Foothills, Cowboy Trail · Limited Availability
Diamond Valley
Black Diamond and Turner Valley amalgamated, on the Cowboy Trail at the edge of Kananaskis.
What should buyers know about Diamond Valley?
Reviewed · 2026-09-03Diamond Valley is the town created on 1 January 2023 when Black Diamond and Turner Valley amalgamated into a single municipality. It sits on Highway 22, the Cowboy Trail, where the prairie gives way to the foothills, about forty-five minutes south-west of Calgary and minutes from the Kananaskis boundary. Very limited new construction; expect custom builds and infill rather than showhomes.
Profile
About Diamond Valley
Diamond Valley is the town created on 1 January 2023 when Black Diamond and Turner Valley amalgamated into a single municipality. It sits on Highway 22, the Cowboy Trail, where the prairie gives way to the foothills, about forty-five minutes south-west of Calgary and minutes from the Kananaskis boundary.
The two former towns retain distinct characters. Turner Valley is where Canada’s first major oil field was discovered in 1914, and the industrial history is still visible in the landscape and the museum sites. Black Diamond carries more of the retail and the main-street activity. The Sheep River runs through both.
New construction here is small in scale. There is no large master-planned community and no volume builder programme of the kind found in Okotoks or High River; what exists is infill, small subdivisions, custom builds on serviced lots and acreage development in the surrounding Foothills County. Buyers come for the setting and the mountain access rather than for selection.
Commute note: Approximate drive to downtown Calgary via Highway 22 and Highway 22X. Okotoks is roughly 20 minutes east. Off-peak roughly 45 minutes, peak roughly 60 minutes.
Highlights
- Closest town in the region to Kananaskis Country and the Highway 40 recreation corridor.
- Sheep River valley setting with foothills views from much of the town.
- Genuine main street retail and a strong arts and events calendar for a town this size.
- Custom and infill building on serviced town lots rather than volume subdivision product.
- Distinctive history as the site of Canada’s first major oil discovery in 1914.
Considerations
- Very limited new construction; expect custom builds and infill rather than showhomes.
- One of the longer commutes to Calgary in the region, on a two-lane highway.
- Amalgamation is recent, so tax, utility and service arrangements are still being harmonised.
- Foothills School Division and Christ the Redeemer serve the area, not the Calgary boards.
- Wildfire and flood exposure both need checking in a foothills river town.
Product mix
Housing choices to discuss in Diamond Valley
Use these housing formats to guide your builder enquiries. Read the notes for release and availability limits. The offering changes with every phase, and no prices or lot premiums are stated here. Confirm what is releasing now with the builder.
Estate
Custom homes on acreage in the surrounding Foothills County.
Front-drive garage
Custom and infill building on serviced town lots.
Fit
Who Diamond Valley suits
A good fit if
- Buyers who want the fastest Kananaskis access of any town in the region.
- People building a custom home rather than choosing from a builder’s plans.
- Buyers drawn to a foothills river town with a genuine main street.
Look elsewhere if
- If you want builder selection and showhomes, Okotoks and High River have both.
- If the commute is the deciding factor, this is one of the longest in the region.
Head to head
Diamond Valley compared with
What is there today
Amenities and infrastructure
recreation
Kananaskis Country access
Highway 22 and Highway 546 give some of the fastest access to Kananaskis of any town in the region.
About 20 min
shopping
Diamond Valley main street
Grocery, hardware, restaurants and services in the former Black Diamond core.
About 4 min
schools
Foothills School Division and Christ the Redeemer
Local schools serve the town; confirm the designated school for a specific address.
About 5 min
parks
Sheep River valley and pathways
River valley, town pathways and the Friendship Trail linking the two former towns.
About 3 min
healthcare
Oilfields General Hospital
Hospital serving the Diamond Valley and Foothills area.
About 5 min
Who builds here
Builders active in Diamond Valley
Builders hold lots by phase, so the line-up changes over time. Names below have built or are building in the community; confirm current showhomes with the developer before visiting.
Newer-home resale research
Compare similar home types, distinguish construction flags from year built, and understand what a sale-to-asking ratio actually measures.
Explore market research and buyer resourcesFAQ
Questions about Diamond Valley
They amalgamated on 1 January 2023 to form the Town of Diamond Valley. The place names remain in everyday use and in addresses, and each former town keeps its own core, but there is now one council, one administration and one set of bylaws. Because the amalgamation is recent, confirm current tax rates, utility rates and service levels directly with the town rather than relying on older figures for either former municipality.
Yes, but not in the way you would in Okotoks or High River. There is no large master-planned community and no showhome parade. What is available is custom construction on serviced town lots, occasional small subdivision phases and acreage building in the surrounding Foothills County. If you want builder selection and a finished community, this is the wrong town; if you want to build in the foothills near Kananaskis, it is one of the best positioned.
Roughly 45 minutes to an hour to downtown Calgary via Highway 22 and Highway 22X, and about 20 minutes east to Okotoks for larger retail. It is a two-lane highway commute through open foothills country, so drive it in winter before you commit.
Source note
- Sources
- Diamond Valley municipal planning information
- Confirm public and separate-school designation with the boards serving the exact address.
- Jurisdiction
- Diamond Valley, Alberta
- Applies to
- New construction purchases in Diamond Valley.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-03
- Limitations
- Builder line-ups, phases, fees and amenity timing change with each release. Drive times are planning ranges. No prices, lot premiums or fee amounts are stated.
- What you should verify
- Current town tax and utility rates following the 2023 amalgamation. Flood mapping for the Sheep River and any tributary near the lot. Wildfire exposure and FireSmart requirements, and what they mean for insurance. Designated public and Catholic schools for the specific address (CBE and CCSD school finders), and whether any on-site school is open or only planned. Whether a lot is fully serviced by the town or requires well and septic.
Work with REP YYC
Buying in Diamond Valley? Bring your own representative.
The builder's sales staff are paid to sell the builder's lots. REP YYC agents are paid by the builder too, but they work for you: lot choice, contract terms, incentives and the possession timeline. No cost to the buyer.