By rezoning all residential parcels that currently only allow for 1 or 2 units, it will be easier for property owners to add additional housing varieties across the city, without having to go through the additional steps of a Land Use change Amendment application. Property owners will still be required to apply for a development permit to ensure proposed new houses are compatible with the surrounding community and all rules in the Land Use Bylaw are followed.  Administration will bring forward a rezoning proposal for Council’s consideration and decision by no later than Q2 2024.

R-CG stands for Residential – Grade-Oriented Infill District. R-G stands for Residential – Low Density Mixed Housing District. These are two modern districts in the Land Use Bylaw that both allow for a range of low-density homes, including single-detached, semi-detached and rowhouses. The primary difference between them is that the R-CG district is used in the established communities and contains contextual rules (the “C” in R-CG) to ensure infill buildings fit into the context of the existing homes on the street. Since R-G is used in new, developing communities that are designed by the developer, context rules are not needed.

All parcels that are zoned R-C1, R-C1L, R-C1Ls, R-C1s, R-C1N, R-CG(ex)& R-C2, will be proposed for rezoning to R-CG.  Parcels currently zoned R-1, R-1s, R-1N and R-2 will be proposed for rezoning to R-G.

Typical rowhouses are between 1300 to 1600 sq. ft, with three bedrooms, making them highly attractive to many Calgarian household types; they sometimes include secondary basement suites adding affordable supply and in some cases a mortgage-helping income for the property owner.  Duplex (or semi-detached) houses are typically between 1600-2000 sq. ft. and have a shared wall between the two primary homes. They may also have secondary suites. The form of housing is very common in inner city communities, many of which have allowed this form of housing for decades.   In the R-CG district, all houses must have their front doors at ground level. 

No. At the time of development or redevelopment a landowner will decide what type of housing they would like to build. The proposed development would have to comply with all the rules of the Land Use Bylaw. This change will not take away the ability to build single-detached dwellings, the change is intended to provide more housing options for landowners. The landowner decides what type of home they want. The City will also not demolish existing single-detached houses. Further, because the rules of R-CG and R-G have been amended over time, they provide the best rules to develop all forms, including single-detached homes.

Not all communities will experience R-CG or R-G redevelopment, with many newer communities unlikely to experience any redevelopment of this type within the next 15-20 years. There are several factors that affect the likelihood of redevelopment to occur, including:

• Land value, age, and condition of an existing home
• Location
• Lot shape
• Lane access

With the introduction of the R-G district in the developing areas in 2016 (R-G is very similar to R-CG except for contextual rules), the majority of our applications in developing areas are using the R-G district. This district provides more flexibility to developers to adjust their development forms based on current market trends without having to rezone. There is still a significant amount of single detached homes being built under R-G. The application of R-CG in the developed areas will likely have the same effect, allowing developers to create a range of housing types that are responsive to the market.

Yes. Most established area communities, especially those built prior to 1980, are below their historical peak population. Due to declining population in those areas, and higher efficiency houses being built, there is existing infrastructure capacity (roads, transit stops, water and wastewater management, etc.) to handle more types of housing.

Rezoning will streamline the process that property owners must follow if they want to build houses on their land, eliminating the need for individual and time-consuming rezoning. Development and Building Permits would still be required. It is these two permits that ensure new buildings meet the rules for height, lot coverage, setbacks, and landscaping, and that the houses are sound from a health and safety perspective.

Research shows that adding new homes improves housing affordability for Calgarians. Even when new housing is expensive, adding more homes means fewer people are competing against each other to find a home that fits their needs and budgets.

Allowing a variety of housing types saves Calgarians money because more options mean households only have to pay for what they need for their lifestyle. Adding new homes in an area can reduce rents nearby because older homes need to be priced more competitively to attract households.

New communities play a large role in enabling supply and affordability. Nevertheless, the demand for homes in established communities is very high. Restricting different types of housing, including ground-oriented rowhouses and townhouses in established communities, would result in demand outpacing supply and further increases in rents and prices, reducing affordability. Offering people more choice in the type of housing that suits their needs, including proximity to employment and amenities, can reduce emissions by decreasing travel distance and increasing transportation options. Having more housing options also provides Calgarians the opportunity to live and remain in the same community close to friends, family, and the things we know and enjoy, as our housing needs change over our lifetime.

Consumer choice has strong impacts on city growth. Significant brownfield redevelopment opportunities are limited. TODs and corridors have land value, population and job targets that mean most new homes will be apartments. While apartments are crucial, demand for ground-level housing in Calgary is high.

Sales data analyzed by Assessment & Tax does not show a loss in value of properties adjacent to new rowhouses. Administration will monitor property values in areas of redevelopment to confirm if changes to property values occur. 

The assessment of your home is based on its market value as of July 1^st of the year prior. Market value is the most likely selling price of a property from a willing seller to a willing buyer. We consider such market factors as location, quality, age, renovation level and land use, as well as any other positive or negative influences that could impact the property value. If rezoning goes forward, the assessed value of your home will still be based on the selling prices of comparable homes.

Land use and changing neighbourhood characteristics will be among many factors we will continue to analyze during the preparation of our annual assessments.  

For more info on how we assess single residential properties in Calgary, visit Single residential property.

To improve the space for waste and recycling bins, Administration has added requirements to Development Permit applications for:

• Site design and screening;
• More room for on-site waste and recycling bins through greater flexibility in site design; and
• Providing educational resources to applicants.

Bylaw changes now also allow bin-sharing, the use of new technologies, and bin enforcement. Further long-term improvements are also being explored.

Rezoning to H-GO (Housing – Grade Oriented) will be proposed for parcels that have been identified in the three approved Local Area Plans as suitable for H-GO (as per the criteria in the Land Use Bylaw). The three approved Local Area Plans where this approach has been actioned are:

• North Hill Communities
• Westbrook Communities
• Heritage Communities

Cities across Canada and the USA are facing a housing crisis, largely because of high demand and low supply. City zoning bylaws that prohibit homes that are smaller and more affordable are one of the key constraints on the supply side of the market. Many cities across North America are changing their zoning bylaws to allow for more choice of housing, regardless of any federal funding.

The proposed rezoning was included in “Home is Here, The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy 2024-2030” before a decision from the Federal government was communicated to the City of Calgary regarding the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), and prior to the agreement being signed.

Council will make the decision to proceed or not proceed with the rezoning at a Public Hearing of Council on April 22, 2024. If City Council does not approve the proposed rezoning, the fourth advance of HAF Funding may be impacted. Federal Housing Minister Fraser’s letter in September to Mayor Gondek and members of City Council, did, however, highlight the importance of taking this action to help create more supply. 

In addition to the proposed rezoning, The City’s Action Plan includes other initiatives, such as delivering more housing downtown, investing in Transit Oriented Development, building inclusive and equitable housing programs, and incentivizing legal secondary suites.

Restrictive covenants are a private civil agreement between the parties listed on the agreement. The City of Calgary reviews Development Permits and Land Use Amendments in accordance with the legislative framework set out under Part 17 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA). Our planning review and considerations are not bound by the restrictive covenant. The City does not determine the validity, nor enforce private agreements between landowners when determining the appropriateness of a Land Use Bylaw amendment. The validity and enforcement of a restrictive covenant is a private civil matter to be dealt with between the parties subject to the agreement, if one or more of those parties choose to do so.

There are some areas of the city that are subject to additional policies or have special circumstances like the Airport Vicinity Protection Area (AVPA).  Rezoning would not impact NEF restrictions, and all regulations and potential redevelopment would be managed through the development permit process.

As part of budget discussions in November 2023, Council approved City funding for the Secondary Suite Incentive Program. This is in addition to funding being provided through the Housing Accelerator Fund.

The program team continues to develop the program. This includes finalizing the terms of reference and eligibility for the program. Please check calgary.ca/secondarysuites or sign up for our email list for updates on the program and when it will launch.

Many Calgarians have voiced concern that the proposed rezoning map is showing existing park spaces being proposed for rezoning to R-CG, or R-G. Many city open spaces and parks have a residential zoning going back decades. A park is a permitted use in most residential zones, for example R-C1, R-C2 and R-CG. While parks are being proposed for rezoning (i.e. shifting from R-C1 to R-CG), this does not mean they are being proposed for development. They will remain park spaces even if they are rezoned.

The City Of Calgary is in continuous dialogue with the home building industry, primarily BILD Calgary and the Calgary Inner City Builders Association (CICBA). The Planning & Development Services department meets monthly with representatives of the industry to discuss trends, concerns, issues and opportunities. The Housing Strategy’s recommendation to rezone to a base residential district was a topic of the monthly meetings.
 
On January 23, 2024, Administration presented the Rezoning for Housing initiative to the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB) members at an event organized by CREB. Administration has also hosted six in-person information events and four online information events for all Calgarians, whether professionals or citizens, to learn about the proposals, to ask questions and to provide their feedback.

Upon Administration’s review of CREB’s release, and given our past presentation to their members, Administration contacted CREB with an invitation to meet. Our goal is to discuss these concerns in order to understand them and potentially provide CREB with further information to aid their understanding of the proposed rezoning.  We have also added three further public information sessions in March, which CREB members are invited to attend.

A major driver of this action, coming from the Home is Here: The City of Calgary's Housing Strategy, is to remove barriers and increase housing choice, such as including different sizes of homes that would be on the lower end of the market. One reason for the constrained supply is that the land use districts (zones) in place in approximately 60% of Calgary’s residential areas today do not allow for a choice of housing beyond single-detached or semi-detached homes.

We acknowledge people’s desire for certainty and that there will be less certainty that a like-for-like home will be built on a neighbour’s property if the proposed rezoning is approved by Council. While offering more choice will reduce the certainty of knowing whether one’s neighbour will build a single-detached home or a rowhouse, what will be certain is that any new homes being built next door will be held to all of the rules and expectations of the low-density residential land use zoning.

Administration’s projections anticipate that R-CG as a base residential district would generate an additional 250 properties redeveloping to rowhouses per year, translating into approximately 750 net new additional homes (1,000 rowhouses minus former single dwelling that’s been replaced), plus secondary suites to be built in the first year. Under R-CG, new single-detached homes replacing older ones, and new semi-detached homes are still expected. Over the long-term, using R-CG as the base residential district may increase Calgary's annual housing starts by 8-12%. This means 1,500 net more homes per year (2,000 rowhouses minus former single dwelling that’s been replaced), which will have a material impact on overall supply in the housing market compared to the business-as-usual scenario.

Success includes the ability for more Calgarians to find a stable, quality home that fits their lifestyles, in a community that meets their needs. Administration will monitor and track the number of new units measured against anticipated units, their location, price and effect on city-wide housing costs.

Calgary currently has 40 new communities under development on its city edges. In 2023, approximately 12,500 new homes were approved for construction in these communities, marking the highest number of housing starts in at least a decade. Despite this surge in construction activity, the supply of homes still failed to keep pace with the strong demand, leading to rising prices and rents. New communities made up for 76% of the total citywide share of new homes, highlighting how fast these communities are already building. Rezoning initiatives have been proposed to help remove barriers and facilitate the development of low to medium density housing in established communities. This move aims to unlock new housing options and increase supply to meet the needs of Calgarians during a period of rapid growth.

All net new increases in units including through infill contribute toward the treatment plant portion of the off-site levy. For linear infrastructure (pipes) the developer/builder historically is directly responsible for local connections. Where development proposals trigger unanticipated local capacity upgrades, traditionally the developer was directly responsible for paying for the upgrade (rather than through a levy). However the City is introducing a process to equitably share that cost through a levy-type mechanism.

The City has developed a strategic approach to guide growth and identify investment needs throughout Calgary. A Citywide Growth Strategy was developed that addresses the three geographic areas of the city: the New Community Growth Strategy, the Industrial Growth Strategy and the Established Area Growth and Change Strategy. This last strategy connects planning, financial, and investment decisions to support our existing communities as they experience growth and change. It supports communities and local businesses so they can be vibrant and successful for decades to come.