include the Toronto-Dominion Square complex in 1977, with a large botanical garden at its base.

The record of Calgary's tallest building was broken a further two more times in the 1980s, as the boom in office construction continued. First Canadian Centre was completed in 1982, at a height of 166.7 m (547 ft). It was planned as the shorter building of a two-tower development; however, due to the early 1980s recession, the taller 64-storey skyscraper was never built. The last building in the Bow Valley Square complex was completed in 1982, a significant addition to the centre of the skyline. The twin towers of Western Canadian Place, built in 1983, expanded the skyline further southwest.

In 1984, the Petro-Canada Centre complex was completed, the western tower becoming Calgary's tallest building at 215 m (705 ft). The building also surpassed Calgary Tower as the city's tallest free-standing structure, and would remain so for 21 years. The complex, primarily occupied by Petro-Canada, proved controversial, as Petro-Canada was a federal Crown Corporation created under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's National Energy Program. Later Premier Peter Lougheed would blame the complex for the collapse of the Calgary real-estate boom due to oversupply.[13] The centre was privatized in 1991.

1990s–2000s

Following the completion of the TD Canada Trust Tower, construction of new office high-rises in Calgary slowed down significantly. Construction picked up towards the late 1990s. Some of the first skyscrapers from this later boom were the twin buildings of the Bankers Hall complex. Unlike many of Calgary's earlier skyscrapers, the skyscrapers were in a postmodernist architectural style. TransCanada Tower was completed in 2001 as the headquarters of TC Energy, reflecting the city's importance for the energy and hydrocarbon industry.

The 2000s also saw a diversification in high-rise usage, with a court facility, Calgary Courts Centre, built in 2007. Arriva 34 became Calgary's tallest residential high-rise in 2008, with a height of 128 m (420 ft), and marked an extension of the skyline towards the southeast; Five West East Tower, nearly as tall, was completed in the same year.

2010s–present

The 2010s saw Calgary's skyline reach greater heights than ever before. The Bow, completed in 2012 at 236 m (774 ft) tall, dethroned the Petro-Canada Centre, renamed the Suncor Energy Centre in 2009, as the city's tallest building. Its distinctive crescent shape forms a notable peak towards the east of the skyline. The Bow Tower was originally proposed to be at least 1,000 feet tall, but the height was reduced to comply with the city's height restrictions along the Bow River,[14] for which the building is named. Only four years later in 2016, Brookfield Place would succeed it as the city's tallest building, a title it holds today. The latest significant commercial skyscraper in Calgary, the mixed-use Telus Sky, was completed in 2020. Currently the city's third tallest building, Telus Sky is notable for its distinctive, "twisting" massing and pixelated facade.[15] Since 2020, no more office skyscrapers exceeding 120 m (394 ft) have been built.

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Telus Sky under construction in 2018 (left) and The Bow (right)

Residential high-rise construction has become increasingly commonplace since the 2010s. The Guardian, a two-tower residential complex built in 2016, adjoins Arriva 34, increasing the skyline's presence in the Victoria Park neighbourhood. The skyline has also extended towards Downtown East Village, particularly with the completion of the 142 m (466 ft) tall Arris Residences in 2024.[16] High-rise development has also spread southwards, towards the Beltline, with residential towers such as Two Park Central and The Oliver West, both completed in 2024. Currently under construction further south is the 29-storey 4th Street Lofts. The skyline is extending westwards as well, especially with the completion of the West Village Towers in 2021, now the joint tallest buildings in Downtown West End at 150 m (492 ft). This was followed by Eleven in 2024. Further west, in the neighbourhood of Sunalta, the 27-storey Sunalta Heights was completed in 2024.[17]

In July 2025, a proposal was made for pair of mixed-use skyscrapers with hotel and residential components near the BMO Centre. It is reported that both towers will be taller than Brookfield Place East. If so, the taller 69-story component would become Calgary's tallest building, and the tallest in Alberta and Western Canada as well, surpassing Edmonton's Stantec Tower. They are expected to be completed by 2030.[18] If built, they would mark a shift in the skyline's focal point from Downtown Calgary to Victoria Park.

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Tallest buildings

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This list ranks buildings in Calgary that stand at least 100 metres (328 feet) tall as of 2025, based on CTBUH height measurement standards. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. Freestanding observation and/or telecommunication towers, while not habitable buildings, are included for comparison purposes; however, they are not ranked. One such tower is the Calgary Tower.

  Was the tallest building in Calgary upon completion
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Towers

Observation towers

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(*) Although Calgary's two largest structures are actually CFCN-TV's twin communication towers, they are not self-supporting and are assisted by cables (guyed). This is not unlike most stand-alone communications antennae.

Other notable towers

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Tallest under construction or proposed

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Under construction

The following table ranks skyscrapers that are under construction in Calgary that are expected to be at least 100 m (328 ft) tall as of 2025, based on standard height measurement. The “Year” column indicates the expected year of completion. Buildings that are on hold are not included. A dash "–" indicates information about the building's height is currently unknown.

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Proposed

The following table ranks proposed and approved skyscrapers in Calgary that are expected to be at least 100 m (328 ft) tall as of 2025, based on standard height measurement. A dash "–" indicates information about the building's height is currently unknown.

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Timeline of tallest buildings

This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Calgary. Although it is not a building, the Calgary Tower was the city's tallest free standing structure from 1968 until 1983 when it was surpassed by the Suncor Energy Centre's West tower.

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Map of tallest buildings

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This map shows the location of buildings in Calgary that are taller than 100 m (328 ft). Each marker is coloured by the decade of the building's completion. There is only one building taller than 100 m located outside the scope of the map: Ovation at Westgate Park.

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About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
180m
196yds
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
46
45
44
43
42
41
40
39
38
37
37 Arriva 34
37 Arriva 34
36
36 Western Canadian Place - South
36 Western Canadian Place - South
35
35 Calgary Courts Centre
35 Calgary Courts Centre
34
34 Suncor Energy Centre - East
34 Suncor Energy Centre - East
33
33 Fifth Avenue Place West
33 Fifth Avenue Place West
32
32 Fifth Avenue Place East
32 Fifth Avenue Place East
31
31 Bow Valley Square 4
31 Bow Valley Square 4
30
29
29 Home Oil Tower
29 Home Oil Tower
28
27
27 Shell Centre
27 Shell Centre
26
25
25 Dome Tower
25 Dome Tower
24
23
23 Bow Valley Square 2
23 Bow Valley Square 2
22
21
20
19
18
18 801 Seventh Building
18 801 Seventh Building
17
17 Stephen Avenue Place
17 Stephen Avenue Place
16
15
15 TD Canada Trust Tower
15 TD Canada Trust Tower
14
14 Western Canadian Place - North
14 Western Canadian Place - North
13
13 First Canadian Centre
13 First Canadian Centre
12
12 Jamieson Place
12 Jamieson Place
11
11 TransCanada Tower
11 TransCanada Tower
10
10 Canterra Tower
10 Canterra Tower
9
9 Eighth Avenue Place II
9 Eighth Avenue Place II
8
8 Centennial Place - East
8 Centennial Place - East
7
7 Bankers Hall - East
7 Bankers Hall - East
6
6 Bankers Hall - West
6 Bankers Hall - West
5
5 Eighth Avenue Place I
5 Eighth Avenue Place I
4
4 Suncor Energy Centre - West
4 Suncor Energy Centre - West
3
3 Telus Sky
3 Telus Sky
2
2 The Bow
2 The Bow
1
1 Brookfield Place East
1 Brookfield Place East
Buildings taller than 100 m (394 ft) in Downtown Calgary. An asterisk (*) next to the name of the building indicates it is located outside the map.
  •  1960s 
  •  1970s 
  •  1980s 
  •  1990s 
  •  2000s 
  •  2010s 
  •  2020s 
1
Brookfield Place East
2
The Bow
3
Telus Sky
4
Suncor Energy Centre - West
5
Eighth Avenue Place I
6
Bankers Hall - West
7
Bankers Hall - East
8
Centennial Place - East
9
Eighth Avenue Place II
10
Canterra Tower
11
TransCanada Tower
12
Jamieson Place
13
First Canadian Centre
14
Western Canadian Place - North
15
TD Canada Trust Tower
16
City Centre I
17
Stephen Avenue Place
18
801 Seventh Building
19
West Village Towers I
20
West Village Towers II
21
The Guardian North
22
The Guardian South
23
Bow Valley Square 2
24
The Arris Residences
25
Dome Tower
26
Fifth and Fifth Building
27
Shell Centre
28
Eleven
29
Home Oil Tower
30
Two Park Central
31
Bow Valley Square 4
32
Fifth Avenue Place East
33
Fifth Avenue Place West
34
Suncor Energy Centre - East
35
Calgary Courts Centre
36
Western Canadian Place - South
37
Arriva 34
38
Altius Centre
39
The Edison
40
Vogue
41
240 Fourth
42
Stock Exchange Tower
43
Hewlett Packard Tower
44
707 Fifth
45
Five West East Tower
46
Three Bow Valley Square
47
The Oliver West
48
Nuera
49
Versus West Tower
50
UPTEN
51
SODO
52
District
53
Centennial Place II
54
BLVD Beltline North
55
The Ampersand East
56
Vetro at Sasso
57
AMEC Place
58
The Royal at Mount Royal Village
59
Residence Inn by Marriott Beltline
60
Mark on Tenth
61
First Tower
62
Ernst & Young Tower
63
The Ampersand North
64
The Ampersand West
65
One Calgary Place
66
Alura at Nuera
67
Encor Place
68
Park Point South
69
The Oliver East
70
WaterMark Tower
71
Palliser One
72
6 and Tenth
73
One Park Central
74
BLVD Beltline South
75
Calgary Place Apartments East
76
Calgary Place Apartments West
77
Pulse at Evolution
78
635 8 Avenue
79
Ovation at Westgate Park*
80
Five West Tower I
81
Mount Royal House
82
The Montana
83
Eau Claire Tower


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Cityscape

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Calgary's skyline, as viewed from McHugh Bluff in 2024
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Downtown Calgary from the south in May 2018, with Telus Sky under construction

See also

References

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