Calgary's Municipal Development Plan (MDP)

Municipal Development Plan (MDP)

Calgary's Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is our vision for how Calgary grows and develops over the next 60 years. It consists of the Municipal Development Plan (Volume 1), Community Guidebooks (Volume 2) and the Calgary Transportation Plan (Volume 3).

Calgary is expected to grow to two million people over the next 50-60 years, so it is important to plan for our future. A city where Calgarians can choose from a variety of housing types in a variety of communities. It works together with the Calgary Transportation Plan to provide multiple transportation options to provide multiple transportation options so all Calgarians - whether travelling by car, bike, transit, or foot - are able to travel safely and conveniently.

The Municipal Development Plan strives to create an environment where The City can provide services that Calgarians desire in a way that is financially sustainable while protecting our natural environment and supporting a prosperous economy.

The Municipal Development Plan (MDP), Community Guidebooks  and the Calgary Transportation Plans form an integrated land use and mobility plan that guides our current decision-making. Council approved the original plans on September 28, 2009 with an update in 2020.

For guidance on how to apply the Municipal Development Plan or Calgary Transportation Plan please consult the Guide to the Municipal Development Plan and the Calgary Transportation Plan. Its purpose is to ensure a consistent understanding and application of key components of the Plans, as implementation is carried out across various planning processes and applications.

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The origins of the MDP

The process to create the Municipal Development Plan started in 2005 when over 18,000 Calgarians participated in imagineCALGARY to create a shared vision for our city. The result was the imagineCALGARY Plan.

In 2007, Council asked The City to create integrated plans for the future of transportation and land use. The City then engaged over 6,000 Calgarians to shape the vision for these plans. The goal was to set out a long-term direction for sustainable growth that would accommodate another 1.3 million people over the next 60 years. The process was grounded in smart growth principles and Council's sustainability principles for land use and mobility.

During the engagement process, Calgarians spoke of the need for a more sustainable city that provides a high quality of life, high-quality living environments and convenient ways to travel.

The MDP and CTP form an integrated land use and mobility plan that guides our current decision-making. Council approved both plans on September 28, 2009.

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The 2020 MDP

Decisions made using these plans shape how we develop Calgary’s land and the way that people move in our city.

Our city has grown and changed since the MDP and CTP were developed and approved. In 2019 and 2020, we undertook the Next 20 project. Through it, we reviewed the MDP and CTP to determine what was working well and contributing to the quality of life that many Calgarians enjoy. It identified the policies that needed to be updated or changed to continue making Calgary a place where people can make a great life and a great living. This work resulted in the 2020 MDP and CTP that were approved by Council in February 2021.

The revisions to the MDP incorporated:

  • City policies and strategies approved since 2009.
  • Interested parties feedback and ideas.
  • Climate change mitigation and adaptation.
  • Future transportation technologies and zero-emission vehicles.
  • Changes addressing Provincially mandated growth boards.
  • Updated language and grammar.

This information has no legal status and cannot be used as an official interpretation of the various bylaws, codes and regulations currently in effect. The City of Calgary accepts no responsibility to persons relying solely on this information. Web pages are updated periodically. ​

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