Sage Hill, Calgary: houses done, rowhouses still coming

Sage Hill has run out of new detached houses but not new homes. City of Calgary open data shows its last single-detached and semi-detached permits were issued in 2024, while 94 rowhouse and townhouse permits went out from January 2023 to 29 September 2026, the second most of the 97 communities we compare, after Seton. Meanwhile 138 basements were developed, at a median of just 6 days per permit.

What has been built in Sage Hill since 2023?

Attached homes, and work inside existing ones. The 94 rowhouse permits nearly match the 101 new single-detached and semi-detached permits combined, and basements lead everything at 138.

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.

A rowhouse permit may cover a building of several homes. Its median declared value was $1,127,878 and it took a median of 53 days to issue. Declared values are what applicants wrote on the permit application, and they run below what the work really costs.

Basements fell from 64 permits in 2023 to 26 in 2024 and 25 in 2025, with 23 to 29 September 2026. A basement permit had a median declared value of $27,198 on the application. Suites created by altering existing space reached 87 permits, peaking at 33 in 2024, and another 27 suite permits were classed as new construction.

Who lives in Sage Hill?

A mix of household types, in a mix of homes. The 2021 census counted 9,345 residents in 3,545 households, averaging 2.6 people. A quarter (24%) lived alone, 9% were in households of five or more, and 23% of residents were 14 or younger.

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 3,172 dwellings: 1,614 single-detached (51%), 733 townhouses, 625 apartments, 99 duplexes and 97 multiplex units, 3.1% of the total and the highest multiplex share in the North sector. 73% of dwellings were owner-occupied. With a quarter of households living alone and more rowhouses on the way, the data suggests much of the planning in Sage Hill is for smaller units, where a few hundred millimetres decide whether a room works.

How big were the last new houses?

Mid-sized. The 46 new Sage Hill houses had a median of 2,151 sq ft on the permit, and 28 of them (61%) were 2,000 to 2,499 sq ft.

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.

None were under 1,500 sq ft and none were 3,000 sq ft or more. If you're buying one of these to finish, the basement is the likely next project, and the basement ceiling height guide and egress window guide cover the two code checks that shape it.

Why does direct control matter in Sage Hill?

Because more applications land there than anywhere else. Of 255 development permit applications since 2023, 80 were on DC land, 43 on R-G, 35 on R-1N and 30 on C-C2 commercial land. DC covers about 7% of the area.

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 districts carry rules written for that site, so the general suite and garage rules may not apply to a DC lot. Commercial land covers about 6.9% of Sage Hill, the seventh highest share of the 97 communities profiled here. The biggest single district is R-1N, at 18.4%, with S-UN close behind at 17.7%. Multi-residential districts add up to 18.6% of the community, the third highest share among the 97, and M-1 alone covers 9.4%; only Osprey Hill and Seton have more of their area in M-1. Look up your own lot on the City's land use map.

Are suites still being added in Sage Hill?

Yes, at a steady pace. The registry lists 275 Sage Hill suites, with 53 added in 2023, 84 in 2024, 48 in 2025 and 19 to date in 2026.

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.

Development permit applications for suites came to 48, and 195 of 196 decided applications of all types were approved, with a median of 31 days to a decision. As of October 2026, a secondary suite is a permitted use in R-1N and R-G, so one that meets every zoning rule needs only a building permit; the legal basement suite guide covers what a legal suite must include. No backyard suite permits were issued in Sage Hill, and the backyard suites guide explains the one-suite-per-lot rule in force since August 2026.

Walking a Sage Hill townhouse or basement plan

A townhouse unit is narrow, and its plan is mostly about width: the stair, the kitchen run and the space beside the dining table. At the studio, the plan is lit at full size on a walkable LED floor, with room names and dimension lines, and you can set the studio's dining table, chairs and sofa in place to see what's left to walk through.

Elevations go up on a wall-size screen behind the floor, changes appear on the floor as you make them, and you keep the recording. Send drawings as a PDF or DWG at least three days ahead. The quote is free and set by the plan's size, with multi-unit plans priced per unit plan; see pricing, book a session, or see other North communities on the communities page.