Former Calgary city councillor Jeromy Farkas, making his second run for the mayor’s chair in the civic election on Oct. 20, is no fan of the blanket upzoning bylaw. “Zoning alone doesn’t build housing, partnerships, infrastructure, and investment do,” said Farkas on Wednesday. “Up until now, Calgarians have been presented with a false choice between a city hall that either stops building or stops listening. Our better path forward is to both build and listen.” Wednesday marked the release of Farkas’ housing policy brief, Restoring Certainty: A Targetted Vision for Housing in Calgary. The plan features 25 points offering an alternative to blanket zoning, with the goal to add more homes in Calgary in shorter time frames, improve affordability and working closer with the city’s communities, said Farkas. “Calgarians are pulling their weight, working, parenting, and planning for the future,” he said. “But instead of clarity from city hall, they’re getting mixed signals and instability. Whether it’s rising rents, unplanned neighbourhood change, or the fear of being priced out of the city, people are being left behind.” .“I am focused on restoring certainty,” he added. “That means knowing that hard work will earn you a fair shot at a stable, affordable home. That new growth will be backed by real-world readiness like roads, transit, and utilities. That change will come with your input.” “My housing plan takes aim at the failures of the current blanket rezoning approach, which hasn’t delivered on its promises.” Farkas’ housing platform includes: repealing and replacing blanket rezoning; protecting parks from development and tying growth to servicing and infrastructure; launching a renters’ support office, advocating for provincial reforms and expanding access to stable, affordable homes; guaranteeing faster permitting for home builders; creating a housing delivery team and streamlining approvals for affordable, family-oriented housing; providing pre-zoned land, secure operational funding, and support a 10-year social sector surge to fully fund key services, and; supporting city hall staff with a culture of innovation and accountability through pilot funds, secondments and real-time planning tools. Farkas says also on his to-do list is prioritizing transit-oriented development, expanding housing options across neighbourhoods, and building a housing equity roadmap, ensuring Calgary’s system works for everyone. .“This isn’t just about walls and a roof, it’s about stability, community, and making Calgary a place where everyone can build a life,” he said. “When Calgarians have certainty, our whole city gets stronger.”
