Evanston, Calgary: 28% under 15 and 239 basements

Evanston is finished as a subdivision, and its owners are now finishing the space below. City of Calgary open data shows 239 basement development permits issued in Evanston from January 2023 to 29 September 2026, more than any other North community and fourth in the city, while only 6 new houses were permitted. The 2021 census found 28% of Evanston's residents were 14 or younger, a share tied for third highest in the data.

Who lives in Evanston?

Children, more than almost anywhere else in the data. Of 18,710 residents in the 2021 census, 28% were 14 or younger and only 5% were 65 or older. Households averaged 3.2 people, 17% had five or more and 13% were one person.

Population and household figures are from the 2021 Census of Canada as published by the City of Calgary; dwelling types are from the City's 2019 civic census, the last one it ran. Newer communities have grown since. Source: City of Calgary open data (building permits, development permits, secondary suite registry, census 2021 population, census 2021 households, civic census 2019, land use districts), retrieved 5 October 2026.

The City's 2019 civic census found 5,686 dwellings, 4,302 of them single-detached (76%) and 922 townhouses, with 81% owner-occupied. Together, those numbers suggest many Evanston basements sit under an owner-occupied detached house with children in it, which points to a plan built around a bedroom or two, a rec room and storage, with or without a suite.

How many basements are being finished in Evanston?

More than in any other North community. The City issued 80 basement permits in 2023, 72 in 2024 and 56 in 2025, with 31 so far in 2026. Livingston, the next in the North sector, had 163.

Permits issued, excluding cancelled ones. "Share of Calgary" is this community's part of the citywide count for the same project type and years. Declared value is what the applicant wrote on the permit application. It is not a quote and runs below real costs. Medians are shown only where a category has at least 5 permits. Source: City of Calgary open data (building permits, development permits, secondary suite registry, census 2021 population, census 2021 households, civic census 2019, land use districts), retrieved 5 October 2026.

The median basement permit carried a declared value of $30,783 and took 9 days to issue. The declared value is what the applicant wrote on the permit application. It runs below the real cost of finishing a basement, which the legal basement suite guide prices from Calgary builders' published figures.

Two code checks shape almost every basement bedroom: the window you can climb out of and the ceiling height. The egress window guide and the basement ceiling height guide set out both under the current Alberta code.

Evanston owners also took out 107 renovation permits, the 13th most in the data, 101 detached garage permits and 10 additions. An Evanston addition had a median declared value of $30,172 on the application and took a median of 19.5 days to issue.

Why did so many Evanston suites go through a development permit?

Because of the districts. R-1N covers about 27.5% of Evanston and R-1 about 18.7%. Until Bylaw 26P2026 in July 2026, the City's suite pages listed both among the districts where a secondary suite needed a development permit.

Development permits applied for from 1 January 2023; many home projects in Calgary need only a building permit, so these are a subset of all work. The registry lists suites the City has confirmed meet the rules, not every suite that exists. Source: City of Calgary open data (building permits, development permits, secondary suite registry, census 2021 population, census 2021 households, civic census 2019, land use districts), retrieved 5 October 2026.

So Evanston produced 272 development permit applications since 2023, and 136 of them were for suites. R-1N drew 83 applications of all types, R-G 75 and R-1 53. Almost all were approved: 213 of 216 decided, with a median of 39 days.

That route is shorter now. As of October 2026, the site's legal basement suite guide lists a secondary suite as a permitted use in R-1, R-1N and R-G, so a suite that meets every zoning rule goes straight to a building permit. A permit to turn existing space into a suite in Evanston took a median of 28 days to issue, with a median declared value of $62,004, the figure applicants wrote on the permit, which runs below real costs.

The City's registry lists 294 Evanston suites, with 71 added in 2025, the most of the four years. The City also classed 49 Evanston suite permits as new construction, its New work class for suites.

What is Evanston zoned for?

Just over half of Evanston, 54.1%, falls in the City's Residential category, mostly R-1N and R-1, and R-1's 18.7% is the seventh highest share of the 97. Special purpose districts take 31.4%: S-TUC, which the City labels a transportation and utility corridor, about 13.3%, and S-SPR, for schools, parks and community reserve, about 11.3%.

The share of the community's districted area in each land use district, from the City's district and community boundary maps intersected exactly. Districts change by lot and by amendment: check a specific lot on the City's land use map before you plan. Source: City of Calgary open data (building permits, development permits, secondary suite registry, census 2021 population, census 2021 households, civic census 2019, land use districts), retrieved 5 October 2026.

Direct control covers about 6.4%, and lots there follow their own written rules. Multi-residential districts add another 6.6%. Backyard suites are a discretionary use in R-1 and R-1N, and Evanston had only 2 backyard suite permits; the backyard suites guide explains what that means. Check your lot on the City's land use map.

Walking an Evanston basement plan at full size

For a family basement, the questions are practical. Does the kids' bedroom have a window on a wall that can take one? Is the rec room wide enough for a sectional and a play area at once? Does the stair land somewhere sensible?

At the studio, the basement plan is shown at full size on a walkable LED floor, room by room, with room names and dimension lines. Freestanding walls mark the bedroom and studio sofas fill the rec room, so you can stand where the TV goes and see what's left. Changes go onto the floor right away and the session is recorded.

Send the plan as a PDF or DWG at least three days ahead. The quote is free and set by the plan's size: see pricing or book a session. Other North communities are on the communities page.