Calgary’s once-revamped process for new growth approvals isn’t panning out as expected, according to one councillor, as her colleagues continue to debate incoming applications despite admin recommendations.

The Infrastructure and Planning Committee (IPC) reviewed five new growth applications: one in Haskayne, one in West View, two in Glacier Ridge and one in Providence, at the April 2 meeting. 

In total, if all applications got final approval, it would make room for more than 18,000 new boundary-area Calgary homes.

The Haskayne application may be approved along with four others to move ahead immediately, as it doesn’t require operating or capital cash right away. The West View plan moved ahead to be reviewed at the 2025 November budget adjustments, as councillors would need to consider a $102.6 million capital investment.

City administration recommended that the east segment of one of the Glacier Ridge proposals be considered for budget approval—however they suggested putting off the rest of it to a future date because of $142 million in additional investments needed.

The other Glacier Ridge growth application also required capital cash along with operating dollars, as it would trigger the addition of a new $22 million emergency services building to ensure that fire units could maintain the City of Calgary’s response time targets. That one was moved ahead for future budget consideration.

“I think when we look at where this council made a commitment to housing, infrastructure goes along with it, we’re talking 1000s of units of housing with density, with housing choice, with apartment buildings,” said Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness, whose area covers the Glacier Ridge applications.

Finally, the Providence application, despite the best intentions of Coun. Dan McLean to have it considered, only got tentative approval for stripping and grading of the area. That was the largest application in terms of community growth with over 9,500 additional homes projected.

The growth applications requiring capital investments would need to be approved at the November budget meetings of council.

The process isn’t panning out: Sharp

In 2022, Calgary city councillors agreed to examine their process for approving growth applications. At the time, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said that the industry referred to it as a beauty contest and wanted more predictability.

City councillors would determine, often with politics in mind, which areas would see development and which wouldn’t.  Finally, in 2023, they decided to allow developers to submit applications on an ongoing basis, and they would be vetted by administration using a transparent set of criteria for approval.

They take into consideration the need for serviced land in an area, potential capital costs for servicing, the operating costs of bringing those lands into service, and net positive revenue generation, among other criteria. If it met the criterion, the growth applications would be moved along to the budget.

That hasn’t always happened, with councillors often jostling to change administration recommendations—like they did at Wednesday’s meeting.

Hundreds of millions in additional capital costs, fronted by the city but eventually largely paid through water rates and offsite levies, would have been required to bring the other applications online.

“It just seems irresponsible and disingenuous sometimes coming from people who say, ‘oh, we’re fiscal conservatives, we’re all these things,’” said Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian.

“It’s frustrating, just given everything that we have to fund that these are getting put through, and it looks very bad to the public, because it’s an election year and we’re going to double the amount of growth capital we spend.”

This amounts to the same kind of debate city councillors had before the process changes, which was what they were trying to avoid.  

Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp, who chairs the IPC, said the smooth new growth application process still has its wrinkles.

“It’s still a beauty contest,” she said.

“We’re still picking ones to go forward to November budget, and some that aren’t. Now, we’re really amending the recommendations we had. Ones that weren’t considered that now are moving forward.”

Administration had warned that approving the current applications that required significant additional capital costs could ultimately be voted down at budget, as emerging city needs may compete against those applications.

Coun. Sharp said that scenario provided less certainty to developers than before.

“I think we’ve actually convoluted the process, because now what’s happening is developers would just get an answer on the day of budget, or, (applications) would all come at once,” she said.

“Now it’s a sense of uncertainty. Yeah, it goes to budget, but hey, maybe you’ll get the money. Maybe you won’t, because priorities can shift. And then what?”

The items will go to an upcoming meeting of Calgary City Council.