Calgary's Housing Boom: Balancing Growth with the Cost of Sprawl
Calgary's housing sector is buzzing with activity, as the latest "Builders Report - One and Two Family Community Detail," updated November 18, 2025, confirms robust construction. This report, tracking a recognized dwelling classification, highlights significant development, particularly in rapidly expanding peripheral communities, shaping our city's residential future.
Balancing Growth and Sustainability
The ongoing push for one and two-family homes offers crucial supply to meet a growing population's demand, yet ignites debates about urban sprawl and infrastructure costs. Many Calgarians prioritize single-family ownership, often finding affordability at the city's edges. The City's "Home Is Here" Housing Strategy, approved in 2023, and its blanket rezoning initiative (R-CG) from May 2024, aim to diversify options, allowing duplexes and fourplexes where only single-family homes once stood. Calgary's housing starts led Canadian municipalities in Q1 2025, with over 25,000 new units reaching the permit stage in 2024. While administration emphasizes supply for affordability, critics like Sustainable Calgary's Noel Keough call continued suburban growth "appalling" due to long-term taxpayer burden. Calgary grapples with balancing immediate housing needs against sustainable urban development.
