What changed for Calgary homeowners in 2026: rules, codes and incentives

Zoning: the 2024 rezoning has been repealed

• City Council voted on April 8, 2026 to repeal citywide R-CG rezoning. The change took effect on August 4, 2026.
• Eight low-density districts are back, and properties rezoned in 2024 that had no R-CG, R-G or H-GO application or approval reverted to their previous district.
• Lots that stay R-CG now have a 10 m height limit (was 11 m) and 55% maximum lot coverage (was 60%).

Our guide to the rezoning repeal

Suites: one per property, and a registry deadline

• A property can have either a secondary suite or a backyard suite, not both. Backyard suites need parking again and can't be built on semi-detached lots.
• Secondary suite registry fees are waived under the City's amnesty program until December 31, 2026.
• The City's Secondary Suite Incentive Program (up to $10,000) has closed to new applications. Registered suites more than doubled after it launched in 2024, from 13,000 to 27,000.
• The Backyard Suites Incentive Program launched on March 2, 2026, with up to $15,000 toward construction and 40% of underground servicing costs to a maximum of $20,000. Funding is limited and first-come, first-served, so confirm it is still open before you count on it.

Building and electrical codes

• The National Building Code – 2023 Alberta Edition has applied to permit applications since May 1, 2024. New homes must meet Tier 1 of the tiered energy performance requirements; the Province hasn't set a timeline for higher tiers.
• The 2024 Canadian Electrical Code has applied in Alberta to installations permitted on or after April 1, 2025.
• There is still no Alberta building code requirement for hail-resistant roofing. The Insurance Bureau of Canada keeps calling for one, and some builders now make Class 4 roofing standard.

New homes and warranty

• New homes in Alberta must carry warranty coverage under the New Home Buyer Protection Act, provided by a licensed builder. Renovations don't, unless more than 75% of the finished home is new construction.
• Since December 1, 2025, a caveat is registered on the land title when an owner-builder authorization is issued without warranty, giving public notice that the home can't be sold to consumers during the protection period.

Tax credits and rebates

• The First-Time Home Buyers' GST/HST rebate is available from the CRA: up to $50,000 of GST on a new home up to $1 million, reduced on a sliding scale up to $1.5 million. It covers homes you build or hire someone to build when construction began on or after March 20, 2025.
• The Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit covers up to $50,000 of costs to create a self-contained secondary unit for a senior or an adult eligible for the disability tax credit to live with a relative.
• The Home Accessibility Tax Credit covers up to $20,000 a year of eligible accessibility renovations for seniors and people eligible for the disability tax credit.

Our guide to tax credits and rebates

Financing

• Since January 15, 2025, homeowners adding a secondary suite can refinance with an insured mortgage of up to 90% of the home's post-renovation value, to $2 million, amortized up to 30 years. The added unit must be a long-term rental.
• The federal Canada Secondary Suite Loan Program announced in 2024 was cancelled in Budget 2025 before it launched.
• The Canada Greener Homes Loan is fully committed and no longer approves new applications.
• Calgary's Clean Energy Improvement Program (up to $50,000 through your property taxes) is closed for residential applications until winter 2026/2027.

Hiring a contractor

None of the 2026 changes alter the basics: in Alberta, a contractor who sells in your home and takes money before the work is finished must hold a prepaid contracting licence, and you can check it online. Our guide to paying a contractor in Alberta covers licences, contracts, holdbacks and liens.

Paying a contractor in Alberta

Talk it through

Rules change; the questions stay the same. What does your lot allow, what will it cost, and what help is available? Kay2 checks all three at your consultation.