Permit required
- Cutting the foundation to create or enlarge an opening
- Any change that alters the structure around the opening
- Adding a bedroom to a basement as part of a suite
Egress windows
Basement bedrooms in Edmonton need a way out.
If a basement room is used as a bedroom, the Alberta Building Code requires a window a person can escape through. Here are the actual numbers, and when the City needs to be involved.
What the code requires
Four requirements, all measurable.
- Clear opening area
- 0.35 m² minimum
- About 3.8 sq ft. Measured with the window fully open, not the rough opening.
- Smallest dimension
- 380 mm minimum
- About 15 in. Neither height nor width of the clear opening may be under this.
- Operation
- No tools, no keys
- Openable from inside without special knowledge, and without removing the sash or hardware.
- Stays open
- Unsupported
- It has to hold itself open — nobody is propping a window while climbing out.
Source: National Building Code — Alberta Edition, Part 9, and the Alberta Safety Codes bedroom-window bulletin. An inspector measures the clear opening with the window fully open, which is smaller than the frame and much smaller than the rough opening.
Permits
When the City needs to be involved.
Usually no permit
- Replacing a window in an existing opening, same size
- Replacing a unit that already meets egress requirements
The one people miss
Window changes facing a side property line need elevation drawings, and may need a development permit as well. It is a planning requirement rather than a building one, so it does not come up until late — which is exactly when it is expensive. We check it at the measure stage.
How an egress job runs
Five stages, and the City owns one of them.
- 01
Measure and assess
We check the existing opening, the wall, the grade outside and the property line setback.
- 02
Drawings and permit
We prepare what the City needs. Review time is theirs, not ours, and we will not promise a date we do not control.
- 03
Cut and excavate
Concrete saw for the opening, excavation for the well. This is the noisy day.
- 04
Window, well and drainage
The unit goes in, the well is set and secured, and the drainage is tied in so the well does not become a pond.
- 05
Inspection
The City inspects. We are there for it, and we handle anything they flag.
Egress questions
Does my basement bedroom legally need an egress window?
Yes. Under the National Building Code (Alberta Edition), every bedroom in an unsprinklered suite needs a window a person can escape through. For a basement bedroom this is not optional.
Do I need a permit?
If the foundation has to be cut to enlarge the opening, yes — that is a City of Edmonton building permit, because it is structural and changes water management around the house. A like-for-like replacement in an existing compliant opening does not need one.
What if the window faces a side property line?
Elevation drawings are required for window changes facing a side property line, and a development permit may also be needed. This catches people out because it is a planning requirement rather than a building one.
Does the window well count toward the opening size?
No. The 0.35 m² is the clear opening of the window itself. The well has its own requirements for depth and projection so that a person can actually stand up in it once through.
How long does an egress installation take?
Typically one to two days for the cut and the window, plus the well and drainage. Permit review time is separate and sits with the City, not with us.
Can you do this in winter?
Concrete cutting is possible year-round, but excavating frozen ground for the well is slower and costs more. If the job is not urgent, spring through autumn is the cheaper season.
This page describes the requirements as they generally apply to a basement bedroom in Edmonton. It is not a substitute for the City's determination on your specific house — setbacks, existing structure and suite classification all change the answer. Confirm with the City of Edmonton and your approved drawings before work begins.
Not sure whether your basement window complies?