# Calgary Building Permits – Open Data API (`loudtzu/calgary-permits`) Actor

Calgary, AB building permits from official open data (~502,000 source rows): type, class, work type, status, issue date and more. One clean row per permit, JSON/CSV. Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. No addresses. $0.003 per permit, no start fee.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/loudtzu/calgary-permits.md
- **Developed by:** [Travis M](https://apify.com/loudtzu) (community)
- **Categories:** Business, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$3.00 / 1,000 permits

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Calgary Building Permits – Open Data API

**Building Permits for Calgary only**, from the city's official open dataset (~502,000 source rows), via the Socrata SODA API — no website scraping.

- **Key fields:** `permitNumber`, `permitType`, `permitClass`, `workType`, `status`, `issuedDate`, `estimatedValueCad`, `residentialUnits`, `communityCode`, `latitude`.
- **Licence:** Open Government Licence – City of Calgary (v2.1); every record carries the required credit, "Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.", followed by the version (v2.1) and licence link.
- **Output:** structured JSON, or CSV / Excel from the Apify dataset. Filters run at the source (type, status, issued dates and more), 100 permits by default, up to 50,000 per run with **Fetch all** on (the full dataset is ~502,000, so use date ranges for more).
- **Privacy:** reduced, not anonymous. Street addresses, names and free-text descriptions removed; coordinates rounded to ~1 km.
- **Not the same as** [Calgary Development Permits](https://apify.com/loudtzu/calgary-development-permits): this Actor covers **building permits** (construction approvals, dataset c2es-76ed); that one covers land-use **development permits** (dataset 6933-unw5).
- **Cost control:** each permit is a billable result (about $0.003). The default is 100 permits per run. Turn on **Fetch all** to get up to 50,000, and set a **maximum cost per run** in Apify's run options as a safety limit.

**Why not build it yourself?** No ArcGIS/Socrata paging, field mapping, date normalising or de-duplication to write and maintain. You get one tidy row per permit with consistent field names and ISO dates.

**Price:** $0.003 per result (three-tenths of a cent; 1,000 results = $3.00), no start fee. You pay only for permits returned.

### What it does

This Actor reads **building permits** from the City of Calgary's official open dataset ([Calgary open data](https://data.calgary.ca/Business-and-Economic-Activity/Building-Permits/c2es-76ed), about 502,000 source rows) through the Socrata SODA API. It does **not** scrape any website.

Rows are deduplicated so you get one record per permit number.

#### Free open data vs. this Actor

The dataset is free on the Calgary open-data portal. Use that for a one-off download. This Actor is for:

- **Filters at the source:** permit type, status, issued dates (dateFrom/dateTo), minimum and maximum value, keyword
- **Clean JSON:** ISO dates, consistent field names, one row per permit
- **Privacy trimming:** no street addresses, no free-text descriptions, no names
- **Scheduled runs** and Apify API / Sheets / Make / Zapier exports

### Who it's for

- Contractors and suppliers (windows, HVAC, roofing, landscaping) watching new work in Calgary
- Developers and real-estate analysts tracking construction activity
- Housing researchers counting permits and new units

### What data you get

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `permitNumber` | City permit number |
| `permitType` | Permit type / class |
| `permitCategory` | Permit type group (city mapping) |
| `permitClass` | Permit class |
| `permitClassGroup` | Permit class group |
| `useCategory` | Use category (Residential / Non-Residential) |
| `workType` | Kind of work |
| `workClassGroup` | Work class group |
| `workCategory` | Simplified work category |
| `status` | Permit status |
| `applicationDate` | YYYY-MM-DD |
| `issuedDate` | YYYY-MM-DD |
| `completedDate` | YYYY-MM-DD |
| `estimatedValueCad` | Estimated construction value (CAD) |
| `residentialUnits` | Residential units |
| `areaSqft` | Total floor area (sq ft) |
| `communityCode` | Community code |
| `neighbourhood` | Neighbourhood |
| `latitude` | Latitude, rounded to 2 decimals (about 1 km) |
| `longitude` | Longitude, rounded to 2 decimals (about 1 km) |
| `futureDate` | True if the issue date is after today |
| `source` | Source portal |
| `licence` | Required attribution and licence link |

### Input

| Field | Key | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Permit type contains | `permitType` | e.g. Single Construction Permit, Commercial / Multi Family Project (case-insensitive). |
| Work type contains | `workType` | e.g. New, Improvement, Demolition. |
| Status contains | `status` | e.g. Issued Permit, Completed. |
| Date from | `dateFrom` | YYYY-MM-DD, issued on/after (older name `issuedFrom` still works) |
| Date to | `dateTo` | YYYY-MM-DD, issued on/before (older name `issuedTo` still works) |
| Minimum construction value (CAD) | `minValue` | Optional. |
| Maximum construction value (CAD) | `maxValue` | Optional. |
| Keyword | `keyword` | Server-side filter on permit type, class/work type and permit number. |
| Max permits | `maxItems` | 1–50,000, default 100. |
| Fetch all (up to 50,000 permits) | `fetchAll` | true/false, default false. About $0.003 per permit. |

Bad dates or an inverted date range fail before any API call, with a clear error.

Example input:

```json
{"permitType": "Single Construction Permit", "dateFrom": "2025-01-01", "maxItems": 200, "minValue": 1000000}
```

### Pricing

Pay per result: you are charged only for permits returned (one result = one permit). $0.003 per result (three-tenths of a cent), no start fee.

### Coming soon

Archive queries (changes since a date, the permit list as of a date, and per-permit history) are coming once our Calgary archive is loaded. Until then, use the date filters in the normal mode.

### Licence and privacy

- **Licence:** [Open Government Licence – City of Calgary](https://data.calgary.ca/stories/s/Open-Calgary-Terms-of-Use/u45n-7awa) (v2.1). Reuse, including commercial use, is allowed. Every record includes the required credit and a link to the licence terms.
- **No endorsement:** this Actor is independent. It does not use Calgary names or logos as branding and does not imply municipal endorsement.
- **Privacy:** The output is reduced, not anonymous: permit numbers can be looked up in City records and may be tied to a property, and a permit can still relate to an identifiable homeowner. Street addresses (civic number, street name and unit) and free-text work descriptions are removed. Coordinates are rounded to 2 decimals (about 1 km). Owner, applicant and contractor names are not exported. Records still include permit number, permit type and category, status, dates, construction value and unit counts, and (where the source has them) ward, neighbourhood or building-use category. Also not exported: applicant and contractor names (applicantname, contractorname), the free-text description, the original address and the location address/geometry lists.

### Limits

- Coverage is the City of Calgary only.
- Data freshness and completeness match the Calgary open-data feed. This Actor does not add or correct permits.
- Default 100 permits per run; hard cap 50,000 per run, even with **Fetch all**. Pages of 1,000 with a 1 s pause between pages (the portal's robots.txt asks for a 1 s crawl delay).
- Fields can be null when the source left them blank.

### FAQ

**Is this scraping?** No. It queries the city's public Socrata (SODA) open-data API.

**Does it include owner or applicant names or addresses?** No. Street addresses, names and descriptions are removed, but the data is reduced, not anonymous: a permit number can be looked up in City records and may relate to a specific property.

**Can I use it commercially?** Yes, under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary (v2.1), with attribution and without implying endorsement.

# Actor input Schema

## `permitType` (type: `string`):

e.g. Single Construction Permit, Commercial / Multi Family Project (case-insensitive).

## `workType` (type: `string`):

e.g. New, Improvement, Demolition.

## `status` (type: `string`):

e.g. Issued Permit, Completed.

## `dateFrom` (type: `string`):

Only records dated on/after this day.

## `dateTo` (type: `string`):

Only records dated on/before this day.

## `issuedFrom` (type: `string`):

Kept for existing integrations; use dateFrom.

## `issuedTo` (type: `string`):

Kept for existing integrations; use dateTo.

## `minValue` (type: `integer`):

Optional.

## `maxValue` (type: `integer`):

Optional.

## `keyword` (type: `string`):

Server-side filter on permit type, class/work type and permit number.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Stop after this many permits (1-50,000, default 100). Ignored when 'Fetch all' is on.

## `fetchAll` (type: `boolean`):

Opt in to return every matching permits, capped at 50,000 per run. Each permit is a billable result (about $0.003 each), so 50,000 costs about $150. Calgary has about 502,000 permits, more than the 50,000 cap, so narrow by date for more. Tip: set a maximum cost per run in Apify run options.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "maxItems": 100,
  "fetchAll": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `permits` (type: `string`):

All permits returned by the run, shown in the 'overview' table view of the default dataset.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("loudtzu/calgary-permits").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("loudtzu/calgary-permits").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call loudtzu/calgary-permits --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,loudtzu/calgary-permits"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/AUWgdQepLhzXpNeXl/builds/yxEsTZ94Y7MBc6rRq/openapi.json