Alberta's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 30
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ALBERTA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2025)
Employees find meaningful work at the City of Calgary
R
enee 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.
Our vision, our common
purpose as an employee, is
to make life better every
day for Calgarians.
— David Duckworth
Chief Administrative Officer
An emergency communications officer at the City of Calgary assists a resident during a 911 call.
“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.
