Jager Homes Building Calgary communities for over 65 years By Mary Savage
floor joists to better service the North American market, and the following decades saw the continued growth in manufacturing, land development and homebuilding. By the early 2000s, the three divisions were sold and Jager Homes was re-established as its own identity under the Hon Group of Companies, a family-run business that has been involved in real estate and land development for decades.
More than Bricks and Mortar
What’s changed … what’s stayed the same Over the course of six decades, one of the most significant changes to affect the homebuilding industry is the rate at which the city has grown: it’s how the land is approved, developed and serviced today. The supply of land and exponential growth has led to regulations that have inherently affected this growth and development. Above image courtesy of Jager Homes “The realities of building a home today are completely different than they were in the 1950s, but along the way, we have adapted and we like to think we have adapted better than most,” he year was 1947. Mackenzie King was prime minister, the says Roland. Canadian Citizenship Act went into effect and it was the start Technology has changed the way houses are built. The materiof the Cold War. Technology welcomed the invention of the als are constructed and manufactured differently, and the houses transistor, the mobile phone and the instant camera. A loaf of bread are put together differently. The industry has specialized subcost about 13 cents, average annual wages were $2,850, and the trades and instant communication connects everyone – whether average cost of a new home in North America was about $6,600. they are on-site, en route or in the office. Closer to home, huge oil reserves were discovered in Leduc, When it comes to building materials, as an example, granite Alberta and Calgary quickly found itself at the centre of the ensuwas a significant upgrade 20 years ago. Today, granite is found in ing oil boom. Stampede Wrestling was established and the city’s almost every starter home in the city. “Technology has made the population was just over 100,000. delivery process much easier,” asserts Roland. “The global supply It was also in 1947 when Bill Jager started a small homebuildchain has tightened up and now we’re able to get products from ing business, Jager Homes Inc. Over six decades later, Jager is all over the world at the snap of a finger.” recognized as one of the oldest and most trusted names in WestDuring a recent conversation with one of Jager’s suppliers, ern Canada. And it would seem that Jager is as much a part of Roland recalls how they worked with homeowners 15 years ago Calgary’s history as the oil industry. to select fixtures. “When it came to faucets, there were two types Jager has built over 13,000 homes in Calgary and the surround– Delta or Moen – and they came with a chrome or pewter finish,” ing communities, and they have worked in every quadrant of the remarks Roland. city. Jager was one of the first companies to work with the city “Today, that same supplier carries 220,000 in residential land development – giving rise to products in his warehouse. Access to that many many of Calgary’s early communities. They have choices has really changed the way we do businot only watched the skyline grow, they have ness,” he adds. “We can compete with any contributed to the growth and witnessed hunbuilder in the world with respect to product and dreds of city milestones. design – and it’s because we live in a global Jager, along with other Calgary pioneer marketplace.” homebuilders, fostered a vision to develop these Beyond the fixtures, advanced communicacommunities and that history speaks to Jager’s tion has given rise to a more educated consumer success. “Jager has been successful because of and Roland believes this is another positive the foundation that was laid 65 years ago,” says aspect of adapting to change. Joe Roland, general manager, Jager Homes. “It’s “People are very knowledgeable with respect the foundation of hard work, trust, looking for to property values and building materials. There’s opportunities, seizing those opportunities and a lot more information in the consumer’s hands not being afraid of the growth.” and sometimes the availability of information is During the 1970s, Jager expanded its Calgary perceived as a bad thing, but having that inforoperation to Ontario where they manufactured Joe Roland, General Manager mation actually makes us better,” he says. Photo by Mary Savage
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Jager Homes Inc. | 65 Years | 2