Calgary City Council Passes Amended Rezoning Bylaw in Response to Housing Crisis

Calgary City Council has passed an amended citywide rezoning bylaw in 9-6 vote on Tuesday night, following the longest ever city council meeting.

The decision was made after a 15-day Public Hearing, the longest public hearing in the city’s history. Around 736 Calgarians spoke in total. The city also received 6, 101 written statements.

The council says the decision is “a response to Calgary’s housing crisis by enabling an increased housing supply and housing choices.” The decision means Calgary’s land-use bylaw will be amended to make residential grade-oriented infill (R-CG) the default residential zoning district across the city.

Speaking to the media, Mayor Jyoti Gondek said “I think it is really important to recognize that the housing situation that we’re in is dire. I think when you have the opportunity to use one of the tools at your service to make things better, it is important that you do so.”

“While today’s decision is just one of the actions in the Housing Strategy, we will continue our work in implementing the entire strategy”, said Mayor Gondek.

Rezoning for housing is one of 98 actions in the City of Calgary’s Housing strategy. “Citywide rezoning is a change to the low-density residential zoning across Calgary”, said the city council.

“In addition to single detached houses, other types of low-density housing including semi-detached, rowhouses and townhouses are now allowed in new and established areas of the city, effective August 6, 2024.”

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