Calgary Council Approves Automatic Approval for Secondary Suites, Maintains Rules for Backyard Suites

Calgary city council has opted to keep the existing regulations for backyard suites in place, while simultaneously fast-tracking the approval process for secondary suites. This decision aims to address inconsistencies that arose after the city repealed its citywide rezoning bylaw, which is set to take effect on August 4.

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Council, and I think the public as a whole, has recognized that there’s a reason that we should have an automatic approval for basement suites. This is a needed way to be able to provide housing.

City administration had recommended designating both secondary suites and backyard suites as "permitted uses" across all low-density zoning districts. This would have exempted them from requiring a development permit, allowing them to proceed directly to a building permit if all bylaw rules were met. Last year, 98.9 percent of secondary suite applications were approved, with 6,232 registered secondary suites in the city in 2025.

Following a lengthy public hearing, council narrowly voted to approve the "permitted use" status for secondary suites. Mayor Jeromy Farkas supported this move, stating, "Council, and I think the public as a whole, has recognized that there’s a reason that we should have an automatic approval for basement suites. This is a needed way to be able to provide housing." This change is expected to save up to six weeks in processing time and over $600 in permit fees, with an estimated 2,300 secondary suites to be built annually.

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Secondary suites as permitted use makes sense because it’s within the building envelope that already exists. Whereas when we do a backyard suite, that’s a new building and every parcel in the city is different.

However, the recommendation to extend this "permitted use" status to backyard suites was rejected. Council approved an amendment to keep backyard suites as discretionary uses, requiring a development permit. Ward 11 Coun. Rob Ward argued that secondary suites are built within existing structures, whereas backyard suites are new constructions. He stated, "Whereas when we do a backyard suite, that’s a new building and every parcel in the city is different." This approach, he added, allows for more flexibility in assessing individual property differences and provides neighbors with an avenue for appeal.

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That’s why we hire professional planners to look at those unique differences of every lot.