Tsuut'ina Nation adding 971 hectares of land for 50-50 residential development with Qualico
Agreement includes former Elbow View lands west of Calgary; land-lease model follows university and Redwood Meadows model.
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Tsuut'ina Nation is adding nearly 1,000 hectares of land directly north of its current borders for a major residential development in partnership with Qualico Communities.
The deal involves 971 hectares of land formerly known as Elbow View, currently owned by Qualico. The area runs along Highway 8 in Rocky View County, west of Calgary. The agreement, which has been in the works for roughly three years, calls for a 50-50 partnership between Tsuut'ina Nation and Qualico to develop and own the land.
Head Chief Ellery Starlight said the land addition builds on the nation's economic development goals. "What it means to us is a larger footprint in our economic development," Starlight said. "We're looking to add to the reserve where Qualico has agreed that the land can be converted into reserve land."
The development follows the land-lease model where residents own homes on land leased to them in long-term agreements with the two organizations. Thilo Kaufmann, Qualico's vice president of community development in Southern Alberta, noted the arrangement is similar to Redwood Meadows, a townsite on Tsuut'ina Nation, and Calgary's University District, where residents own homes on land leased by the University of Calgary in 99-year terms.
Addition of the land to the reserve will require transferring it from Alberta to the Government of Canada, a process Kaufmann said Ottawa needs between six to 24 months to approve. Before construction begins, one to two years of consultation with Tsuut'ina Nation members will be needed to discuss infrastructure, environmental needs, and community preferences. Tsuut'ina-based firm Aubin Consulting will lead community engagement. Construction could begin as early as fall 2028.
The project builds on the nation's earlier acquisition of the Our Lady Queen of Peace Ranch in Bragg Creek last year and the 190-hectare Taza Park development on Tsuut'ina Nation, which welcomed its first residents in March.
