Calgary mayor Jeromy Farkas took Alberta’s premier to task on social media during the weekend, claiming her government’s latest actions concerning municipalities to be not only overreach but illegal.
“Look, this isn’t about zoning, bike lanes, banning books or whatever ever else the province wants to fight about this week. It’s about your legal right to a fair public hearing,” Farkas said in a video posted online.
Farkas’ comments follow a Smith government decision last week to rollback some Edmonton zoning rules.
Should Danielle Smith be able to order your local council to vote to approve rezoning for a massive AI data centre? And threaten to fire your democratically elected mayor if they vote against it? This latest provincial overreach isn’t about density. It’s about your legal right to… pic.twitter.com/Qtf3r29omz
— Jeromy (Pathfinder) Farkas (@JeromyYYC) October 11, 2026
During her radio talk show Saturday, Smith said the province reversed zoning bylaw changes that Edmonton made in 2024 because Ottawa influenced the city’s rules.
She said the federal government at the time offered Edmonton millions in funding in exchange for the zoning changes that made it easier to build multi-unit complexes in older, established neighbourhoods, and Smith called the money a bribe.
But Farkas raises concerns about provincial decisions potentially bypassing wishes of residents and municipal politicians.
He points to rulings from high courts in years past, which found councillors are not to decide on a matter that’s the focus of a public hearing until after participants have said their piece.
“The Premier has already decided how I have to vote as Mayor. Why in the hell are we even holding public hearings?,” says Farkas.
The mayor mentioned a number of potential issues in which he’s concerned the province could override a municipality’s say, such as a hypothetical proposal for a massive data center next to a neighbourhood.
Speaking directly to residents in his video, Farkas explores what could happen in such a case.
“You’ve got some serious concerns about the impact on your water and community. So you take time off work. You (and your neighbours) come down. And as mayor, I’m supposed to look you in the eye and say, sorry, none of that matters. None of you matter because the premier has already decided. Come on, that’s not a fair hearing. That’s a sham. And I believe it’s unlawful.”
Smith also posted on social media during the weekend on the matter.
“Residents in Calgary and Edmonton have been speaking up and raising concerns about how redevelopment and increased density are affecting their neighbourhoods. They deserve to have a say in how their communities change.”
To a family, a home is more than a building.
It’s where memories are made, milestones are celebrated, and years of hard work come together. For most people, it’s the biggest investment they’ll ever make.
Residents in Calgary and Edmonton have been speaking up and raising… pic.twitter.com/NFxELp7z0b
— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) October 10, 2026
-with files from the Canadian Press
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