On July 16, 2024, Citywide Growth Strategy: Targeted Amendments to Existing Industrial Area Structure Plans was presented at a public hearing of Council, and the proposed Bylaws , 59P2024, 60P2024 , 61P2024, 62P2024 and 63P2024 were approved.

This review was in response to Action A. 2 of the Council-approved 2023 Industrial Action Plan. The scope employed a targeted approach to modernize specific policies, aiming to reduce barriers and align with current industrial trends. A Full Summary is available of the extensive engagement with industry, interested parties, and the public that helped in shaping the proposed list of Industrial Area Structure Plans policy amendments. The policy amendments primarily focused on land use and transportation-related policies to enhance future industrial developments in the Revised Stoney Industrial ASP (2005), Northeast Industrial ASP (2007), the Saddle Ridge ASP (1984), the Southeast Industrial ASP (1996) and the Southeast 68 Street Industrial ASP (2010) areas. Changes included:

• Increased Flexibility for Development Density 

To align with the current application review standards by removing policies that limit maximum density based on transportation analyses or floor area ratio per land use.

• Increased Flexibility for Medium Industrial Uses 

To allow medium industrial developments to be located adjacent to entranceway roads while complying with design guidelines to foster industrial development. 

• Alignment of Local Commercial Uses Policies

To increase flexibility and adaptability for local commercial uses in the Saddle Ridge Area Structure Plan area to support local employees and development feasibility, and ensure consistency with the Revised Stoney Industrial Area Structure Plan and the Northeast Industrial Area Structure Plan.

• Land Use Concept Map Alignment

To update the Land Use Concept Map and Transportation Infrastructure Map to maintain consistency between the Southeast 68 Street Industrial Area Structure Plan and the approved Outline Plan to reflect the current development stage.

• Application Process Alignment

To remove policies related to concept plans and transportation analyses that do not align with the current application review process to increase efficiency in the permit approval process.

In response to industrial developer’s feedback and as part of the ongoing effort to support the industrial sector in Calgary, we’re excited to share another update on the Industrial Action Plan. This process improvement is in direct response to industry feedback and to Council’s direction contained in 2022 Industrial Action Plan to “evaluate development standards for industrial areas for changes that may enable more cost-effective industrial development”.

• Allowing pre-servicing will enable developers to install services earlier in the process, before the roads are paved. This reduces the number of cuts that are made into a freshly paved road, preserving it’s integrity.
• Pre-servicing also eliminates the extra permitting, work, costs, and time associated with re-paving and warrantying the road.
• Developers can benefit from the significant efficiencies associated with having contractors already on site doing similar utility installation work, reducing the need to install single services connections later on.
• This process improvement also has the benefit of limiting disruption to existing businesses due to utility related road work.
• Most importantly, this improves Calgary’s industrial sector competitiveness by lowering land development costs, and allowing prospective industries to open their doors sooner because the servicing is already in place.