First problem -- Check your plot plan or RPR because 90% of the time the area beside the driveway is in a utility-right-of-way. You're not supposed to plant trees there and if you do you need to be damn sure that you get the utilities marked out first.
Second problem -- In most new subdivisions, the developers scrape away the topsoil and replace it with a meagre 6" layer of loam. This type of environment is really only suitable for trees with shallow spreading roots. If you want to plant some other type of tree, you will need to excavate a large and deep area and bring in new soil (in a perfect world, 24"+ deep and 6+ feet across.)
Poplars -- Some of their issues are overblown (modern homes with proper drainage shouldn't have moisture around the foundation, so you shouldn't see root growth there, nor do modern homes have the clay pipes that are prone to cracking and root intrusion.) However, poplar roots can sucker like crazy which will become a problem if the tree ever comes under stress.
Lastly, are you buying this tree yourself? In Calgary, developers are usually required to provide a tree.
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