In an era of e-books and online shopping, Calgary is embracing something unexpected: genre bookstores. From romance to horror, two new brick-and-mortar shops are proving that a niche can be powerful. Host Jenny Howe explores why these stores are opening now, the 'feral' appetites of their readers and what they tell us about the future of local bookstores.

Calgary is seeing a record rise in pedestrian deaths, raising tough questions about safety in a car-centric, sprawling city. We talk to the City of Calgary about how they’re responding — and to an urban planner with a vision for a more walkable, people-first future.

At city hall, there has been a marathon discussion by council over how it will spend Calgary's more than $8-billion annual budget. Yes, we'll talk about property taxes but also hear why the latest showdown between urban councillors and their suburban counterparts matters. CBC senior producer Josh Pagé joins us to make sense of it all.

At the west end of 17th Avenue SW lies one of Calgary's most notorious intersections — a corner where businesses struggle and vibrancy dulls. We explore the history of 14th Street and 17th Avenue’s persistent challenges, and meet the man who believes he can finally transform this troubled corner for good.

Two recall petitions are underway in Alberta — one targeting Calgary-Bow MLA Demetrios Nicolaides (who is also the minister of education and childcare), and another aimed at Airdrie-East MLA Angela Pitt. In this episode, we speak with organizers behind both efforts.

There's a struggle for stage space for Calgary’s independent theatre companies. Local venues are downsizing, undergoing transformation or closing altogether. In this episode, we talk to the person building a new downtown venue, The Erratics Indie Arts Club, as well as a local actress about why keeping Calgary’s theatre scene alive matters.

Ramsay is a small but distinct southeast Calgary neighbourhood — known for its heritage homes, murals and even a once-roaming turkey. But as the community evolves, some of that history is being lost. We talk to a longtime resident and a local business owner about how they’re keeping Ramsay’s original spirit alive amid all the change.

She broke barriers as Calgary’s first female mayor — and faced backlash in her term including a petition calling for her to step down. After Calgarians voted not to re-elect her, Jyoti Gondek joins This is Calgary host Jenny Howe for a conversation about leadership, loss, and lessons learned from four years at City Hall.