All aboard the Airdrie Express, as the historic southern Alberta railway town remains on the fast track to progress.
New amenities, new communities, and even a new interchange to the Q.E. II are on the horizon, as Airdrie continues to attract more newcomers to this dynamic, booming city just north of Calgary.

The latest Airdrie census pegs the population at 80,649, reflecting an over 14 per cent increase, one of the highest in the province.

That’s quite the leap from what started out as a small railroad outpost in the late 19th Century. Now, Airdrie is rivaling even Calgary as a premier destination for new home buyers, as more new communities and housing options are introduced.

“Airdrie offers a fantastic quality of life. In our Citizen Satisfaction Survey, residents told us that this is a safe place to live – our ratings on safety outscore many municipalities in Alberta,” says Sara Chamberlain, Team Leader, Economic Development, at the City of Airdrie.

“Airdrie also offers a tax advantage. We have one of the lowest residential property tax rates when compared to similar-sized communities in Alberta,” she tells Calgary New Home + Condo Guide. “Also, wherever I go, people tell me how friendly Airdrie is. Right now we have this great balance between offering the feel of a small town but also have the types of amenities and services you’d expect to find in a mid-sized city.”

Top rated quality of life

Chamberlain, herself an Airdrie resident, says the city has been a wonderful place to raise her children. “I know my neighbours and we help each other, and the location in Alberta is fantastic.”

The numbers back her up. Airdrie’s Citizen Satisfaction Survey results that gauges residents’ quality of life give high marks to the city, with 73 percent of residents rating their quality of life here as a 4 or 5 out of 5.

“That’s pretty impressive. Residents tell us they love Airdrie because of the availability of services, facilities and amenities, parks and walking trails, community safety and our small town feel. Airdrie also offers an increasing number of stores, restaurants and other services and residents also noted that as a reason for their good quality of life.”

More to come

It continues to be an exciting time in Airdrie with new communities underway and on the horizon. Chamberlain says there are a number of approved residential communities that are in various stages of land and housing construction including:

• Wildflower (from Minto Communities) is well into construction. This is the first new community in the West Hills area. Coming up next is Key Ranch (from Lamont Land). When West Hills is complete (over the next several decades), it will be home to an anticipated 18,000 residents.
• Vantage Rise (from Qualico Communities) is in the Southwest of Airdrie and recently broke ground. It will be home to around 3,000 residents.
• Sawgrass Park (from Hopewell Residential) is in Airdrie’s northwest and is the first neighbourhood in the Davy Creek community

“All of these communities will offer a variety of homes, schools, commercial areas and other amenities to attract new residents to Airdrie or provide opportunities for current residents to move to another area of our city,” Chamberlain says.

Big city benefits

Construction of the 40th Avenue Interchange to Q.E. II continues and is scheduled to open in October 2023 as planned. The opening of this interchange will be very exciting for residents, visitors and businesses alike, Chamberlain says.

“It provides an important east-west connection in the city which will reduce congestion on existing roads such as Yankee Valley Blvd. For businesses, quicker access to the Q.E. II will allow them to move their goods in and out of Airdrie more quickly and it will also provide businesses in south Airdrie better access for their customers and visitors to Airdrie,” she adds.

Another anticipated development is also happening in South Point, one of the most popular new communities growing in south Airdrie.

South Point’s developer, Vesta Properties, has announced the introduction of a new, 50-acre commercial centre east of the residential community that brings convenience of added amenities such as shopping, commercial and medical services, and recreation right next door. South Point Village will feature 415,000 sq. ft. of mixed-use commercial and retail space with a charming boardwalk skirting the Nose Creek Pond.

“It will be a destination point for everyone,” says AJ van der Linden, sales manager for Vesta Properties.

Strategic location

It’s location just outside Calgary has always been one of Airdrie’s biggest draws, and having the Q.E II running through town is a major advantage. It is close to the Calgary International Airport

One of Alberta’s biggest shopping malls, CrossIron Mills, is just a short drive from Airdrie, and the city itself has its own retinue of independent and big box stores that offer tons of convenience to residents.

“There are so many great places to dine and shop in Airdrie. This is probably one of our best kept secrets!” Chamberlain says. “We have a number of boutique shops where you can find amazing home décor and gifts including Boulevard Homes,, Squiggly Pig Marketplace, Copper & Twine and Complete Home Collective,” she says..

Best communities

There are several new communities in various stages of development in all sectors of Airdrie, a number of them coming in less than a decade ago, and more are opening.

Just breaking ground is Vantage Rise by Qualico Communities.

With a total of 160 acres (65 hectares), the community will be built out in 4 phases and will house roughly 1200 homes and 3000+ residents upon completion. Home types will include Front Garage Homes, Laned Homes, Townhomes, and multi-family housing.

The community will include a 12.25-acre commercial site and a 1.59-acre central green space. The Vantage Commons commercial area will act as a focal point for the neighbourhood, with open spaces such as the recreational pathway surrounding the storm pond, commercial park, and incorporated central park. Each area will provide opportunities for residents to play, socialize, and be active. Other defining features will include a Pedestrian Oriented Main Street, a future public-school site, parks, and sports courts. “When complete, our combined investment in homes and infrastructure will be $807 million, and we are extremely excited about making this happen,” says Thilo Kauffman, Qualico’s Vice President of Community Development.

Bright future

There’s no question Airdrie is a fast-growing community and keeping pace with the growth has been a priority for City of Airdrie administration and leadership, chamberlain says. “We are excited by projects including the new Airdrie Multi-use Facility and Library which will be located downtown and the future southwest recreation centre. We’ve also acquired 185 acres of land in the northeast for a new regional park. All of these projects are important in providing continued quality of life for our residents.