Welcome to Calgary! Here's your arrival guide:
Visit an Alberta registry agent within 90 days to exchange your BC license and register your vehicle. Alberta uses private auto insurance—shop around for quotes as rates vary between providers.
Register for Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) immediately. There may be a waiting period, so keep your BC MSP coverage active during the transition.
Calgary is 1 hour ahead of Kelowna (Mountain vs Pacific Time). The climate features colder, longer winters than Kelowna—but periodic chinook winds bring dramatic warm spells. Summers are pleasant but shorter than the Okanagan. The Rocky Mountains are just an hour west for skiing, hiking, and outdoor adventures.
Calgary's CTrain provides decent transit in key corridors. Popular neighborhoods include Inglewood and Bridgeland for urban character, Kensington for walkability, and suburbs like Mahogany and Auburn Bay for lake-community living that may feel familiar to Okanagan transplants.