New homes in Highland Park are mostly built in pairs and rows. From January 2023 to 29 September 2026, City of Calgary open data shows 39 permits for new semi-detached homes and 26 for rowhouses or townhouses, against 9 new single-detached houses. Development permits here took a median of 87 days to a decision, ninth slowest of 96 communities.
Key takeaways
- Highland Park had 65 new semi-detached and rowhouse permits from January 2023 to 29 September 2026, more than seven times its 9 new single-detached houses.
- Semi-detached permits held steady at 10, 11 and 9 a year from 2023 to 2025, with 9 more by September 2026; the median declared value was $243,091.
- Highland Park development permits took a median of 87 days from application to decision, ninth slowest of 96 communities, and rowhouse building permits a median 80.5 days.
- In the 2019 civic census, 460 of Highland Park's 2,277 dwellings (20%) were converted structures, the third highest share of any community in the data.
- 42% of Highland Park households were one person in 2021, tied for sixth highest of 84 communities, and owners occupied only 28% of dwellings.
- The City's registry lists 204 Highland Park suites, with 21 to 29 added each year since 2023, even though only 11 suite building permits were issued here.
What gets built in Highland Park?
Two-unit and multi-unit infill. Semis lead the new construction, rowhouses follow, and detached garages (41) lead the work on existing houses, after the 61 demolitions that clear lots for infill.
| Project | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 to date | Total | Share of Calgary | Median declared value | Median days to issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New single-detached houses | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 0.1% | $329,574 | 39 days |
| New semi-detached houses | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 39 | 0.7% | $243,091 | 35 days |
| New rowhouses and townhouses | 6 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 26 | 1.1% | $805,314 | 80.5 days |
| Secondary suites, new construction (City work class New) | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0.3% | $61,044 | 16 days |
| Secondary suites, alteration of existing space | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0.1% | $46,722 | 28 days |
| Backyard suites | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.6% | fewer than 5 | fewer than 5 |
| Additions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.1% | fewer than 5 | fewer than 5 |
| Detached garages | 10 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 41 | 0.4% | $38,576 | 35 days |
| Basement developments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0.1% | $37,786 | 5.5 days |
| Renovations | 13 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 32 | 0.4% | $5,000 | 13 days |
| Decks | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.2% | fewer than 5 | fewer than 5 |
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.
Rowhouse permits jumped to 13 in 2025 from 3 the year before. They had a median declared value of $805,314 per permit and took a median 80.5 days to issue, more than twice the 35 days for a semi. Declared values are what the applicant wrote on the permit and run below real costs, so treat them as a sign of scale, not a budget.
The 9 single-detached houses were spread across all four years, two or three at a time.
How big are new houses in Highland Park?
Smaller than in most communities. The 9 new single-detached houses had a median of 1,947 sq ft on the permit, and 5 of them were between 1,500 and 1,999 sq ft.
| Floor area on the permit | Houses |
|---|---|
| Under 1,500 sq ft | 0 |
| 1,500 to 1,999 sq ft | 5 |
| 2,000 to 2,499 sq ft | 3 |
| 2,500 to 2,999 sq ft | 1 |
| 3,000 sq ft and over | 0 |
The floor area the applicant entered on the building permit, for new single-detached houses issued in the same window. It usually excludes the basement. 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.
Only one was 2,500 sq ft or more, and none reached 3,000. That's a small sample, so read it as what's been built rather than a rule. The median declared value was $329,574. If you're weighing a single house against a semi on the same lot, the custom home cost guide and the new home permit time guide cover what each takes.
Why do Highland Park permits take longer?
The data shows the delay without explaining it. The 156 development permit applications filed since 2023 took a median of 87 days to a decision. Rowhouse building permits, counted separately, took a median 80.5 days to issue. All 123 decided applications were approved.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Development permit applications (all types, since 2023) | 156 |
| Decided so far: approved / refused | 123 / 0 |
| Median days from application to decision | 87 days |
| Secondary suite development permit applications | 8 |
| Suites on the City's secondary suite registry (all years) | 204 |
| Added to the registry 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 to date | 21, 28, 29, 26 |
| Districts with the most development permit applications | R-CG (70), R-C2 (39), M-C1 (12), MU-1 f4.0h21 (9) |
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.
R-CG lots drew the most applications (70), then R-C2 (39) and M-C1 (12). The data doesn't date these by district, so it can't show how many came under the 2024 citywide rezoning. That rezoning was repealed on 4 August 2026 and 99% of properties went back to their pre-2024 zoning; the backyard suites guide explains what changed. Planning a semi or a row today starts with what your lot is zoned now.
| District | Share of the community's area |
|---|---|
| R-C2 | 53.4% |
| DC | 11.5% |
| M-C1 | 8.3% |
| S-SPR | 5.6% |
| S-CS | 5.2% |
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.
R-C2, Residential - Contextual One / Two Dwelling, covers 53.4% of Highland Park's area, more than any other district. Direct control, which sets its own rules site by site, takes 11.5%, and M-C1, Multi-Residential - Contextual Low Profile, 8.3%. R-CG drew the most applications but isn't among the top five districts in land use data pulled on 5 October 2026, after the repeal. Look up your lot on the City's land use map before you draw a second unit.
Who lives in Highland Park?
Small households, mostly renting. The 2021 census counted 4,105 residents in 2,050 households averaging 2.0 people, and 42% lived alone.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2021 census) | 4,105 |
| Households (2021 census) | 2,050 |
| Average household size | 2 |
| One-person households | 42% |
| Households of five or more | 4% |
| Residents aged 0 to 14 / 65 and over | 14% / 12% |
| Dwellings (2019 civic census) | 2,277 |
| Single-detached | 823 (36%) |
| Duplex | 402 (18%) |
| Townhouse | 24 (1%) |
| Apartment | 520 (23%) |
| Owner-occupied | 645 (28%) |
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 2019 civic census found 823 single-detached homes (36%), 520 apartments (23%), 402 duplex units (18%) and 460 counted as converted structures (20%). That mix suggests a market for smaller units: a semi with three bedrooms instead of four, or a house with a legal suite downstairs. The legal basement suite guide sets out what a suite needs as of October 2026.
Walking a Highland Park semi at full size
A semi on a narrow lot lives or dies by its width: whether the stair, the hall and a kitchen can share a footprint without one of them feeling like a corridor. At the studio, each floor of the plan is lit at full size on a walkable LED floor, so you can stand in the kitchen and see how much width is left once the stair is in.
Freestanding walls and a dining table go where you've drawn them, changes appear on the floor during the session, and you take the recording home. Elevations show on a wall-size screen. Send the PDF or DWG at least three days ahead. The quote is free and set by the plan's size: see pricing, book a session, or browse the communities hub.
Questions
What are people building in Highland Park?
Mostly semis and rowhouses. Highland Park had 39 new semi-detached permits and 26 rowhouse permits from January 2023 to 29 September 2026, against 9 new single-detached houses. Detached garages (41) were the most common work on existing lots.
How long does a development permit take in Highland Park?
A development permit in Highland Park took a median of 87 days from application to decision for applications made since 2023. Only eight of the 96 communities profiled here were slower, so build that time into a semi or rowhouse plan.
How big are new houses in Highland Park?
New single-detached houses in Highland Park had a median of 1,947 sq ft on the permit from 2023 to September 2026. Of the 9 built, 5 were between 1,500 and 1,999 sq ft and none were 3,000 sq ft or more.
Are there many basement suites in Highland Park?
More than the permit count suggests. Highland Park had 11 suite building permits from 2023 to September 2026, but the City's registry lists 204 suites, and 20% of dwellings were converted structures in the 2019 civic census.
Do most people in Highland Park own their homes?
No. Owners occupied 645 of 2,277 Highland Park dwellings (28%) in the 2019 civic census, and 42% of households in 2021 were one person.
Sources
- City of Calgary open data: building permits data.calgary.ca
- City of Calgary open data: development permits data.calgary.ca
- City of Calgary open data: secondary suite registry data.calgary.ca
- City of Calgary open data: community boundaries data.calgary.ca
- City of Calgary open data: census 2021 population data.calgary.ca
- City of Calgary open data: census 2021 households data.calgary.ca
- City of Calgary open data: civic census 2019 data.calgary.ca
- City of Calgary open data: land use districts data.calgary.ca
- land use map maps.calgary.ca
