Government Incentive Program
The Secondary Suite
Incentive Programme.
The City of Calgary programme that reimburses part of the cost of making a basement suite legal. Here is what it covers, what it requires, and its current status.
What the programme
actually is
The Secondary Suite Incentive Program is run by the City of Calgary. It helps homeowners create safe, legal secondary suites inside their existing homes, and since it launched in 2024 the number of registered suites in Calgary has roughly doubled, from around 13,000 to about 26,000.
It is important to understand what it pays for. This is not a grant toward a renovation. It reimburses a capped amount against the specific safety work that makes a suite legal: egress, fire separation, alarms, protected exiting and mechanical. It is paid after the work is done and the suite is registered, not advanced up front.
Current status, and please read this before planning around it. As of 24 June 2026 the City has placed new applications on a waitlist, and has said funding may not be available for homeowners who apply after that date. Files come off the waitlist first come, first served if funding frees up. We are not going to tell you that you qualify or estimate what you would receive, because that is the City's decision and the programme's status changes. Confirm the current position on the City of Calgary programme page.
What It Covers
The amounts, itemised
Up to $10,000 in total
The headline amount, paid toward building and registering a legal secondary suite inside your existing home.
Egress windows, up to $1,500
Toward compliant EGRESS WINDOW openings, which every below grade bedroom in a legal suite needs.
Alarms, up to $1,000
Toward hardwired, interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide alarms across both dwelling units.
Protected exiting, up to $1,000
Toward the protected exit route out of the suite required by code.
Smoke tight barriers, up to $4,000
Toward the rated separation between the suite and the main dwelling. Usually the largest single item.
Heating and air, up to $6,000
Toward split heating and separate air systems so the suite has its own compliant mechanical setup.
Energy efficient materials, up to $1,900
An additional amount available on top of the main incentive for qualifying energy efficient materials.
Accessibility work, up to $7,500
A further additional amount for accessibility modifications where they apply.
How It Works
The order things happen in
1. Get your building permit
You need an active building permit before you apply. The permit comes first, not the funding.
2. Complete the eLearning course
The City requires applicants to finish its eLearning course as part of the process.
3. Apply, then start the safety work
Work on the safety elements has to begin after your application date, so applying before starting matters.
4. Build the suite to code
Egress, fire separation, alarms, exiting and mechanical all built to the standard the program is measuring.
5. Register the suite
The suite has to be registered with the City. Registration is what the incentive is ultimately paying for.
6. Submit your receipts
Reimbursement is paid against submitted receipts after the work is done, not advanced up front.
Good To Know
Questions about the programme
For the official position, always check the City of Calgary page.
Is the programme accepting applications right now?
As of 24 June 2026 the City placed new applications on a waitlist and stated that funding may not be available for homeowners applying after that date. Files are taken from the waitlist on a first come, first served basis if funding becomes available. Check the City page for the current position before you rely on it.
How much money is actually available?
Up to $10,000 toward building and registering the suite, made up of capped amounts per safety element. There is up to $1,900 more for qualifying energy efficient materials and up to $7,500 more for accessibility modifications.
Does my basement qualify?
The suite has to be inside your main dwelling. Backyard suites and detached units are not covered by this program. You also have to own the property throughout the process, and applications are limited to one per person.
Can I run a short term rental in a suite funded by this?
No, not straight away. Suites that receive this incentive cannot be approved for a short term rental licence for two years after the funds are received. If short term letting is your plan, this matters a great deal and is worth deciding before you apply.
Do I need the permit before applying?
Yes. An active building permit is a condition of applying, and work on the safety elements is expected to begin after your application date rather than before it.
Does Grains Construction handle the application?
The application is made by you as the homeowner, and it is tied to your ownership and your permit. What we do is build the suite to the standard the program measures, and provide the permit and construction documentation the process depends on. We are not able to apply on your behalf.
