Timber frame house under construction. Wikimedia Commons. CC License. Photo by L Maule
EDMONTON — Alberta set new housing construction records in 2025, surpassing 50,000 housing starts in a single year for the first time as the province led the country in per-capita building for a second straight year.
Provincial figures show more than 53,000 homes began construction over the past 12 months, a 14 per cent increase over the previous record set in 2024. The second quarter of 2025 marked the strongest quarter for housing construction in Alberta’s history, with more than 17,000 starts.
The province said Alberta accounted for almost one-quarter of all housing starts in Canada last year, despite having less than 12 per cent of the national population. More than 80 per cent of housing starts across the Prairie provinces were in Alberta.
Jason Nixon, Alberta’s Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services, said the province is building at an unprecedented pace as population growth continues.
Industry groups said policy changes aimed at reducing regulatory delays have helped drive construction. Scott Fash, chief executive officer of BILD Alberta, said evolving regulatory systems and reduced barriers have contributed to record levels of rental construction.
Rental development reached a record high in 2025, with 19,681 purpose-built rental starts, nearly triple the level seen a decade ago. Provincial data show Alberta has built more purpose-built rentals in the past five years than in the previous 30 years combined.
The increase in supply coincided with falling rents. Alberta’s average asking rent is now about $400 per month below the national average, and rents in the province declined at nearly twice the national rate in 2025. Six Alberta communities ranked among the 10 most affordable small and mid-sized rental markets in Canada, including Fort McMurray, which placed second.
Housing construction increased across major centres, with Edmonton recording more than 21,000 starts in 2025 and Calgary nearly 27,700. Smaller centres also saw sharp gains, including Grande Prairie and Medicine Hat.
The province said it continues to expand affordable housing supports, providing assistance to more than 60,000 low-income households, including rental assistance for more than 13,000 households. Alberta is nearly halfway toward its goal of supporting an additional 25,000 affordable households by 2031 under its 10-year Stronger Foundations housing strategy.
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