A message from BILD Edmonton Metro:
Immigration is reshaping Edmonton's suburbs. Many newcomers choose the south, west, and edges of the city as the place to build a future. The pull is practical and human: room for extended family, access to cultural amenities, and the chance to own a home that reflects how they actually live.
That choice is changing the built form. Today's suburban homes increasingly include multigenerational layouts, main-floor bedrooms, and full baths for elders; secondary (spice) kitchens for traditional cooking; better ventilation; and larger gathering spaces. Legal suites and garden/laneway options help families balance affordability with opportunity. Builders are increasingly co-designing with clients, translating household routines, religious needs, and cultural preferences into functional spaces.
As communities grow more diverse, so does the physical and cultural fabric of Edmonton's neighbourhoods. It is not just housing — it is halal butchers and Punjabi meat shops, gurdwaras and mosques, spice kitchens and seniors' prayer rooms. Festivals, faith gatherings, and sports in the park make these places feel alive.
Public and private investments need to keep pace. "Institutionally complete" suburbs — those with schools, childcare, healthcare, local retail, libraries, parks, and reliable transit — help newcomers integrate into daily life close to home. True inclusion requires public-private collaboration, and a shift in mindset.
"We assume we know what people need instead of asking them," says Harman Kandola, vice-president of Victory Homes. "Imagine if we made space for cricket, or added more benches, gazebos, and public washrooms. These aren't luxuries — they're signals that people belong."
"There's a stereotype that Canadian suburbs are dull, lifeless, and disconnected," says Dr. Sandeep Agrawal, founder of the University of Alberta's School of Urban and Regional Planning. "But that couldn't be further from the truth in Edmonton and elsewhere in the country."
In fact, he argues, suburbs are where the action is. They are where newcomers are adapting the built environment to meet their cultural, social, and economic needs.
"You can't engineer where people want to live," he says. "You can only build to support it."
Read the full story and download BILD Edmonton Metro's Urban Growth Case Story to learn more.