Construction in Calgary remains strong in 2017

Recent building permit values indicate a steady year of construction in 2017, says Calgary Building Services Director Kevin Griffiths.

With $4.7 billion in building permits taken out last year, and total construction value up 29 per cent in the first two months of 2017 totaling $416 million, we continue to see interest in development despite the current economy.

“Calgary is enviable in that we continue to be seen as a growth area,” says Griffiths. “We are still a region that is considered prosperous and an area of opportunity. In 2014, we were growing at a rate equal to New York City. It’s natural that we have slowed down a bit.”

Building permit values 2007-2016

One of the biggest projects in the works is Crosstown, a mixed-use development directly across from the Erlton-Stampede LRT station, with an estimated construction value of over $78 million. It will feature four residential towers and a high street pedestrian-oriented area with a grocery store and other shops.

“We worked extensively with the community to develop the concept for Crosstown,” says Paul Faibish, vice president of development with Anthem Properties Group. “I think people are excited about what it will offer – it’s a very positive thing for the community. Right now, residents in that area have to walk over to Mission to get a coffee, pick up groceries and more. With Crosstown, those amenities will be right in Erlton.”

The project will also include a pedestrian connection across Macleod Trail to the LRT station.

Other developments that have taken out a building permit recently include Arris Towers, with a construction value of about $131 million, the Orchard at $57 million and Seton High School at $42 million.

Building a great city together

The City continues to work closely with industry partners to better serve our city and enable development that meets the needs of Calgarians. The Industry City Work Plan has identified opportunities to improve City processes to help get more projects to the construction phase. One example includes improvements on how The City processes several development permit application types, which has reduced the time it takes for developers to obtain decisions.

“Improvements such as these make Calgary a more attractive place for real estate investment as they create more certainty in the process. This can contribute to moving our economy in the right direction,” says Griffiths.


As part of the Industry City Work Plan, The City has significantly improved its review times on several key development permit applications types since March 2016.

Top 15 building permit applications in 2016 by construction value

For more information about developing our city, visit calgary.ca/pd.

What you should know before renovating your home

Home renovations can be a lot of fun – styling your home with your own look and personality. As you begin planning your next improvement project, here are three things you should consider:

1. Do your research

One of most important steps, but often overlooked, is planning. Do your research first, so that you are not overwhelmed by the time, cost and requirements later on. A good place to start is calgary.ca/homeimprovement for information on your project and the permitting and inspection requirements to make sure your home is safe.

2. Hire the right professional

Do-it-yourself projects can end up costing more in the long run, if you make mistakes or aren’t sure of the safety requirements. Hire a professional if you aren’t skilled in certain areas. If you are going to hire a contractor, make sure you ask for references and a written contract. You should also ensure they are licensed; use The City’s search tool to verify a licensed trade contractor.

3. Get the right permits and inspections

Depending on the extent of your renovation, you may need a permit. This is to ensure your project meets Alberta’s safety codes and bylaws, so that your family, neighbours and tenants are safe. Your permit includes City of Calgary inspections – so you have a certified plumber, gas fitter or electrician familiar with Alberta’s safety codes looking at your work. Our safety codes officers can answer your questions before or during your home renovation. Contact our Technical Assistance Centre for code related questions.

To learn more about home improvements, inspections, hiring a contractor and more, visit calgary.ca/myhome

Working together to build a great city

The City is planning for the future of our youngest citizens today. We’re focused on balancing growth and development while maintaining liveable community design and planning for the future.

The total construction value for new building permits submitted to The City declined in 2016, but remained strong. In 2014 and 2015, Calgary experienced record highs for these types of applications (about $6 billion in each year), and in 2016 we saw numbers on par with 2011 and 2012. We issued over $4.7 billion in building permits, an indication that a good amount of construction was applied for in 2016. For those major projects applied for in 2016, construction is likely to have started or will start and continue over the 2017 and 2018 period.

Here are a few highlights of our work in planning and development in 2016.

Industry/City Work Plan

In 2016, we processed key application types faster than previous years as part of the Industry/City Work Plan. These application types are:

• Infill development permits: A planning application that allows the city to review a new home in a developed area to ensure it meets the rules of the Land Use Bylaw.
• Development permit and land use amendment initial team reviews: a review to make sure your application is complete. The decision is whether to accept the file for review or not.
• Development permit detailed team reviews: A review of your plans, with comments, that inform what you need to get an approval.
• Development permit decisions with applicants: A planning application that allows the city to review a development to ensure it meets the rules of the land use bylaw.

Inspections and permits

City representatives continue to provide technical expertise and consult on provincial and national building, technical and environmental code standards. Last year, we verified that all new buildings and renovation projects met quality and safety standards by conducting almost 200,000 building and development inspections.

In our Planning Services Centre, we connected with over 170,000 customers in person or over the phone last year, helping to answer questions about Alberta’s safety codes and The City’s Land Use Bylaw. We continued to put new permit types online, ending the year with all residential building permit types available on calgary.ca/epermit. We took in 3,391 building and development permits through this system in 2016.

Calgary building permit values spike in October

October has been a record month for building permit applications in Calgary, a strong indication that despite the current economy, developers remain confident in the Calgary economy in the longer term.

Total construction value for building permits in October 2016 was over $1.5 billion, the highest value in a single month on record in Calgary. We saw a 36 per cent increase in single family homes and a 47 per cent increase in new commercial buildings in October 2016 compared to the previous month. This beat last October’s record of $1.47 billion, which was when an updated Alberta Building Code was implemented.

This month’s spike in applications can be attributed to the Nov. 1 implementation of the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings and Section 9.36 of the Alberta Building Code, both of which bring in energy efficiency requirements.

“Many of those applying for a building permit prior to the Nov. 1 energy code deadline have been in the planning stages for a long time,” says Justin Pockar, energy and environmental coordinator at The City of Calgary. “If they were to follow the new energy efficiency requirements, they would face significant design changes that could result in increased cost and time delays.”

For those applying after the Nov. 1 energy code deadline, The City has developed tools, checklists and resources to help builders adopt these new standards for both commercial and residential buildings. The initial deadline for energy code compliance was May 1, 2016, but was extended by the Government of Alberta in order to give builders more time to familiarize themselves with the requirements. As a result, both The City and builders have been preparing for these changes for over a year.

Construction projects that have taken out building permits, while not a guarantee of completion, are a strong indicator that projects are moving forward in 2016 and 2017. They could take two or more years to complete. Here are some of the projects we saw come in this month:

• Intergulf developments mixed use tower in the Beltline. Total construction value: $95,321,510
• Crosstown, residential towers on Macleod Trail. Total construction value: $111,118,472
• The Orchard, a mixed-use development in the Beltline. Total construction value of tower 1: $57,876,300
• Marriott Hotel in the downtown commercial core. Total construction value: $57,487,700
• Skyview Ranch, a multi-phase apartment complex and retail. Total construction value: $55,725,500

Building permit construction values by quarter, January 2014 – October 2016

Who’s at the door? City inspectors visit by appointment only

Are you renovating your basement? Altering the structure of your home? Changing a natural gas, electrical or plumbing system?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, City permits and inspections are required.

Unannounced door-to-door visit

But if someone knocks on your door and asks to inspect your home without an appointment, do not let them in until you can closely examine their City ID. If you're in doubt, call 311.

“Only in unusual circumstances, or where a permit follow-up visit is required, would our inspectors show up unannounced,” says Marco Civitarese, The City of Calgary’s Chief Building Official. “We encourage you to closely scrutinize any ID that is presented when anyone comes to your door. A closer look at an ID presented by an illegitimate individual would show definite flaws."

The City has received several complaints of door-to-door sellers claiming to represent government energy groups and asking to inspect your furnace or water heater to see if it’s safe and energy efficient. They will often come complete with orange vests, picture ID and clipboards of documents.

City of Calgary Safety Code Officers like electrical

inspector Michael De Carlo identify themselves with

picture ID, and unless there are extreme circumstances,

they will have an appointment.

Our inspectors identify themselves with City of Calgary picture ID badges and drive city-marked vehicles. Most of the time, they visit a home to verify that renovations or additions meet Alberta’s safety codes after a Building Permit has been applied for.

Emergency situations

In the event of an emergency, a City inspector will visit without an appointment if:

• There is visible damage to your property.
• Electrical or gas repairs are potentially required.
• Only a qualified, licensed contractor can make repairs before services can be restored safely.

Technical Assistance Centre

Our safety codes officers can provide information and technical assistance in relation to applicable Alberta codes, including building, electrical, plumbing, natural gas and propane. A number of commonly asked technical questions can be found on calgary.ca/tac, along with an online inquiry form for additional questions.

Permit responsibility

Homeowners are responsible for ensuring permits are obtained and inspections are completed. To find out if you need a permit for your work or to check if any required permits and inspections have been completed at your address, contact our Planning Services Call Centre at 403-268-5311.

Additional resources

• How to protect yourself from fraud
• Hiring a contractor
• Homeowner permits, inspections and contractor tips
• What you need to know about business licenses