Calgarians can get paid thousands for setting up ‘backyard suites’
The City of Calgary is offering residents thousands of dollars to build backyard suites to respond to Calgary’s evolving housing needs.
Applications for the City’s Backyard Suites Incentive Program officially opened on March 2, 2026, allowing qualifying homeowners to apply for financial support to help with construction costs associated with creating secondary suites on their properties.
According to their website, there were fewer than 400 backyard suites in the city when the program launched. During an online engagement period in Fall 2025, out of 700 people, 88 per cent said they were interested in building a backyard suite, or already had one.
City of Calgary
To be eligible for the program, properties must be privately owned and feature a single, detached backyard suite on a residential lot. Suites that are attached to the main home do not qualify.
- You might also like:
- A HUGE secondhand book sale is coming to Calgary this spring
- The March forecast for Alberta is out and it looks extra mucky
- Major milestone hit at a massive new Calgary theatre under construction
Qualifying applicants may receive:
- Up to $15,000 to support general construction costs.
- Up to 40 per cent of underground infrastructure costs, to a maximum of $20,000, when both onsite and offsite connections are required.
- Matching construction and infrastructure incentive dollars will be available to owners of properties identified as heritage assets who agree to terms that will protect and preserve those heritage assets.
- $7,500 for units designed to support people experiencing mobility challenges.
- $2,500 for projects designed in a way that requires no relaxations to the Land Use Bylaw.
The new program is a part of the City’s broader housing strategy, with funding made possible through federal funds.
“Backyard suites remain an underutilized housing solution in Calgary despite their potential to provide homeowners with flexible options such as multigenerational living arrangements, inclusive housing for equity-deserving communities, and rental income. They also provide housing that increases density, while maintaining the character of existing communities.”
You can learn more about the Backyard Suites Incentive Program online.