Alberta's housing industry is not just building at a record pace — it may soon be collecting national awards at one as well.
The Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) has released its list of finalists for the National Awards for Housing Excellence, and Alberta's presence is nothing short of remarkable. In four separate award categories, every single finalist slot — all five in each category — belongs to either Calgary or Edmonton.
The sweep comes as Alberta crossed a historic threshold in 2025, recording more than 50,000 housing starts in a single year for the first time in the province's history. That milestone underscores the extraordinary momentum driving construction across both major cities.
Categories Where Alberta Rules
The four categories in which Alberta claims all five finalist positions are: Best Attached Low-Rise Home 1,500 to 1,800 square feet; Best Detached Production Home under 1,800 sq. ft.; Best Detached Production Home 2,401 to 2,800 sq. ft.; and Best Growing Community.
Among the community finalists is Chappelle Gardens, a development by Brookfield Residential in Edmonton, which is one of five all-Alberta nominees for the Best Growing Community Award.
Beyond those four categories, Alberta builders hold four of the five finalist positions in six additional award categories, making the province's overall showing at the national level exceptional by any measure.
Reflecting Broader Growth
The finalists reflect what housing analysts and builders have been observing for several years: Alberta — driven by interprovincial migration, relatively affordable land, and a business-friendly regulatory environment — has become the engine of Canadian residential construction.
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Winners of the CHBA National Awards for Housing Excellence will be announced later this year.
Source: Edmonton Journal. Original reporting by David Chen.