Stormwater & Housing Impacts Project (SHIP)
Stormwater & Housing Impacts Program
Supporting housing and stormwater infrastructure delivery
Program background
We want to make it easier for developers to build homes while also improving City stormwater systems. By connecting stormwater and housing requirements, we can create more housing options, reduce flood risks, and enhance our stormwater infrastructure.
Builders, developers, consultants and The City all work together to build homes and ensure stormwater and drainage is managed during and after construction. This work is connected to realizing outcomes of three strategies:
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Home is Here, The City of Calgary's Housing Strategy 2024 - 2030
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The City of Calgary’s 2023 Stormwater Management Strategy
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Established Area Growth and Change Strategy
Under these strategies, the Stormwater & Housing Impacts Program (SHIP) wants to help create more homes and improve the stormwater system.
Program Overview
There are four active projects:
As the Stormwater & Housing Impacts program Progresses, we will be providing updates on this page. The next update is anticipated in Q2, 2025. For more details on the overall program or any of the active project components, contact Pete Meadows or Michael Pekrul.
Plug & Play On-Site Stormwater Designs
Currently, on-site stormwater storage is only required when developing multi-residential housing with three or more units. Building on-site stormwater storage can be both expensive and technically challenging, leading some developers to avoid building multi-residential housing. This means both fewer homes and less stormwater infrastructure are built.
We are working with industry partners to prepare "plug & play" designs for on-site stormwater storage. These are pre-made, ready-to-use designs which meet regulatory requirements. These designs will be publicly available, and will make it simpler, less time consuming, and less costly to build multi-residential developments.
On-site Stormwater Funding Pilot
While on-site stormwater storage costs are the developer’s responsibility, a funding pilot is being developed with industry partner input to help offset these costs and make it easier for more housing to be built. Technical and design challenges associated with on-site stormwater storage are being addressed through the Plug & Play On-Site Stormwater Designs.
Storm Extension Pilot
Managing stormwater in Calgary requires infrastructure both on private sites and on public land. When redevelopment happens where there isn’t an existing stormwater main, an extension to the nearest stormwater main must be built. While these costs are the developer’s responsibility, they can be costly for a builder, which means they can impact the price of the homes or reduce the viability of the project.
A pilot is in place to explore better ways to collect these funds and build the required stormwater main extensions, making it easier for more homes to be built. The current phase of the pilot covers required storm extensions for residential applications submitted since October 2023, and provides up to $2,100 for each meter of pipe and up to $1 million per eligible project. Projects which don’t need extra pipes but benefit nearby properties will be considered.
New Community Stormwater Pilot
Like in established areas, housing built in new communities must also follow stormwater requirements. In consultation with industry partners, this pilot is being developed to help build more housing in new communities by reducing costs and challenges related to stormwater management.
