Stop us if you’ve heard this one before.

In the wake of the province’s latest dip into municipal waters with last week’s responsible growth announcement, Calgary city councillors are concerned that remaining federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) cash won’t be paid out.

Last April, the federal government made good on the third $64.7 million instalment of the funding, meant to help reward cities for breaking down housing development barriers and assisting with some of the financial roadblocks to carrying it out.

The notion of Calgary not getting the full HAF payout has been volleyed back and forth for months as the city grappled with ongoing debate over the repeal of citywide rezoning.

While the federal government has been flexible, given that in past years Calgary had been leading the nation in housing starts, the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure wrote to council that the final payment would be subject to having a zoning replacement that allows for a minimum of four units on a significant majority of lots within the city, and having it by the Oct. 27, 2026 contract end date.  

Most recently, Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness, on the heels of the province mandating that both Edmonton and Calgary have pre-2024 land-use bylaws, raised the potential that the city was in limbo on the fourth payment.

“We still haven’t got the fourth payment for the housing strategy, and we’re about to find out if we will even get the federal government providing us the fourth HAF payment because we repealed blanket rezoning,” she said.

When asked on Tuesday, Ward 9 Coun. Harrison Clark said that he was most concerned there was no recourse for Calgary city council.

“We’re sort of in an unprecedented scenario with a provincial government making unique municipal requests of us, and now we potentially lose our HAF funding, and they’re not going to give us any money,” he said.

“For the provincial government, it’s within their rights to set a new course for us. But where are we going?”

Calgary funding status will be reviewed: CMHC

According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the HAF is about working with municipalities to increase housing supply and support reforms needed to build more homes.

“As part of their agreements, municipalities report annually on their progress and on how they are meeting their commitments, with annual reports due within 30 days of the agreement date,” read an email statement from Gillian Arfin with CMHC.

“Calgary’s agreement date is October 27. These reports are reviewed before decisions are made regarding subsequent funding.”

Mayor Jeromy Farkas told LWC that in his conversations with Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, there are ongoing conversations about how Calgary’s housing progress will be measured.

“But that said, I do not answer to the federal government. I do not answer to the provincial government,” Farkas said.  

“I and the council that I lead are going to do right by Calgarians and make sure that our housing approach reflects the needs and the local context of Calgarians and does not bend over backwards to appease either a prime minister or a premier.”

When asked about the potential money that had been committed to housing projects, contingent on HAF funding, Coun. Clark expressed concern about the impact.

“There is that risk, and if it comes to that, then we’re really alone at the table,” he said.

The fourth and final HAF instalment would be about $63.7 million.