More than 20,000 secondary suites have now been added to the City of Calgary’s Secondary Suite Registry. The registry was introduced in 2015 as a voluntary program to assist the city in tracking the suites to ensure they met safety and legal standards. “Twenty thousand registered suites signals policy innovation, council commitment and resident action,” said Josh Howes, secondary suites program manager. “Each registration represents a homeowner who has taken the time to meet the fire, building and land use requirements creating a space that contributes to the safety and resiliency of the entire community.” In 2024, the secondary suite incentive program was introduced and has significantly added more than 3,000 suites to the registry since then, added Howes. According to a release from the city, “it took five years to register the first 10,000 suites, with the number doubling in just two-and-a half-years and rising by more than 60% in the past year, an indication of strong demand for safe, legal housing options in Calgary.” “This milestone reflects the growing dedication of residents to develop secondary suites that meet life-safety and building code standards, whether for renters, students, seniors or multi-generational families,” said Howes..“This work directly supports the goals of Calgary’s Home is Here Housing Strategy, which emphasizes increasing housing supply, choice and affordability across the city.” While most secondary suites were initially in older model homes, between 2022 and 2024, the number of new homes built with a secondary suite more than tripled. “The city continues to support this growth by streamlining permitting and introducing policies that make it easier for homeowners to build code-compliant suites that meet Calgary’s evolving housing needs,” said Reid Hendry, chief housing officer. “This is not just about numbers but about enabling housing supply, choice and affordability for Calgarians.""Secondary suites offer a flexible solution that responds to Calgary's evolving housing needs, providing safe and affordable options for renters, flexibility for families and a dignified way for seniors to age in place.” In order to construct a secondary suite in their homes owners must obtain permits, undergo inspections and meet life-safety requirements. Approved suites receive a city-issued sticker and are listed in an online, public registry, allowing Calgarians to confirm whether a suite is legal and safe at secondarysuites.calgary.ca. .“With the incentive program still available and growing interest citywide, the city remains focused on expanding housing choice and safety,” said Hendry. “Together, we can work toward registering the next 10,000 secondary suites.” Learn more about building or verifying a suite at calgary.ca/suites.
