Military in Calgary

The Northwest Rebellion prompted the creation of a Citizen's Home Guard consisting of volunteers dressed in cowboy garb who paraded as a show of force for the benefit of local indigenous tribes.

A squadron of the Canadian Mounted Rifles was stationed in Calgary and later a cavalry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia was authorized on 3 July 1905, designated the 15th Light Horse.

The quartermaster of the 15th Light Horse, who also served on city council, Captain William Charles Gordon Armstrong, made a number of applications to create an infantry regiment.

The Calgary Highlanders mobilized on 1 September 1939 and joined the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, moving to Shilo, Manitoba, in the summer of 1940 on the way to overseas employment.

In 1995, the Regular Force garrison – including Strathcona's, 1 PPCLI, 1 Service Battalion, 1 Military Police Platoon, and the headquarters of Land Force Western Area as well as 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group – all moved to Edmonton, leaving a skeleton staff of regular personnel in Calgary to administer the local Militia units.

Permanent military facilities were completed in 1917 with the construction of Mewata Armouries, which then housed reserve units and a squadron of regular cavalry.

Harvey Barracks (and the adjacent Sarcee Training Area) were returned to the Tsuu Tʼina Nation after the lease expired, and CFB Calgary was closed.