Lewisburg, Calgary: 74 suites added, 4 basements finished

Lewisburg is a community where houses arrived in 2024 and suites followed a year later. City of Calgary open data shows 332 new single-detached houses permitted there to 29 September 2026, and then 74 suite permits for altering existing space. Only 4 permits were for basement development without a suite, so the counts suggest that when a Lewisburg owner finishes the lower floor, it's usually to rent it out or house family in it.

When did Lewisburg start building?

In 2024, in earnest. Two new house permits were issued in 2023, then 112 in 2024, 133 in 2025 and 85 so far in 2026. Semi-detached homes ran alongside, at 86 permits, with 42 in 2024 and 34 already in 2026.

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.

Almost everything else in the table follows the houses. Detached garages reached 68 permits, with a median declared value of $42,434 and 15 days to issue. Renovations, decks and basement developments barely register yet, at 1, 1 and 4 permits, and there have been no additions or backyard suites. The declared value is what the applicant wrote on the permit, and it runs below what the work really costs.

How big are new Lewisburg houses?

A median of 2,010 sq ft on the permit, with most falling between 1,500 and 2,499 sq ft. 291 of the 332 houses sat in those two bands, almost evenly split.

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.

Lewisburg has more small houses than most new communities. Twenty were under 1,500 sq ft, 6% of the total and tied for the ninth highest share of the 74 communities profiled here with house sizes. None reached 3,000 sq ft. The yearly median moved around, from 1,888 sq ft in 2024 to 2,142 sq ft in 2025 and 1,938 sq ft in 2026 to date, so the median depends a lot on which year you look at.

If you're choosing between plans of about 1,900 and 2,100 sq ft, those 200 sq ft have to go somewhere, and it's worth knowing which rooms get them. The bedroom size guide explains what Alberta's code does and doesn't set for a bedroom, and what a queen or king bed needs.

Why do so many Lewisburg owners add suites?

The data shows the pattern but not the reason; the land use and the timing suggest one. R-G is Lewisburg's largest district, about 40.9% of its area, with R-Gm on another 8.8%, the third highest R-Gm share of the 97. As of October 2026, both list a secondary suite as a permitted use, so a suite that follows every zoning rule goes straight to a building permit. The site's legal basement suite guide covers what a legal suite needs.

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.

That shows in the development permits. Lewisburg had just 23 applications of all types since 2023, the fourth fewest of the 97 communities profiled here, and only 4 were for secondary suites. Ten of the 23 were on C-C1 commercial land. All 16 decided so far were approved, with a median of 63 days to a decision.

Another 21 Lewisburg suite permits fell in the City's New work class, suites built as new construction, and 12 of them came in 2025. Those took a median of 12 days to issue, with a median declared value of $65,498 on the application, against $61,131 for the alteration permits. Both are the applicant's figures and run below real costs.

The registry caught up fast. It lists 146 Lewisburg suites, 19 added in 2024, 64 in 2025 and 63 in 2026 to date.

What is the land in Lewisburg zoned for?

Housing, on a bit over half of it. Residential districts cover about 54.6% of Lewisburg, including 5% in the City's multi-residential group, and special purpose districts about 42.4%.

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.

No single special purpose district dominates. S-TUC, the City's Transportation and Utility Corridor district, covers 10.2%, S-SPR, School, Park and Community Reserve, 9.7%, and S-FUD, Future Urban Development, 8.7%, with S-UN, Urban Nature, at 8.3% just outside the table. M-G, at 3.2%, is a small slice but the fifth highest M-G share of the 97 communities profiled here. R-G is also one of the districts where a backyard suite is a permitted use, though since August 2026 a lot can have a secondary suite or a backyard suite, not both, as the backyard suites guide explains. Check your own lot on the City's land use map.

Seeing a Lewisburg suite at full size

In a house of about 2,000 sq ft with a suite below, the shared parts do the most work: the side entrance, the stair, and the landing where two households cross. Those are hard to judge from a drawing and expensive to move once the concrete is poured.

At the studio, your main floor and basement are shown one at a time at full size on a walkable LED floor, with room names and dimension lines. Freestanding walls and studio furniture, including a dining table, chairs and a sofa, show how the suite's kitchen and living area fit together. Changes go onto the floor while you watch, and the session is recorded so you can show your builder.

Send a PDF or DWG at least three days ahead. The quote is free and depends on the plan's size; see pricing, book a session, or go back to all communities.