[1] Since the turn of the millennium, the City of Edmonton has actively encouraged the construction of new secondary suites in its many low-density postwar neighbourhoods.
The basic requirements for legal basement suites are that they must only exist in fully detached single-family homes in specific land use districts, they must be 70 square metres in area or less, they must meet all regulations concerning habitability (they must be heated, have adequate kitchen and bathroom facilities, be insulated, etc.
[7] In 2007, rules were proposed that would retroactively legalize the thousands (or tens of thousands) of illegal basement suites in Calgary and make it easier for homeowners to build basement suites; the intent of the new rules was to ease the pressure on housing in a city where half of the homeless are fully employed.
[8][9] City Council voted against the proposition amid concerns over fire safety and the exploitation of low-income earners.
[6] Since Calgary's new Lane Use Bylaw became effective in June 2008,[10] Secondary suites are permitted in a number of residential districts.