Is less construction affecting affordability gains in Calgary?

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeLocal BusinessNewsLocal News Is less construction affecting affordability gains in Calgary? The decline comes as population growth that once exploded Calgary's housing market has slowed due to a drop in international migration, after Ottawa tightened its immigration rules Author of the article: By Hiren Mansukhani Published Sep 10, 2026 4 minute read Join the conversation Construction workers build homes in the new northwest Calgary community of Starling on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Gavin Young/Postmedia file Article content The number of houses beginning construction in Calgary is 20 per cent lower than last year, as the city now barely meets the threshold needed to restore pre-pandemic affordability levels by 2036, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Article content Still, the city is the best-performing major city in Canada after Edmonton. Article content Article content Calgary has almost halved its supply gap in the past year as investors from across Canada rushed into Calgary to cash in on an influx of migrants, pushing housing starts — most of which were driven by the purpose-built rental market — to 27,684, a record 13.6 per cent increase from 24,369 the previous year. Article content Article content Taylor Pardy, chief economist at CMHC, told Postmedia that the number of homes entering construction has fallen by 20 per cent and is projected to reach 23,000 this year. Purpose-built rental homes account for 30 per cent of the drop, albeit comprising 60 per cent of all housing starts. Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content The decline comes as population growth that once exploded Calgary’s housing market has slowed due to a drop in international migration, after Ottawa tightened its immigration rules, which in 2023 were responsible for increasing the number of temporary residents to 805,000 residents in Canada in 2023. Article content The city estimates population growth in Calgary nearly halved in 2025 to 3.2 per cent from 6.2 per cent the year before. Article content The continuing decline pinched apartment sales by 26 per cent in August, according to a new…