Industrial Incentive Programs
Industrial Incentive Programs
Objectives of Calgary’s industrial incentive programs
The purpose of Calgary’s industrial incentive programs, including the Industrial Development Incentive Program and Greenfield Industrial Land Tax Incentive, is to support light and medium general industrial development within Calgary’s greenfield industrial area.The objectives used to review projects and make funding decisions include:
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Increase the amount of industrial land that is ready to build on.
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Grow the non‑residential tax base and support Calgary’s long‑term finances.
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Make Calgary a more attractive choice in the regional industrial market.
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Support Calgary’s overall economic growth and development.
Industrial Development Incentive Program – Overview
The Industrial Development Incentive Program supports shovel‑ready industrial land development in greenfield areas. It does this by helping cover development costs for new projects.
The program is the action item C.5 within the Council‑approved Citywide Growth Strategy: Industrial Action Plan (IP2025-0538).
Industrial Development Incentive Program Guidelines
Review the Program Guidelines for detailed information on program outcomes, eligibility criteria, and the decision‑making process.
The sections below provide detailed information about the currently active Industrial Development Incentive Program.
Coordination opportunity: The Greenfield Industrial Land Tax Incentive
About coordination: This program may be used alongside other City industrial incentives.
The Greenfield Industrial Land Tax Incentive is a new property tax incentive program designed to support industrial land development in designated greenfield areas.
Eligibility criteria
To apply for funding, projects must meet all of the following conditions:
| Applicants demonstrate the financial capacity to undertake the proposed project. | |
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The project must be within The City’s designated greenfield areas, as identified in the map in Schedule “A” of Bylaw 1H2024, the Off-site Levies Bylaw. |
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The project must accommodate a wide range of light and medium general industrial uses, as defined in the Industrial – General (I-G) district of the Land Use Bylaw or Direct Control District with I-G base. |
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| Proposed land must be serviced or partially serviced, with remaining services funded in the City budgets. |
Note: Meeting the eligibility criteria is required but does not guarantee funding. Applications are evaluated based on how well they align with the program’s objectives.
How applications are evaluated
If your project meets the eligibility criteria, we review your application using the factors below.
Project team and relevant experience
Applicants:
- Show they understand the development and City approval process.
- Show they can deliver the proposed project in Calgary’s market and construction environment.
Project maturity and readiness to proceed
Applicants:
- Show the project is ready to move forward and can be delivered on time.
- Explain any site challenges and how they will address them.
Project elements
Applicants:
- Explain how the project supports the surrounding industrial area, such as proximity to other industrial land or goods movement routes.
- Explain how the project supports the broader industrial area through shared infrastructure and job growth.
Early engagement
We encourage applicants to contact the program team early. Early contact can help you understand how the program may support your project.
Early conversations can also help confirm eligible costs, funding amounts, and next steps.
Funding details
What costs are covered?
The program supports eligible industrial development costs, including:
- Subdivision and land use application fees
- Development permit costs
- Site grading and preparation
- Construction of internal municipal roads
- Installation of water, sanitary and stormwater servicing infrastructure
- Applicable off‑site levy contributions
All funding is subject to the terms and conditions of a funding agreement to be entered into with The City.
How much funding can applicants receive?
Applicants may apply for:
- Up to $235,000 per hectare
- Funding for up to 8.5 hectares of I‑G land. Projects may exceed 8.5 hectares; however, only the first 8.5 hectares are eligible.
- Land zoned Industrial General (I‑G) or Direct Control (DC) with an I‑G base district
Note: Council allocated $5 million for the Industrial Development Incentive Program through approval of Budget 2026.
How to apply
We recommend reaching out early. Contact the project team to ask about your site’s eligibility and next steps.
Stage One: review
Stage One: review
Read the application guidelines to understand what you need to submit.
After you submit your application, we check that it is complete and meets the program’s eligibility criteria. If eligible, we complete a full review. We look at:
- Program objectives
- Technical requirements
- Other factors
Based on this review, we bring forward a recommendation to our decision‑making body. If your application is approved, you will move forward to funding agreement execution.
Formal submission requirements and decision criteria are outlined in the Program Guidelines. All applications must meet these standards to be considered.
To complete Stage One, applicants must submit the required application and consent form listed below.
Stage Two: funding agreement
Stage Two: funding agreement
Before a funding agreement is signed, applicants must provide detailed documentation about their project to The City, including:
- Project team and relevant experience
- Project maturity and readiness to proceed
- Financing plan and financing capacity
- Project elements
Stage Three: payment of funds
Stage Three: payment of funds
In accordance with the further terms of the funding agreement and only after The City has verified that:
i. a development agreement for the project has been executed, or a development permit has been issued; and
ii. amounts due pursuant to such development agreement(s) or development permit, as applicable, are paid on such schedule as required thereby,
the incentive amount for the project will be disbursed in instalments aligned with and proportionate to the instalment payments made by the applicant pursuant to the relevant development agreement(s) or development permit (in most cases, 30%, 30%, 40%).