Housing starts up in city and across Alberta

By Lethbridge Herald on July 23, 2025.

Al Beeber
Lethbridge Herald

Alberta is on track to set a new provincial record for housing starts with 27,902 in the first two quarters of 2025.

The Alberta government said on Monday this is a 30 per cent increase compared to 2024 and outpaces development in all other Canadian provinces.

Despite Alberta having less than 13 per cent of the country’s population, it saw construction of almost a quarter of all new housing starts in the first six months of the year.

Lethbride has seen a 26 per cent increase in starts, slightly below Edmonton at 29 per cent. Grand Prairie led the province with a 112 per cent increase over 2024.

Lethbridge has 363 year-to-date starts.

According to the province, 48 per cent of all starts are rental properties with 21,735 rental units presently under construction.

Average cost of rent in Lethbridge in July is $1,283 for a one-bedrooom  apartment of 557 square feet in size, according to www.apartments.com. To afford that rent, the website says a person needs a monthly salary  of about $4,276 or $51,312 annually to follow the guideline of not paying more than 30 per cent of monthly income on rent.

“Alberta continues to lead the country in new housing starts, with nearly 28,000 homes underway in the first half of 2025 – a more than 30 per cent increase over last year’s record pace. This sustained  momentum highlights the continued collaboration between industry, the  provincial government, and municipalities in reducing barriers and  supporting housing affordability,” says Scott Fash, CEO of BILD Alberta.

“Alberta’s record housing starts are a clear sign that our approach is working,” says Jason Nixon, Minister of Assisted Living  and Social Services. “While other jurisdictions are falling behind, Alberta continues to step up – leading the way in housing construction, cutting red tape and delivering results that matter.”