Driving down the Anthony Henday, you can’t help but notice all the signs for new communities being developed all over Edmonton. Some say it’s urban sprawl, but most believe it’s a sign of the city’s unstoppable growth. One thing is certain; it gives new homebuyers more opportunities to build their dream home.

Accessibility, affordability, and amenities – not necessarily in that order – are what new home buyers are looking for in a place to settle down. New communities may have all the answers, but what can buyers expect when they do decide to live in one?

New communities under development can be busy with construction traffic, dusty or muddy roads, and the lack of trees or other greenery often make them seem a little barren. But these are all just passing inconveniences that resolve themselves with time, and it is time worth the investment.

“These concerns are completely fair and may scare some new buyers,” says Rohit Communities Division Marketing Manager, Daisy Lieu. “But when you buy in a new community, you’re investing in more than a home as you’re buying into a carefully planned community design where infrastructure, amenities, and open spaces are all designed to work together cohesively,”

She adds that although established neighbourhoods have real appeal, they can also be limited by decisions made by developers decades ago that may not appeal to the new buyer of today. “In a new community, every detail from storm drainage to pathway connections to where the playground and amenities sits has been intentional.”

Need for new communities

Edmonton is experiencing record-breaking population growth, with a 3.38 per cent year-over-year increase and over 18 per cent growth in the past five years, according to the Government of Alberta statistics. The city is expanding rapidly, and some might think of this as urban sprawl, but developers see another side of it.

“New communities play a crucial role in how cities grow responsibly,” says Nick Young, Director, Land Development at Cantiro. “When done well, they are not about sprawl – they’re about choice and balance. Edmonton is fortunate to have space to grow, and families have diverse needs, from yards and garages to access to trails, schools, and everyday conveniences.”

“Well-designed new communities today are very different from traditional notions of sprawl,” agrees Lieu. “They are more complete with a mix of housing types, integrated amenities, pathways, green spaces, stormponds to avoid flooding, and in many cases, planned commercial areas that reduce the need to travel far for everyday needs.”

She adds that “new communities give us the opportunity to get that right from day one rather than retrofitting solutions into existing neighborhoods that weren’t designed for today’s population.”

Edmonton’s new communities

Rohit Communities, which won the Builder of the Year and Developer of the Year awards at the2026 BILD Edmonton Metro Awards of Excellence, is one of Alberta’s most renowned land developers with 24 communities currently being developed in 8 municipalities in the province. In Edmonton, their newest developments include such hit communities as Cambrian in Sherwood Park and Chérot in St. Albert.

Cantiro is just as invested in Alberta’s growth with developments across the province, six communities in Edmonton alone, and seven more in its surrounding areas. They also have current developments in B.C. and Ontario. Among their latest is Riverstead at Keswick in southwest Edmonton and Alces in the southeast, which just won Best New Community at the BILD EM Awards.

“New communities are where value and opportunity await,” Young says. “Buyers have the rare chance to choose a lot and home that truly fits their lifestyle, whether that’s an estate style lot, a walkout backing onto natural features, or a lot steps from future amenities and pathways. They also can select product, style, interiors, functionality, lot type, value of higher building code, innovative product/design/technology.”

He points out that in their Riverstead at Keswick community, buyers aren’t just purchasing a home, they’re helping shape a community from the very beginning. “New communities are carefully planned with modern lifestyles in mind, offering thoughtfully designed streetscapes, integrated greenspaces, and room to grow.” Cantiro also makes it a point to include some amenities early in the development to benefit the first residents.

Future growth

And more new communities are coming. Rohit is deep in plans for new communities including Pintail located within one of northwest Edmonton’s most established and desirable residential areas (directly across from our successful Kinglet Gardens). “It will also include an extension of the current retail offering in Big Lake Quarters,” Lieu says.

Then there’s the Fields of Uplands in the Riverview residential area, which is a great location for families seeking nature-connected living while being close to urban amenities.

“We are also part of a significant long-range master-planned community initiative in Strathcona County in the Evans area that we’re collaborating on with other developers. That’s a longer horizon project, but it represents the kind of large-scale, thoughtful community building that I think sets a new bar for what suburban development can look like in this region,” she adds.

Cantiro is just as busy. “Our goal is always to create communities that feel connected – to nature, to amenities, and to the wider city – while offering a distinct sense of place,” Young says. “Riverstead at Keswick is a great example of that approach, and you’ll see that same philosophy carried forward into a another new Cantiro community coming in early 2027 to southwest Edmonton.”

Cantiro will have Hillshire West in Sherwood Park, a new North Edmonton community for end of 2026/early 2027 and a new infill community in North Central Edmonton in 2027.

Wide range of new home opportunities

The newer communities also offer the widest range of home types, from multi-family condos and townhomes to single-family homes from starters to move-ups and estates.

Cantiro’s Alces is one example, as this dynamic southeast community offers everything from single detached homes, semi-detached homes, row housing, and three-storey homes. “This provides flexibility for first-time buyers, growing families, and move-up purchasers alike,” says Young.

Rohit is also excited for its latest development of Woodhaven Edgemont, the latest ravine community (Woodhaven Ravine) that is surrounded on three sides by multi-use trails along Wedgewood Creek, with no home more than 100 metres away from nature.

“Which means your kids can walk to the new K-9 school along the ravine, you get to see the amazing fall colours and can enjoy those winter wonderland walks close to home!” Lieu says. New showhomes are now open too with a grand opening event slated for June 13th. Go to rohitgroup.com for more information on their latest communities.

Designed for today’s needs

For more than 30 years, Cantiro has been one of the most prolific land developer and homebuilders in the Edmonton area with award-winning communities and multi-family homes that have withstood the test of time.

“The success of our previous communities comes down to intentional planning and long-term thinking,” Young says. “We don’t just focus on selling homes; we focus on livability. That means prioritising walkability, access to nature, parks and playgrounds, architectural consistency, and spaces that encourage people to gather.”

With this vision, they have found success time and again, and their dynamic, young community of Alces in the southeast is just the latest example.

“From the beginning, Alces was planned as a complete community – not something that would feel finished years down the road,” Young says. Find out more about Alces, Riverside at Keswick and other communities they develop at cantiro.ca.