Applying for a secondary suite made easier with permit exemption

Calgary – On Sept.1 2015, The City of Calgary is launching an 18-month Development Permit that makes it less expensive, faster and easier for homeowners to develop a legal and safe secondary suite, commonly referred to as a basement suite. The Development Permit application and fee is being waived for properties that currently have the proper zoning to allow suites and meet all the requirements of the Land Use Bylaw. 

“If you’ve thought about developing a secondary suite in your home or making a suite safe for residents by ensuring it meets Alberta’s safety codes, now is the time to apply,” says Cliff De Jong, Special Project Coordinator with Planning, Development and Assessment at The City. “This permit exemption can save homeowners an estimated $2,200 in associated fees and weeks in approval time by moving them right to the Building Permit application step.”

City Council approved an 18 month-long Development Permit exemption in July 2015 as recommended by a working group established in December 2014, which was comprised of members of Council and administration.  The permit exemption runs until March. 3,  2017.

“Secondary suite owners are accountable to provide residents a safe place to live, which enables them to escape in the event of an emergency, like a fire,” says De Jong. “The Development Permit exemption simplifies the application process for eligible candidates, which we hope will encourage the development of more safe secondary suites in the city.”

To find out if your property is a candidate for the Development Permit exemption or to learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit calgary.ca/secondarysuites or contact The City’s Planning Services Call Centre at 403-268-5311.

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