New help to find legal secondary suites
Posted Sep 28, 2015 12:58 pm.
Last Updated Sep 28, 2015 1:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The City of Calgary has introduced a new way to tell if a secondary suite is legal and safe.
Stickers and an online registry will work together in a searchable mapping tool to help potential renters verify if a secondary suite has been properly inspected and approved.
A suite owner will receive a registered sticker they can show as proof that they have implemented safety standards like emergency escape features.
Calgarians can also search properties by address, registry sticker number or community.
In a written statement, Cliff De Jong, special project coordinator with Planning, Development and Assessment, said the building code requirements are important in protecting the public.
“The registry program allows Calgarians to verify if a home they are considering meets these requirements,” De Jong said.
It’s estimated there are anywhere from hundreds to thousands of illegal secondary suites currently operating in Calgary.
The sticker program is the latest in efforts from the city to encourage suite owner’s to bring their properties up to bylaw standards.
Earlier this month, the City launched an 18-month Development Permit exemption.
