Chestermere Homes for Sale

About Chestermere

Sitting on Calgary's eastern edge, Chestermere is a city built around a lake. Its history runs from summer village in 1977 to town in 1993, and it was incorporated as a city on January 1, 2015. Both municipalities have annexed land over the years, and the two now share a boundary, which puts Chestermere only a few minutes from Calgary's east end.

The 2021 Census from Statistics Canada recorded 22,163 residents, an 11.4% increase over the 19,887 counted in 2016. Most buyers who browse Chestermere homes for sale are attracted by the water, the small-city atmosphere and how quickly they can reach Calgary.

How Chestermere Lake is managed

Strictly speaking, the lake is not natural. It started out as a wetland selected to serve as a balancing pool for irrigation; by 1907 a dam and canal system had turned it into today's lake. In 1944 the Western Irrigation District (WID) took over the land from the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the WID still manages the water.

An agreement with the City has the WID hold the lake higher through summer for recreation, then draw it down every fall for winter to limit ice damage to shoreline structures. Owners on the lake are asked to take out watercraft and floating docks ahead of the drawdown. In the off-season, exposed shoreline and dock pilings are normal, and the level can also fall in late summer when demand for irrigation peaks.

Summer brings waterskiing, wakeboarding, boating and fishing, served by day-use parks and boat launches along the shore. The Calgary Yacht Club calls the lake home, and bike trails beside the water link to Calgary's pathway network. To compare other lake living in and near the city, visit our lake communities page.

Roads and transit

There are two main ways in: the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) and Chestermere Boulevard. The boulevard turns into 17 Avenue SE inside Calgary and used to be signed Highway 1A. With Calgary right next door, east-side destinations are close by, while getting downtown depends on traffic along 17 Avenue, Stoney Trail and Deerfoot Trail.

Transit options are few. Launched in 2021, the Chestermere Transit Link carries Calgary Transit's MAX Purple line beyond East Hills into Chestermere, running a handful of round trips during the morning and afternoon peaks. Before counting on it, confirm the latest schedule with Calgary Transit or the City of Chestermere.

For neighbouring parts of Calgary, see our East Calgary and Southeast Calgary pages.

Local schools

• Rocky View Schools operates the public system: Chestermere High School, Chestermere Lake Middle School, Prairie Waters Elementary, East Lake School and Rainbow Creek Elementary, among others.
• Calgary Catholic School District operates Our Lady of Wisdom (K–6) and St. Gabriel the Archangel (Grades 8–12).

For college or university, students usually travel into Calgary; our colleges and universities page has details. Check with the school board to confirm the designated school for a particular address.

Things to do

Away from the water, Chestermere offers a skate park, a BMX park and Lakeside Greens, an 18-hole semi-private golf course. Seasonal community festivals take place on and around the lake. If you golf, compare more courses on our golf courses page.

Kelly's Chestermere checklist

• Waterfront rules. For a home on the lake, find out which dock, boat lift or shoreline structures are included, whether they meet WID and City requirements, and what happens to them during the winter drawdown.
• Getting to the lake. For a home off the water, learn which public parks and boat launches are nearest and how residents access the lake.
• Your commute. Try the drive to work in rush hour, and see whether the limited transit link suits your hours.
• Property taxes. Chestermere sets its own tax rates, so review the actual tax bill for the home.
• Permits and newer homes. Ask whether basement development and additions had permits.

Chestermere homes for sale run from lakefront properties to detached homes and townhomes in newer neighbourhoods set back from the water. Our buyers' guide explains each step, and the surrounding areas page compares other towns close to Calgary. Ask Kelly about Chestermere homes for sale right now.

Want to compare areas? Browse all 219 Calgary communities, or read about choosing a Calgary realtor.