Builder Advisory – City of Calgary Implementation of STANDATA Interpretation- 23BCI015R1

BILD Calgary Region Bulletin 2026 – 9

Builder Advisory

City of Calgary implementation of STANDATA Interpretation 23BCI015R1
Effective for Building Permit Applications submitted on or after March 1, 2026

Implementation

To support construction sequencing and reduce early-stage delays, the City of Calgary is implementing STANDATA Interpretation 23BCI015R1 in a way that allows builders to move ahead with early construction before roof truss engineering is finalized, while still meeting code and safety requirements.

This advisory outlines what builders can expect when applying for permits under this approach.

Permit Applications

For Part 9 buildings, while builders are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications at the time of submission, due to the significant change in application requirements as an interim measure, builders may apply for a building permit before roof truss engineering is finalized.

Where roof truss engineering has not yet been provided, the City may issue a partial building permit (for group c occupancies) allowing construction to proceed up to and including the subfloor, including:

• Excavation
• Foundations
• Subfloor installation

Under a Partial Permit, builders may:

• Request pre-backfill inspections for the foundation and out of sequence groundworks inspections.
• Proceed with backfilling once inspections have been completed and passed.
• Please Note: The partial permit does not allow framing above the subfloor.

Once the required roof truss engineering is submitted and accepted and the application is complete, the City will issue the full building permit.   

Roof Truss Engineering & Authentication

Consistent with STANDATA Interpretation 23‑BCI‑015R1, the City recognizes flexibility in how roof truss designs are documented and authenticated:

• The roof truss layout plan does not need to be authenticated, provided that:
  • Roof Truss Profiles are authenticated, and details describing how the trusses are interconnected (load paths, bracing, and connections) are included or in a separate authenticated document.
• The registered engineering professional determines:
  • How the design is communicated.
  • Which documents are authenticated.
  • How the authenticated documents collectively convey the full design intent.

Key Takeaways

For permit applications submitted on or after March 1, 2026, builders can expect:

• The ability to obtain a partial permit before roof truss engineering is complete.
• Permission to construct up to and including the subfloor.
• Full building permit will not be issued until all stamped profile drawings and truss engineering is received and accepted
• We will re-evaluate this approach in 6 months to allow industry to adapt to the new requirements.

Builders are encouraged to coordinate early with their design professionals to support smooth permit processing and construction sequencing.  Complete applications at the time of submission are always the best way to ensure timely permit issuance.