I personally don’t really like riding on the shoulder of busy highways. Too much noise, dust, and gusts from the vehicles. Cars and trucks passing you at 120 kph isn’t very nice. I always prefer to find the quietest roads, even if there is no shoulder. Fewer cars mean a more enjoyable experience for me. The interchanges of the big freeways are especially poorly designed for cyclists.
If you want to get out to Chestermere the Canal pathway is a very pleasant way to go, if bumpy in a couple of spots. It starts at the Bow Waters Canoe Club and flows the canal from there to Chestermere.