Calgary just passed a major housing milestone: more than 20,000 legal secondary suites are now on the city’s registry. If you are buying, selling, or thinking about adding a suite, this shift touches your plans. In this guide, you will learn what changed, how the incentive works, what makes a suite legal, and how to use this trend to your advantage. Let’s dive in.
Calgary’s Secondary Suite Registry surpassed 20,000 registered suites in August 2025, up from about 10,000 five years earlier. The city credits policy changes and incentives for the rapid growth in safe, inspected units. You can read the announcement in the City’s newsroom and see how this fits into the broader push for more housing choice and safety.
Council extended the Secondary Suites Amnesty Program so owners have more time to legalize existing suites with waived development permit and registry fees. The extension runs through December 31, 2026, which lowers upfront costs for many homeowners.
The Secondary Suite Incentive Program can reimburse up to $10,000 per qualifying homeowner for required life-safety items. There are also potential bonuses for energy efficiency and accessibility. The program applies to suites inside the main dwelling.
A secondary suite is a self-contained dwelling unit inside a principal single detached home. It has its own kitchen, bathroom, sleeping area, and a separate entrance. Calgary allows one suite per qualifying property in most low-density districts.
To be registered, a suite must meet building and life-safety standards. Common items include:
The best path is to confirm requirements against City guidance and work with licensed contractors.
Depending on your property and scope, you may need a development permit, building permit, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits. The City targets about 60 days for development permit review, though timelines vary with complexity. Some sites also have rules for parking, suite area, and minimum amenity space of 7.5 m².
Note: Backyard or garden suites are regulated separately and always require planning approval. They are not eligible for the inside-dwelling incentive program.
Calgary’s housing research reports higher rental supply and rising vacancy from 2024 to 2025 as more units, including legal secondary suites, came online. Several reports pointed to downward pressure on asking rents during that period. These trends are time sensitive, so check the latest City housing research before you set expectations.
A legal suite can help with carrying costs and broaden your financing options. Here is how to evaluate one confidently:
A legally registered suite is a marketable feature. To maximize interest and trust:
If you are weighing the costs and timeline, use this simple plan:
In 2024 and 2025, Calgary updated short-term rental business licence rules, including how primary and non-primary residences are treated and enforcement tools. Separate from licensing, suites that received incentive funds are not eligible for a short-term rental business licence for two years after funding unless the funds are fully repaid. Keep long-term rental rules and short-term rental rules separate as you plan.
Ready to put this trend to work for you? Whether you want to buy a home with a suite, sell a registered suite for maximum value, or plan a legalization, reach out. We combine boutique service with data-driven advice so you move with confidence. Connect with Dimitri Kalkounis to map your next step in Calgary.
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