The question that comes up in arrivals
Most families work out flights, hotels and activities well in advance, and then discover at the baggage carousel that they never resolved the car seat question. It is an easy one to miss, because the answer changes depending on the country you flew in from, the kind of transportation you booked, and the age of the child. It is also the one detail that can genuinely hold up a departure from the airport, so it is worth ten minutes of planning before you fly.
What Alberta requires
Alberta's Traffic Safety Act requires that a child who is under six years of age and weighs less than 18 kilograms be secured in a child safety seat that meets Canadian standards. Above those thresholds a seat is no longer legally required, though booster seats continue to be strongly recommended by safety authorities until a child is tall enough for an adult seat belt to sit correctly across the shoulder and hips. Rules are amended from time to time, so confirm the current requirements with Alberta Transportation before you travel rather than relying on any single article, including this one.
Why the answer differs between services
This is where families get caught out. Different categories of passenger transportation are treated differently under provincial rules, and some categories carry exemptions that others do not. That means the arrangement you had in one city, or on a previous trip, may not be the arrangement here. Rather than assuming, the reliable approach is to ask the specific operator what applies to your booking and what they can supply, and to get that answer before you are standing in the terminal.
Bringing your own seat
For most families flying into Calgary, travelling with your own seat is the most predictable option. You know it fits your child, you know its history, and you know it meets the standard it is supposed to. Most airlines carry car seats free of charge as checked baggage in addition to your normal allowance, though this varies by carrier and fare type, so check your airline's policy when you book rather than at the gate.
The trade-off
The cost of bringing your own is that you then have a car seat with you for the entire trip, including on the return journey and anywhere you go in between. For a two-week stay with a rental car at the other end, that is usually worth it. For a single transfer from YYC to a downtown hotel, followed by a week of walking and a transfer back, it is a lot of hardware to carry for two short journeys. There is no universally correct answer; it depends on the shape of your trip.
Installation takes longer than you think
Whatever you decide, build time into the plan. Fitting a child seat properly is not a thirty-second job, particularly if you are tired, it is dark, and you are working in an unfamiliar vehicle after a long flight. A seat that is loose or badly routed offers considerably less protection than one fitted correctly, so it is worth doing slowly. If you are travelling with two children in seats, assume it will take longer again.
Space for the rest of it
Families rarely travel light. Once you have added a stroller, a travel cot, ski or hiking gear, and the luggage for everyone, a standard sedan gets tight quickly, and a child seat occupies a full passenger position. PrimeKar's Elite XL class uses full-size SUVs and takes up to 6 passengers, which is generally the more comfortable choice for a family with equipment. Elite XL vehicles include the Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and Lincoln Navigator. If you are unsure whether your group and gear will fit, describe what you are bringing when you book and it can be matched properly.
Landing with children, practically
Getting through YYC with young children takes longer than the same journey alone, and the gap widens if you are clearing customs on an international arrival. Bags take longer to gather, at least one child will need something urgently, and nobody moves at their usual pace. For inbound flights into YYC, PrimeKar tracks the arrival, so a delayed landing does not mean a missed pickup. There is also complimentary wait time built into airport transfers, which is there precisely for the gap between the aircraft door and the curb.
Continuing to the mountains
If you are heading straight from YYC to Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise or Jasper, everything above matters more rather than less, because the journey is a good deal longer than a run into downtown Calgary. That is a stretch of highway time with a child in a seat, so plan for a stop, bring what you need within reach rather than in the back, and be honest with yourself about how your children travel. It can be booked as a single continuous transfer from the airport, with the inbound flight tracked the same way as any other arrival.
A short checklist before you fly
Confirm the current Alberta requirements for your child's age and weight. Check your airline's policy on carrying a car seat. Decide whether bringing your own makes sense for the shape of your trip. Tell your transportation provider the ages of the children and what equipment you are travelling with, and do it at the time of booking rather than on the day. Then allow more time at the airport than you think you need. None of it is complicated, but all of it is much easier to sort out at home than in arrivals.