Calgary city councillors were as divided as citizens, but a contentious plan for citywide rezoning has passed.

After a long final day, in an epic, 16-day public hearing, Calgary city councillors voted 9-6 in favour of an amended plan that, along with making R-CG the base residential land use, bolstered engagement on discretionary uses, measures to ensure property privacy, and re-engaging groups on completed LAPs for the impact.

They will also have regular reporting around the number of permits of this type, units built and summaries of public submissions around contentious developments. It also added in investigation of a city census and tally of secondary suites and the impact it has on density.

It’s the culmination of months of public engagement, public debate, town halls, thousands of written public hearing submissions, and 736 speakers at Calgary city hall.

In her opening on the main motion, which was delivered on Monday, Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian said that great leaders think long term and they lead with values. She said this plan is anchored in both of those things.

“Administration is suggesting that we open a new chapter for Calgary, one where all low-density, grade-oriented forms are given the same opportunity to be part of the city’s redevelopment picture – singles, duplexes and rows. They’re all welcome. They’re all allowed by right,” she said.

“Calgarians need us to think long term. They need us to lead with values that are not only inherent in our own strategic plan around economic, social and climate resilience, but also to the values that are inherent in the Municipal Development Plan.”

In her close, Coun. Mian said that she understands the pressure that many councillors are under.

“I know that this decision comes with a lot of pressure for a lot of people. I think what I can offer is that pressure is a privilege. It means you’re doing big things important things,” she said.

While initially there were attempts to abandon the work, to alter it greatly, or to make it a pilot project with a two-year sunset clause, there was also an attempt to have it sent to a plebiscite to coincide with the October 2025 Calgary municipal election.

Coun. Sharp suggested that this citywide rezoning and the areas it would speed up process were the wrong areas to look at.

“This cuts out the wrong four months. It cuts out the public’s four months of engagement and input, not administration’s four months of process. Nothing in this requires administration to innovate, improve, do jobs faster,” said Coun. Sharp.

“The people, what I just heard, the people some of you referenced in your debate, are not the red tape.”

Mayor Jyoti Gondek reiterated that this is just one of 98 recommendations that came out of the housing strategy. It now gives people a better opportunity to participate in the process at the point where their concerns were best addressed.

“What I can say is that I’m hoping we don’t make councils of the future pay for actions that we are not willing to take today,” she said.

“This decision is important for ensuring that Calgarians can live in our city, not only with choice, but with dignity.

‘We get more freedom with our land’: Coun. Spencer

In their final arguments, city councillors spoke passionately on both sides with their views on what was before them. Ward 12 Coun. Evan Spencer said it’s been a long process, and an expensive process, and one with overwhelming feedback and opposition “because change is hard.”

“The rezoning unlocks the creativity of Calgarians,” Spencer said.

“As we respond to our housing challenges, we get more freedom with our land, in terms of how we want to be involved in participating and addressing the challenges that we face as a city. This is the removal of a significant barrier.”

Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot said he wouldn’t support it because he believes through administration’s presentation, many of his communities would be targeted.

“The idea that this is going to be spread out throughout the city, I think the criteria would suggest otherwise,” he said.

Chabot also said that community character also plays an important role in this that was largely overlooked. Many people choose their single-family neighbourhoods specifically for that reason. He also said that people’s voices are being taken away with the removal of the public hearing through the land use process.

Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean said that after all is said and done, the big question remaining was whether city council listened to citizens. He listed off the different metrics of speakers, submissions and citizen feedback, suggesting all were overwhelmingly against the rezoning. Then, McLean turned to discounting the expert submissions and their data.

“So the question is, who are we listening to? Or we listen to the experts who provided misleading information, in my opinion, on most facts around this. Maybe council just wanted to listen to Justin Trudeau, whose ultra-progressive policies caused this housing crisis in the first place. Maybe he wants to bribe us with our own money,” he said.

Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner said that after this decision, Calgarians must move forward together.

“This action alone will not solve the housing crisis. But neither will it destroy neighbourhoods. Calgarians and council will have to contemplate the future after our decision as there will be further action investment no matter the vote today,” she said.

Calgary city council approved the main motion, with recommendations, but then added additional tweaks at second reading of the bylaw.

MORE TO COME…