Edmonton Landscape Security Deposit (Starting January 1, 2027)
What infill builders need to plan for before their development permit is issued
Overview
Built around the realities of your site.
Starting January 1, 2027, the City of Edmonton will collect a refundable landscape security when it issues the development permit for new single detached, semi-detached, duplex and row housing in the Redeveloping Areas inside the Anthony Henday. Until it is paid, the City will not review or issue your building permits, including footing and foundation permits. Here is what the rule says, what it costs and how to plan your permits around it.
Who it applies to. The security applies to Single Detached Housing, Semi-detached Housing, Duplex Housing and Row Housing on sites in the City's Redeveloping Areas, which are the areas within the Anthony Henday. Sites zoned Small Scale Flex Residential (RSF), Blatchford Row Housing (BRH) and Griesbach Low Density Residential Flex (GLDF) are excluded for now, and the City says changes are also underway for the Developing Areas outside the Henday.
When it is collected. The security is collected at development permit issuance, not at application. That matters for timing: a development permit applied for in 2026 but issued on or after January 1, 2027 falls under the new rule. If you want to stay ahead of it, the permit needs to be issued before the new year, so the application has to be complete and in review well before then.
How much it is. For single detached, semi-detached and duplex housing, the City sets the amount by site width: $1,800 where the site is less than 8.0 metres wide, $3,200 for 8.0 to 15.0 metres, and $5,700 where it is wider than 15.0 metres. For row housing, the security is 100% of the estimated cost of the soft landscaping needed to meet Zoning Bylaw minimums, plus 29% for maintenance, 10% contingency and 5% GST. The City publishes an estimator and periodically updates its unit rates.
Getting it back. The security is a refundable deposit. The City releases it once it confirms the landscaping has been installed and maintained according to the development permit conditions. Landscaping must be installed within 18 months of occupancy for single detached, semi-detached and duplex housing, and within 12 months for row housing. If the requirements are not met, the City may use the security to hire contractors to install the landscaping. In practice the deposit is a cash-flow and sequencing cost, not a lost one, as long as the approved landscaping goes in on time.
Row housing also needs a Landscape Plan. All Row Housing development permit applications city-wide now require a Landscape Plan. Showing landscaping and Low Impact Development features clearly in the permit drawings from the start avoids review questions later and gives you an accurate picture of what the security will be based on.
This page summarizes the City of Edmonton's published information as of October 2026. Requirements, rates and exclusions can change, so confirm the details for your site on the City's Small-Scale Residential Landscaping page before you rely on them.
Related services and site-review resources
Residential and multifamily design · Edmonton infill design
Row house design · Development and building permit support · LID garden design · 2027 landscape security deposit
Check current requirements with the City of Edmonton Zoning Bylaw and house permit application requirements. See the City's Small-Scale Residential Landscaping page for current security rates and the row housing estimator. Requirements are project-specific.
Who This Is For
Builders and developers planning single detached, semi-detached, duplex or row housing infill inside the Anthony Henday, especially projects that could still reach development permit issuance before January 1, 2027.
What You Receive
- →A check of whether the security applies to your site and zone
- →Permit timing advice: what needs to happen for issuance before January 1, 2027
- →Required landscaping and Low Impact Development features shown in the permit drawings
- →Site plan coordination for the Row Housing Landscape Plan requirement
- →Coordination with a landscape professional or engineer where the project needs one
- →Development and building permit submission support
How It Works
Site and Zone Check
We confirm whether your site sits in a Redeveloping Area, whether its zone is one of the excluded ones, and which housing type and site width apply.
Permit Timeline
We map out what has to be submitted, and when, for the development permit to be issued before January 1, 2027, or plan the security into your budget if it will be issued after.
Landscaping in the Drawings
We plan the required landscaping and Low Impact Development features into the permit drawings from day one, so reviewers and the security calculation work from the same plan.
Submission and Review
We coordinate the permit submission and review responses within the agreed scope, so the building permit is not held up waiting on information.
Common Questions
Ready to Get Started?
Let's talk about your project. Schedule a consultation and we'll take it from there.