Residents\u2019 opposition to the policy, which cleared the way for higher housing density in the majority of the city\u2019s residential areas, forced the city to backtrack on the policy change.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am, was, and will always be against the concept of blanket rezoning,\u201d said a Calgary woman at city hall\u2019s public hearing into the matter last spring.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see the repeal of citywide rezoning as an unnecessary nuclear option against a policy that\u2019s doing its job,\u201d said another, hoping to convince members of city council the policy was worth saving.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we all know that the politics around blanket rezoning has reached such a fervour,\u201d said another, acknowledging the elephant in the room. \u201cThe only available option is to scrap it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blanket rezoning saw two public hearings at City Hall \u2014 one to implement it, the other to scrap it. Each time, hundreds of Calgarians spoke, sharing hope for the future and concern with the direction the city was heading. <\/p>\n
No matter the viewpoint, those who spoke agreed: Calgary is growing, and housing is needed. The disagreement is how to get homes built.<\/p>\n
Blanket rezoning \u2014 Contentious from the start<\/p>\n
Three years, 300,000 people. And we were supposed to figure out a way to do all that with the same policies on the ground that we had in the 1950s? It was never gonna happen. \u2014 former Ward 8 councillor Courtney Walcott.<\/p>\n
In 2023, city hall approved an ambitious housing strategy with a goal of ensuring all Calgarians would have an affordable place to call home.<\/p>\n
It came at a dire time; Calgary\u2019s population was exploding.<\/p>\n
Hoards of people had moved to Alberta, seeking opportunity and affordability. Many chose to settle in Calgary, putting the city\u2019s reputation of being an affordable place to live at risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re leaving Toronto, they\u2019re leaving Vancouver. They\u2019re trying to go to wherever is affordable, and there\u2019s jobs,\u201d explained former Ward 8 City Councillor Courtney Walcott, a strong supporter of blanket rezoning.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd so they rushed to Calgary. Three years, 300,000 people. And we were supposed to figure out a way to do all that with the same policies on the ground that we had in the 1950s? It was never gonna happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blanket rezoning was just one of the ways city hall hoped to alleviate pressure on the housing market, switching the default residential zoning to R-CG. The change allowed for more than a single-family home to be built on a lot, which had been the case for two-thirds of the city. An adjustment was also made to the R-CG zoning to allow a secondary and basement suite.<\/p>\n
The opposition was loud. Many Calgarians, mainly homeowners, voiced concerns of traffic congestion, parking issues, and garbage bins cluttering back alleys. But the voices of low-income Calgarians and renters, and the ability to cut red tape to build housing, led council, led by then-Mayor Jyoti Gondek, to approve rezoning.<\/p>\n
Blanket rezoning\u2019s approval unleashed development, and the wrath of Calgarians who felt their voices were silenced.<\/p>\n
Change at city hall brings repeal of rezoning<\/p>\n
In October 2025, change at city hall brought hope to those against the bylaw with a new mayor with a plan to \u201crepeal and replace,\u201d and a slate of fresh councillors, the majority of whom had promised blanket rezoning would go.<\/p>\n
In early 2026, that promise was kept by a 12-3 vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m ecstatic about council\u2019s decision to move forward with a new plan,\u201d said Ward 10 councillor Andre Chabot, following the repeal.<\/p>\n
But those opposed to its removal grew worried that without a concrete plan, the momentum and certainty blanket rezoning brought to the housing market could slip away.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe in good governance. This wasn\u2019t good governance,\u201d said Ward 7 Councillor Myke Atkinson. \u201cYou don\u2019t repeal and figure something out later.\u201d<\/p>\n
Calgarians caught in the middle<\/p>\n
Chip Abaco\u2019s 1940s bungalow sits on a quiet street along the Bow River in the community of Inglewood.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually first saw this house when I was in university,\u201d said Abaco. <\/p>\n
\u201cI walked by in my third year with a friend. We walked all the way from downtown, and we walked all the way down past here, and I saw this street, and I told myself that one day I\u2019ll live here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inglewood is Calgary\u2019s oldest community, known for its heritage and charm, something Abaco, like many Calgarians, worried would be lost through blanket rezoning. While he was initially against the zoning change, once more development started to pop up, Abaco says the writing was on the wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cCost of living went up, our mortgage rates went up, and we saw development starting to go up everywhere. We saw garage suites go up all over the place in Inglewood,\u201d he said. \u201cSo we figured that this was the way to go. I didn\u2019t really overthink it because it seemed like the universe was leading us in that direction. Go with the flow at that point.\u201d<\/p>\n
He and his wife decided to add a basement suite and another in the garage, which was designed for full accessibility. He spoke with neighbours and addressed their concerns about privacy and shadows. His design was complete with a plan to include three parking spots at the back of his lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe used all the incentive programs we could from the city. For the renovations, we did the Canada Greener Homes loan, and the CEIP thing as well \u2026 the City Energy Improvement Program,\u201d Abaco said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got solar panels and a heat pump with that. We did everything we could to take advantage of all the incentives the city was providing, and then all of a sudden it\u2019s a 180-degree turn.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Chip](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/CHIP-1-1024x575.jpg\")
Chip Abaco speaks with CityNews about blanket rezoning in Calgary. (Jillian Code, CityNews)<\/p>\n
The development permit for Abaco\u2019s backyard suite hadn\u2019t yet been approved when he received notice from the city that there would be a public hearing on repealing blanket rezoning. Council\u2019s proposal planned to revert the bylaw to its original state, meaning he could build either a secondary suite or backyard suite, but not both.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, the real concern came when I read that they\u2019re trying to get rid of the ability to do both, because that directly impacts me. I\u2019m caught up in the middle of the process, and I\u2019ve already put in a bunch of investments in being able to do both,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve done a bunch of the underground utility work already for the garage suite. And that\u2019s all sunk costs.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says the uncertainty was terrifying. He and his wife had dipped into their savings to share their home and go along with what they thought the city was trying to incentivize.<\/p>\n
But it wasn\u2019t finished by the time the repeal rolled around.<\/p>\n
Iteration after iteration, his application remained unapproved as he and the city worked together to find a design that was up to code. In the process, he had to scrap plans for a fully accessible unit because of size constraints on his property. It was a compromise he was willing to make if it meant his backyard suite would still be possible.<\/p>\n
After he received notice that a bylaw repeal was on the horizon, he says attempts to clarify the status of his project were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy file manager also didn\u2019t have any insight for me. He didn\u2019t know whether or not my development permit could be approved given the rezoning,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a lot of uncertainty even within city staff, and that\u2019s when I really got worried. That\u2019s when I made the decision to go and speak at city council because nobody had any answers for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Chip](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/CHIP-2-1024x576.jpg\")
Chip Abaco speaks at a public hearing in the Municipal Building\u2019s council chambers about the repeal of Calgary\u2019s blanket rezoning. (Screenshot, City of Calgary\/CityNews image)<\/p>\n
\u201cHello,\u201d Abaco said in council chambers, taking a deep breath. \u201cI\u2019d like to share my experience with blanket rezoning since this whole thing started.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOver six months, $10,000, and four design iterations later, we still don\u2019t have a development permit approval,\u201d he explained during the public hearing. \u201cBut I do have a letter from you guys, saying you\u2019re trying to unwind the whole thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both his area councillor, Harrison Clark, and a member of administration ensured he didn\u2019t leave city hall that day without reassurance that if blanket rezoning was rescinded, his project could still go through, despite not complying with any existing zoning. He said the city told him he\u2019s one of a very small handful of Calgarians caught in the middle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand the concerns that Calgarians have about being able to put up anything you want, right? And totally, I agree. The blanket rezoning doesn\u2019t make sense from that perspective. But there were things that were very beneficial as part of blanket rezoning, with the ability to do both suites,\u201d Abaco said. \u201cI think that was a good thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand that you were elected as councillors to fulfil your promises to Calgarians, that you ran on as election platforms, but at the same time you have to make sure that you\u2019re not causing collateral damage, you\u2019re not causing uncertainty, confusion, and stress and sunk costs to other Calgarians.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abaco says he\u2019s cautiously hopeful that his permit will go through and he and his wife will be able to finish adding a third suite to the property. Sharing in the privilege, he says, of living under the biggest tree on the best street of the best community of a city that he loves.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just developers that\u2019re reacting to the bylaw changes and rezoning changes, right? It\u2019s regular citizens too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blanket rezoning a wedge issue in 2025 election<\/p>\n
Calgary\u2019s October 2025 civic election saw candidates take differing sides on blanket rezoning. Opponents of blanket rezoning won in many wards and in the mayor\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n
Ward 1 Councillor Kim Tyers, who campaigned on a platform of repealing rezoning, says the issue came up immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of my areas like Bowness and Varsity were affected pretty dramatically by the blanket rezoning policy that was passed,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019d invite me to town halls to where developers were presenting their projects, and there was like 300 people in a room. It was very tense, and the community was not on board with what they wanted to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Data from the City of Calgary says 4500 units were approved because of blanket rezoning. Most of the development was in established areas, a fear of many who opposed the bylaw in 2024.<\/p>\n
With a majority of council elected on a platform of repealing rezoning, the public hearing evolved from whether or not a repeal should happen, to many Calgarians sharing what they would like to see instead.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would have experts in their fields that were like \u2018hey if you guys are interested, ask me more about my suggestions,\u201d said Tyers.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom real estate boards, from community associations, and people that know this stuff. We did actually ask a lot of questions about what comes next because we\u2019re not just gonna repeal it and leave it; we want to make sure that the community voice is included.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following the repeal, members of council threw their support behind Local Area Plans (LAPs). It\u2019s a more community-concentrated way of planning, first introduced in 2021. It was what numerous speakers at the public hearing had been asking for, where community character can be preserved and celebrated.<\/p>\n
Eight LAPs have been approved with three more on the books. City council is looking to expand that, but it won\u2019t be a speedy replacement.<\/p>\n
A notice of motion from council members looking to speed up LAPs reveals that they take two and a half to three years to complete, and that the \u2018cumulative time to complete outstanding areas at the current pace would be 15 to 20 years.\u2019<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a timeline Tyers hopes to be able to cut down, something developers say is dire.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor council right now, the biggest thing they can do is implement the replacement really quickly,\u201d said Shameer Gaidar, Chair of the Calgary Inner City Builders Association, which represents more than 200 companies.<\/p>\n
![\"Shameer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Gaidar-1024x567.jpg\")
Shameer Gaidar, left, speaks with CityNews reporter Jillian Code in Calgary. (CityNews image)<\/p>\n
His presentation to council during the public hearing stretched on for more than an hour as councillors peppered him with questions on what he\u2019d like to see for a path forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlanket rezoning wasn\u2019t to build everything everywhere,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt was the same processes; all it did was eliminate six months on the front end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blanket rezoning had eliminated the need for developers to go through a Land Use Change \u2014 saving time and money, and giving developers a level of certainty that the industry responded to immediately.<\/p>\n
Now, Gaidar says, developers responded to the repeal of rezoning by hitting the brakes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re losing investment dollars, but with investment dollars, who cares about that? Some people will say it doesn\u2019t matter. But what comes with investment dollars? Jobs. That\u2019s a big thing. You\u2019re seeing trades leave, move to different jurisdictions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not what we want. That means affordability is starting to erode. Rents, you\u2019re gonna see go up, house prices are gonna go up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gaidar says he wasn\u2019t necessarily in favour of blanket rezoning itself, that his priority is speeding up the process.<\/p>\n
\u201cA property sitting vacant costs $500 a day to maintain. That $500 a day at six months is $90,000. You know who paid the $90,000?\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were two consequences for it. Either A \u2014 a project didn\u2019t go forward because it was not viable, because the $90,000 would make the difference between it going and not going. Or B \u2014 that number got pushed onto the average Calgarian.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Home](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/house-prices-1024x946.jpg\")
Home prices in Calgary for various types, such as detached, semi-detached, row homes, and apartments, all alongside the total residential price. (Screenshot, Calgary Real Estate Board)<\/p>\n
By the end of 2025, the average price for housing across all unit types had decreased by nearly five per cent year over year. Row homes and apartments saw the steepest decline.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause the amount of supply that came on, house prices didn\u2019t go up as crazy as it did in other cities,\u201d Gaidar explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut here\u2019s the thing: When we lose affordability, it is not easy to get back. It is not easy to get more housing done. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt starts, and it\u2019s a big wheel, in a snowball, and if you stop it, you can\u2019t start it again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rezoning\u2019s ripple effect<\/p>\n
While critics of blanket rezoning highlighted concerns about how busy their communities might become and how things might change, those in support spoke of a different story. From those who can barely afford rent to those who have all but given up on their dreams of owning a home.<\/p>\n
But while demand lingers, the repeal of blanket rezoning doesn\u2019t mean Calgary has taken its foot off the gas entirely. Rezoning was just one of 98 strategies in the city\u2019s housing plan<\/a>. Other measures see the city working directly with housing providers, including the Siksika Off-Reserve Affordable Housing Project (SORAH).<\/p>\n \u201cI tend to not get dragged down or bogged down in the \u2018bureaucrazy\u2019 of housing. Ultimately, I want to be able to hand keys over to people. Every set of keys delivered is a promise kept,\u201d said Max Lloyd, President of SORAH.<\/p>\n \u201cOne thousand homes could be delivered tomorrow, but there\u2019s still a need for another thousand on top of that.\u201d<\/p>\n He says the city\u2019s collaboration has been a game changer.<\/p>\n The organization recently received land in the community of Erin Woods to turn into sixty townhomes for members of the Siksika Nation. The rental rates for the units will be determined using a formula based on market rates. Meaning that while rezoning didn\u2019t have a direct impact on the ability to get his project built, any increase in Calgary\u2019s average prices will see residents of the units paying more.<\/p>\n A city survey in the Fall of 2025 found that 92 per cent of respondents feel the housing market is too expensive.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot find a cheaper home or place to live in, so I have to put up with a bad living situation,\u201d shared a Calgarian during the public hearing.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess if moving to Edmonton means that I will be able to afford a home, then I will move to Edmonton,\u201d joked another. \u201cI don\u2019t want to move to Edmonton.\u201d<\/p>\n Nearly three-quarters of speakers at the public hearing wanted blanket rezoning gone. The large majority of those opposed identified themselves as long-term homeowners, according to data from Calgary software agency Pixeltree.<\/p>\n \u201cI was a bit frustrated after the last public hearing that we weren\u2019t able to compile all the data that we needed to really understand where speakers were coming from and what their arguments were,\u201d said Serene Yew, CEO of Pixeltree, \u201cI wanted to look at it and do a bit of a deeper dive and also present it in a way that readers could easily consume.\u201d<\/p>\n Through her detailed analysis, Yew mapped the rezoning repeal public hearing submissions<\/a>, analyzed where the attendees lived, and compared them with disparities in the city.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw that the wealthier neighbourhoods had more submissions and more presenters, whereas the lower-income neighbourhoods \u2026 some of them had none at all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI found it fairly interesting that there were some communities that had absolutely no impact by RCG bring out the most opposition, whereas areas like Bowness actually have a lot of new developments, and they may have some valid criticisms there, but their submissions were somewhere in the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s a drawback that comes with public hearings.<\/p>\n \u201cI know many people who care a lot about this issue but are unable to show up to the council meeting during the workweek at an undetermined time mid-day,\u201d said a Calgarian during her submission on blanket rezoning.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople being able to come here and speak at a pubic hearing, that\u2019s challenging,\u201d said Ward 11 councillor Rob Ward in response to the concern.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why I wasn\u2019t here in 2024,\u201d he said. \u201cI had a full-time job. I couldn\u2019t just hang out here all day.\u201d<\/p>\n Yew says that for people to come to a public hearing, there is a high barrier to entry.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to know that it\u2019s happening. You need to have a level of education to understand what\u2019s going on, you need to be able to take the time out of your day, you need to be able to speak English, or write in English and be able to present that argument,\u201d said Yew.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of those people who are in need of housing wouldn\u2019t have access to that.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Data](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/pixeltree-1024x534.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
Data of public speakers at a public hearing on repealing blanket rezoning in Calgary. Nearly three-quarters of speakers wanted blanket rezoning gone, many of whom identified themselves as long-term homeowners. (Screenshot, Pixeltree.)<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/CP13181831-scaled-e1712098248220-1024x576.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1782746833_947_google-trusted-badge.png\"){kind=icon}