Alberta is getting shovels in the ground faster and building the homes Albertans need. New data from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) shows total housing starts in Alberta have reached 9,722 to date from January to March, 2024 – a significant rise from the 6,200 starts in the province over the same period in 2023. This growth means that housing starts in Alberta increased by more than 50 per cent in March 2024 from March 2023, while growth for the rest of Canada over the same period sits at only 16 per cent.
With Alberta’s growing population, more housing options are necessary and that’s why Alberta has been working hard to remove barriers and empower our housing partners to get shovels in the ground faster. Alberta has seen considerable growth in rental homes. In the last three years alone, Alberta began construction on more rental homes (25,477) than in the 15 years before combined (25,285).
“Our province is leading the way in getting more homes built. We will continue to support our partners in the residential construction industry to help increase housing options available for all Albertans. Our construction industry is making strong progress addressing our market housing shortage through these new builds.”
Alberta’s two largest cities, Calgary and Edmonton have seen hundreds of new homes built. In Calgary, 1,760 new homes are being built, and 1,162 are under construction in Edmonton. These housing starts are helping Alberta far exceed housing increases across the country.
"The government has prioritized removing red tape while adding critical elements of predictability. This has supported Alberta's residential construction industry in achieving record levels of housing construction, including purpose-built rental units. The industry is building at a historic pace to meet rising demand, and through continued collaboration with the government, we can help secure Alberta's housing advantage for generations to come."
Alberta’s government is also making progress on its Stronger Foundations affordable housing strategy to make sure those most vulnerable in our province have a safe, stable and affordable place to live. The province is on track to support a total of 82,000 low-income households by 2031.
The province continues to support builders and encourage new residential housing construction by reducing red tape, incentivizing housing construction as well as supporting innovative strategies to build more homes faster.
Quick facts
- Increase in Alberta rental starts:
- 25,447 in the three years between 2021 - 2023
- 25,285 in the 15 years between 2006 - 2020
- As of March 31, 2024, Alberta’s government has committed:
- $179 million to 1,187 units of affordable housing. Construction on these projects is not yet underway.
- $67.5 million to 435 units of affordable housing that are currently under construction.
- $39.2 million to 166 units of affordable housing that have been completed since December 2023.
- Together with its partners, Alberta is supporting $9 billion in investments into affordable housing to support 25,000 additional low-income households by 2031.