Heritage Planning
Heritage Planning supports the protection, management and transformation of Calgary’s heritage resources – places from our city’s past with recognized value to the present & future. Heritage Planning has a diverse work program guided by the Calgary Heritage Strategy and Municipal Development Plan which includes application review, policy support, and grant administration.
Heritage Planning at The City of Calgary
Heritage Planning is a specialized part of City Wide Policy, focused on achieving the goals of the Calgary Heritage Strategy and Municipal Development Plan. Where sites of historical significance have been identified by Heritage Calgary or other formal evaluation, Heritage Planning works with property owners to provide information, application review and policy support for conservation. They also offer a grant program and other community-specific benefits to eligible owners willing to legally protect their sites under the Historical Resources Act of Alberta.
Heritage Planning’s work with privately-owned property is part of The City’s overall approach to conserving our heritage. This includes the management of public heritage buildings through Facilities and cultural landscapes through Calgary Parks.
Heritage sites
Individual places of historic significance are evaluated by Heritage Calgary (Civic Partner) for a growing public Inventory. Listed sites are not automatically protected (designated).
See the inventory below to learn more about protecting, restoring or redeveloping identified heritage sites. Incentives may be available for sites that are protected at the municipal level.
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A growing list of recognized heritage sites according to Council-approved policy.
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Find out the process for requesting and receiving legal protection as a designated Historic Resource.
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Learn about the requirements and approvals for redeveloping protected and unprotected heritage sites, including demolition.
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Planning and financial incentives to support property owners, including City Conservation Grants.
Heritage areas
The City recognizes select groups of related historic buildings that have combined heritage value in telling our living story. Individual buildings that make up a heritage area are called heritage assets, and The City identifies them through a visual survey. To qualify as a heritage asset, buildings must retain a majority of their historic design and details visible from the street – but not all heritage assets qualify for the Heritage Inventory and are typically ineligible for legal protection and financial incentives.
Council has approved the use of heritage areas for residential properties constructed before 1945. Learn more about the current program, planned future work, and requirements for developing within a Heritage Guideline Area or Direct Control Heritage Area.
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Heritage Guideline Areas are now available through The City's development map tool.
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Heritage Guideline Area Mapping
My Property mapHeritage Guideline Areas are now available as a map layer on The City's My Property map.
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Overview and background: Calgary’s approved Heritage Area Tools for residential areas.
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Policies and requirements for developing in Heritage Guideline Areas and Direct Control Heritage Areas.
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In-progress work for heritage areas, including development benefits for heritage assets and reporting and analysis of conservation tools.
How to research building history
Explore Calgary’s heritage in your own way, using City resources and links to partner and external organizations.Learn about the process and available resources to conduct your own historic property research.
Research linksOur partners
Heritage Planning works alongside Public and Civic Partners to achieve the goals of the Calgary Heritage Strategy. This includes our Civic Partner, Heritage Calgary, and City stewards for publicly owned and managed heritage resources.
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The City’s Civic Partner in heritage conservation, managing the heritage Inventory and advising Council on heritage matters.
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City steward for cultural landscapes & archaeological resources, including parks, boulevards and natural areas with heritage significance.
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Manager of City-owned properties and structures, including identified heritage buildings.