Only 39% of Edmonton's New Homes Are Near Transit

Fewer than four in ten new homes that broke ground in the Edmonton area last year were built within a short walk of transit. Statistics Canada reported on August 14, 2026 that 39.4% of the 18,291 housing units started across the Edmonton census metropolitan area in 2024 sat within 400 metres of a public transit stop, down from 42.5% in 2023. That share is well below the national figure of 57.3%, and it also trails Calgary at 45.1%. The numbers come from a new federal dataset drawn from CMHC's Starts and Completions Survey and covering 41 metropolitan areas. They measure how close new housing is being built to bus stops and LRT stations, not how many people ride transit. For Edmonton buyers weighing a commute, a lower-car lifestyle, or long-term resale, the data shows most of the region's new supply is still going up in car-dependent, edge-of-city areas rather than along established transit lines.

Information last verified on August 14, 2026. Figures below are current as of that date.

What did Statistics Canada report?

Statistics Canada published a new set of tables measuring the distance between newly built housing and public transit. The data attaches each housing start, completion, and unit under construction to a "public transit service area," then reports how many fell within several set distances of a stop, ranging from 400 metres up to two kilometres, with some thresholds varying by the transit type's carrying capacity. This article uses the most walkable of those cuts: within 400 metres of any transit stop, roughly a five-minute walk. The figures describe the Edmonton census metropolitan area, the StatCan-defined region that spans the City of Edmonton and its surrounding municipalities, including St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Leduc, and Spruce Grove.

For the Edmonton metropolitan area in 2024, the shares of new housing units within 400 metres of a stop were:

• 39.4% of homes started (7,205 of 18,291 units)
• 41.0% of homes completed (6,890 of 16,804 units)
• 44.2% of homes under construction (6,352 of 14,387 units)

The share of starts near transit slipped from 42.5% in 2023 even as total starts jumped by roughly 40%, from 13,082 units to 18,291. In plain terms, the Edmonton region built far more housing in 2024, but a smaller slice of it went up near a bus stop or train station. The dataset counts stops of all kinds, so a bus stop counts the same as an LRT station. It is a supply-side measure of where homes are being built, and says nothing about how many residents actually use transit.

How Edmonton compares to Calgary and Canada

Edmonton sits below both Calgary and the national average on every stage of construction. Nationally, most new housing is now going up near transit, a pattern driven by dense building in the largest metros.

The national share sits higher largely because Canada's totals are weighted by its biggest metros, where new housing skews toward apartments and tends to go up near rapid transit. Both Alberta cities build more of their housing as ground-oriented homes on greenfield land, a pattern that would tend to pull transit-proximity numbers down. Edmonton's lead over Calgary in raw starts does not close the transit gap: the region simply builds more of its new housing farther from a stop.

Why is less of Edmonton's new housing near transit?

Edmonton has been building at a rapid clip, with housing starts up about 40% in 2024, and much of that growth has come in newer communities on the southern and western edges of the region. Those areas deliver detached and semi-detached homes on land that is cheaper than the mature core, but they tend to sit farther from established bus and LRT service. The city continues to expand its transit network, including the Valley Line, yet transit build-out follows rooftops with a lag, so new subdivisions often open before frequent service reaches them.

The result is visible in the region's development pattern. If you want a sense of where the newest housing is going up and how far it sits from the core, the difference between the fast-growing suburbs on the edge of the region and downtown Edmonton's residential revival is a useful frame. Central and transit-served pockets keep adding apartments and infill, while the bulk of new ground-oriented supply lands where land is available.

What this means for Edmonton buyers

For most buyers, transit proximity is one factor among many, alongside price, home type, schools, and yard size. This data does not say that homes near transit are better or worse, and it is not a forecast. It does show that a buyer who specifically wants a walk-to-transit location has a smaller pool to choose from among brand-new builds in the Edmonton area than a buyer in Calgary or in most large Canadian cities.

There are practical angles worth keeping in mind. A location within a short walk of frequent transit can trim household transportation costs and appeal to a segment of future buyers, which can support resale demand over time. A home in a newer, car-dependent community may offer more space and a lower price per square foot, with a longer commute as the trade-off. Neither is the right answer for everyone. If transit access matters to you, it is worth checking service frequency at the specific address, not just whether a stop appears on a map, and a local REALTOR® can help you weigh proximity against price for the neighbourhoods you are considering. Buyers who prize walkability can start with Edmonton's most walkable, transit-served neighbourhoods and browse current Edmonton listings to see what is available near existing lines.

Rising clay bar chart beside a small house model

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Edmonton's new homes are built near transit? In 2024, 39.4% of housing units started in the Edmonton census metropolitan area were within 400 metres of a public transit stop, according to Statistics Canada data released August 14, 2026. That was down from 42.5% in 2023.

How does Edmonton compare to the rest of Canada? Edmonton is below the national average. Across Canada, 57.3% of homes started in 2024 were within 400 metres of a transit stop. Calgary was at 45.1%, also above Edmonton.

Does "near transit" mean near the LRT? Not specifically. The measure counts any public transit stop, including bus stops, streetcar or rail stops, and ferry terminals. In Edmonton that mostly means bus stops and LRT stations, so a home near a bus stop counts the same as one near a train platform.

Where does this data come from? It comes from a new Statistics Canada dataset, table 34-10-0298-01, built on CMHC's Starts and Completions Survey. It covers 41 census metropolitan areas and reports housing starts, completions, and units under construction by distance to transit for 2023 and 2024.

Does living near transit affect a home's value? Transit proximity is one of many factors buyers weigh, and it can influence both commute costs and future demand. It is not a guarantee of higher value. The effect depends on the specific location, service frequency, price, and home type, which is why it helps to check the details of a particular address.

This article was researched and drafted with AI assistance, fact-checked against the primary sources listed below, and reviewed by the hômm editorial team before publication. Market data is live from the MLS®.