New home numbers hit record high in Calgary last year

Nearly 28,000 new homes were added to Calgary's housing supply last year, setting a new city record and more than doubling the annual average over the previous decade.

Calgary granted occupancy to 27,952 homes in 2025, more than double the 10-year average of 13,199 between 2015 and 2024, city statistics released on Thursday show.

The city also approved nearly 50,000 market homes through development and building permits last year, as well as nearly 2,500 non-market homes.

The total number of homes granted occupancy last year, as well as the number of homes approved through development and building permits respectively, were all record highs in Calgary’s history.

“This is what’s needed to both meet the increase in the population we’ve seen over the last couple of years, as well as ensure that while we see those massive demand pressures, we are meeting it with additional supply to keep home prices affordable," said Reid Hendry, Calgary's chief housing officer.

Calgary's housing spike last year was part of a trend in Alberta, as a record high of nearly 54,900 housing starts were reported across the province. The new homes come as Alberta continues to experience rapid population growth and Calgary eyes a rise to two million people.

The city also added nearly 6,200 secondary suites, the most in its history and roughly double the number seen in 2023. And Calgary's downtown conversion program added a record 486 new homes, including 130 non-market units.

Last year also saw a greater balance in Calgary between homes added to existing neighbourhoods and new communities.

Homes in new communities accounted for 57 per cent of the growth in Calgary's housing supply last year, with the other 43 per cent seen in developed areas. That's a far cry from 2024 when nearly three-quarters of new homes were in new neighbourhoods.

Shameer Gaidhar, chair of the Calgary Inner City Builders Association, praised the more even split between development areas.

“Every city, especially the city of Calgary, needs to grow up and out. You can’t do one or the other," said Gaidhar. "We need to use existing communities, existing neighbourhoods, existing streets, fire departments, amenities, businesses."

The city has previously said it aspires for an even 50-50 split in where new homes are built, between new and existing neighbourhoods.

The high number of new homes hitting the market comes as Calgary city council is working to roll back a contentious blanket rezoning policy.

As it remains unclear what kind of strategy the city will implement to replace blanket rezoning, Gaidhar said projects are sitting on hold and developers are purchasing land outside Calgary — in Cochrane, Airdrie or Okotoks — where there's more certainty surrounding housing policy.