CAD standard
The City of Calgary has developed a CAD (computer-aided design) standard to be used for engineering drawings on capital projects that impact City of Calgary horizontal infrastructure initiated on or after January 1, 2019. The Standard also applies to drawings for subdivision construction projects initiated on or after January 1, 2020.
Any projects initiated prior to these dates are encouraged to use this CAD Standard. Usage of this standard is also encouraged for CAD representations of buildings and other vertical infrastructure projects.
If you have suggestions or comments you can provide feedback by emailing us at CADinfo@calgary.ca.
How to navigate the CAD website
CAD drawing standard documentation
The CAD standard guidance document describes in detail the specifics of the standard and how to apply them.
- Calgary CAD Standard Guidance Document (2024-01-15)
CAD standard
The CAD standard describes the minimum requirements for CAD drawings submitted to or created internally by The City of Calgary.
- Calgary CAD Standard (2024-01-15)
CAD standard version history
This document lists the changes of the current standard version from previous ones.
- Version History (2024-01-15)
AutoCAD templates
Below are the AutoCAD 2018 templates which you may download and use to facilitate complying with the CAD standard. Dates indicate the last update to the file.
Full template download
To download all the templates and related files for all disciplines, download the file below and save it to your desktop. Once the files are downloaded please read the Supporting File Locations (2020-12-15) document.
- The City of Calgary Templates (2024-03-18)
Templates by discipline
Individual templates may be downloaded separately if you do not require all the templates. Please note you will also need to download the necessary supporting files listed below them.
- General Template (2023-01-16)
- Architectural Template (2020-12-15)
- Civil Template (2024-03-18)
- Electrical Template (2020-12-15)
- Fire Suppression Template (2020-12-15)
- Geotechnical Template (2020-12-15)
- Landscape and Irrigation Template (2020-12-15)
- Mechanical Template (2020-12-15)
- Plumbing Template (2020-12-15)
- Process Template (2020-12-15)
- Structural Template (2020-12-15)
- Survey and Mapping Template (2024-03-18)
- Telecommunications Template (2020-12-15)
Required supporting files for individual templates:
- Files Locations (2020-12-15)
- Hatch Patterns (2019-12-09)
- Linetype and SHX (2024-01-15)
- Plot Style CTB (2020-12-23)
- Sheet Set File (2019-12-09)
Required files for the Civil 3D template:
- Pipe Catalog (2018-07-16)
- Figure Prefix Database and Description Keys (2019-12-09)
Optional files:
- LTO layer translator (2018-07-16)
Quick reference files
Below is a list of reference files that you may download and/or print as a quick reference for when you are working on CAD drawings for The City of Calgary.
- Level 1 Discipline Designators (2018-07-16)
- Level 2 Discipline Designators (2020-12-15)
- Sheet Type Designators (2018-12-17)
- Status Field Codes (2018-07-16)
- Major Group Descriptions (2020-12-15)
- Minor Group Descriptions (2020-12-15)
- Terms and Abbreviations (2023-01-16)
- Proposed Dimensions , Text, and MultiLeader Styles (2018-12-17)
- Existing Dimensions , Text, and MultiLeader Styles (2018-12-17)
- Hatch Patterns (2019-12-09)
- Drawing Set Order (2018-12-17)
- Folder Structure (2018-07-16)
- Standard Layers (2024-01-15)
- Standard Symbols (2024-01-15)
Colour Pen Table (CTB) samples
- City of Calgary Colour (2018-12-17)
- City of Calgary Colour - Half Size (2018-12-17)
- City of Calgary Black and Grey (2018-12-17)
- City of Calgary Black and Grey - Half Size (2018-12-17)
- Utility Safety Partners (formerly Alberta One Call) (2018-12-17)
- Utility Safety Partners (formerly Alberta One Call) - Half Size (2018-12-17)
Sample drawings
The sample drawings below are used to show what some typical finished products, which comply with the CAD standard, look like.
These drawing samples are intended to illustrate the CAD standard and are for reference purposes only. Please confirm with your appropriate City of Calgary contact for specific content requirements.
Typical contract set drawings:
- Cover Sheet (2023-01-16)
- Location Plan (2023-01-16)
- Index (2023-01-16)
- Legend (2023-01-16)
- Alignment (2023-01-16)
- Alignment (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
- Profile (2023-01-16)
- Profile (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
- Pavement (2023-01-16)
- Grading & Pavement Elevation (2023-01-16)
- Grading & Pavement Elevation (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
- Section (2023-01-16)
- Removal (2023-01-16)
Typical Subdivision drawings:
- Building Grade Plan (2023-01-16)
- Building Grade Plan (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
- Erosion Sediment Control (2023-01-16)
- Erosion Sediment Control (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
- Fencing Details (2023-01-16)
- Sanitary Sewers (2023-01-16)
- Storm Drainage Area Overall (2023-01-16)
- Storm Drainage Area (2023-01-16)
- Storm Drainage Area (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
- Storm Sewers (2023-01-16)
- Storm Sewers (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
- Surface Improvements (2023-01-16)
- Surface Improvements (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
- Surface Sections (2023-01-16)
- Water Mains (2023-01-16)
Typical block profile drawings:
- Capital Project Design Block Profile (2023-01-16)
- Subdivision Design Block Profile (2023-01-16)
- Subdivision Design Block Profile (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
Typical as-built block profile drawings:
- As-built Block Profile with Plan and Profile View (2023-01-16)
- As-built Block Profile with Plan and Profile View (ANNOTATED) (2023-01-16)
- As-built Block Profile with Plan, Utility, and Profile View (2023-01-16)
- As-built Block Profile Overland Drainage R/W with Swale (2023-01-16)
- As-built Block Profile Storm Pond (2023-01-16)
- As-built Block Profile Utility R/W (2023-01-16)
For background information about the CAD Standard and why The City created these, view the About the CAD Standard page.
If you have technical questions that are not covered in the material provided above, please review our FAQ page.
To watch instructional videos to learn how to use the standard, take a look at the Technical Videos page
Disclaimer: The City of Calgary (the "City") CAD standards and provided tools are intended for information purposes only. No warranty or representation as to the completeness or accuracy of said materials is made. The Contents on this Site and its compilation is protected by Canadian and international copyright, and trademark laws. The City acknowledges that the CAD Standards were developed by adopting and amending the Master Municipal Construction Documents Association (MMCD) Standard, and supplemented with additional information from the National CAD Standard (NCS). Copyright materials from both organizations incorporated within the City’s CAD Standards is owned by the respective organization. For more information on using the content on this site, please see the City of Calgary Terms of Use.