After members of Calgary city council approved the imposition of blanket upzoning last spring — regardless of the fact 78% of Calgarians presenting at public hearings were against the bylaw — council directed city administration to report regularly on its impact on Calgary’s housing supply.
The reports were to include the number of permits approved before and after the effective date of August 6, 2024, as well as collect comments it received regarding approved permits.
On Thursday, a report was received in a briefing note by the Infrastructure and Planning Committee, made up of members of city council.
The briefing note indicated 921 development permit applications were received by the city, proposing 2,600 new homes, during all of 2024, compared to 508 permit applications in 2023.
After August 6 last year, of the permits received, 269 of them would have required a land use amendment prior to blanket upzoning (which eliminated the need for land use amendments).
The briefing included a rundown of the comments received on applications made after the introduction of blanket upzoning, noting 2,063 comments were recorded.
“Of those comments, 205 were neither in support or opposed, 1,720 were opposed and 138 were in support of the respective applications,” reads the briefing note. “The average number of comments received on development permits enabled through citywide rezoning are two times higher than on similar permit types.”
That’s now 83% of comments (1,720) against the permit approvals.
Of all the comments received, building design and parking/loading zones were the top two comments, (76% and 73% respectively) with the next three being privacy concerns (50%), site layout (building size) 49%, access or accessibility (46%).
Calgary Ward 1 Councillor, Sonya Sharp, was one of six councillors who voted against blanket upzoning last year.
“Blanket rezoning in Calgary took the people out of the process. Here’s why that matters. Before, when a single-family home was proposed to become an eight-unit building, the application would come to council, Sharp posted on X. “Community members could speak directly to us, sharing their insights on whether the location was suitable for their neighbourhood and if the surrounding infrastructure could handle the growth. After all, they know their community best.”
Sharp acknowledged most of those applications were approved, but not until many were adjusted to take into account comments from neighbours.
“This helped to ensure that Calgary’s growth was both smart and reflective of the community’s character. Some argue that public input to city planning is still possible during the development permit stage."
“But there’s a big difference. In 2024, only about 6% of feedback submitted during this stage was positive. The average number of comments received on development permits enabled through citywide rezoning are two times higher than on similar permit types. This shows a disconnect between community voices and decision-making. This isn’t about opposing change or growth. It’s about ensuring that growth is balanced, respects the fabric of our neighbourhoods and that we have the schools, transit, water and road infrastructure to handle it.”
A map provided with the report showed Sharp’s ward has been one of the most affected by citywide blanket zoning.
“You’ll notice that Ward 1, especially Bowness, is among the most affected. My inbox is typically filled with Bownesians concerned about density straining the infrastructure in their community.”
“I voted against blanket rezoning because I believe in meaningful public engagement and smart growth. Going forward, we need to build a Calgary that listens and grows together.”