CALGARY, ALTA. — The City of Calgary processed a record number of building permit applications in 2024.
A total of 18,168 residential building permits were issued in 2024 with single construction permits increasing 27 per cent and commercial multi-family applications increasing by 28 per cent year over year compared to 2023, explains a release.
“Last year we issued the largest number of permits for townhouse, rowhouse and semi-detached units ever, as well as the most single detached home permits since 2006,” says Ulrik Seward, chief building official for the City of Calgary, in a statement. “These numbers show that Calgary’s housing landscape is growing and changing, demonstrating the progress that industry and the city have made in the past year towards increasing the housing supply.”
In 2024, residential building permits were issued for:
- 5,341 single detached homes, a 22 per cent increase over 2023
- 1,842 semi-detached homes, a 63 per cent increase over 2023
- 3,343 townhouses or rowhouses, a 28 per cent increase over 2023
- 7,312 apartment units, a 37 per cent increase over the five-year average.
- 3,787 new secondary suites and 4,748 suites were added to the Secondary Suite Registry.
Several pilot programs were also launched by the city, which can also be attributed to the year’s success, the release reads, and some will continue this year.
The 30-60-90 process for commercial multi-family permit and residential improvement building permits was one mechanism. Set to expand in 2025, this project is designed to address incomplete applications. It makes it clear to applicants how much time they have to respond to application deficiencies before the application is canceled.
The expedited review for builders allows quick release of permits for pre-approved home models in greenfield communities for qualified builders. The pilot went live in September and, if proven successful, is set to expand in 2025.
Online applications for land use, outline plans and road closures. Modernizing the system for submissions allows applicants to use ApplyCentral to submit, track and pay for land use, outline plans and road closures completely online.
The inspection booking portal was also launched and is an online system that allows homeowners, building professionals or tradespeople to book and manage their city inspections from anywhere at any time. More information on the program can be found at inspections.calgary.ca
“Reviewing the existing systems and looking for new ways to speed up our timelines, while retaining safe and quality housing, ultimately benefits how quickly homebuilders can get shovels in the ground,” says Brenda Desjardins, director of development, business and building services. “We are appreciative of the collaborative nature of our work with industry to develop and update our processes as our city continues to grow.”
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