After running on repealing and replacing blanket rezoning during last fall’s municipal election campaign, Mayor Jeromy Farkas has followed through on half of his platform’s promise.
How the city will increase density without the controversial housing policy in place remains unclear, after city council voted down a motion last week intended to do just that.
Since council voted to repeal blanket rezoning two months ago, Farkas has suggested a more aggressive approach to local area plans (LAP) could work as a replacement to improve the city’s housing supply. The planning documents guide the city on where it can add more density, through community consultation.
But despite Farkas’s support, the motion was voted down 10-5. Councillors who opposed the motion argued several LAP-compliant applications have failed anyways, and the nearly $15-million cost attached to double LAP capacity would be too costly.
Farkas said he still views LAPs as a replacement for blanket rezoning, but noted council’s decision last week showed prudence.
“I would have liked to see us move faster on the local area plan process, but I do think that those council members who have some concerns about the quality of the local area plans were right in perhaps wanting to tap the brakes,” said Farkas.
In Farkas’s campaign platform, he promised to replace blanket rezoning with a community-informed strategy to support gentle density while building affordable housing.
But housing advocate Kathryn Davies does not see LAPs as an effective replacement, calling them toothless. She said council’s lack of new ideas to improve the city’s affordable housing supply is “immensely frustrating.”
“This council seems to have very little appetite for actually addressing anything housing-related,” said Davies, the co-founder of More Neighbours Calgary, a group pushing for sustainable housing growth.
Davies argued most Calgarians would be comfortable with more duplexes in their neighbourhood and a more moderate approach to citywide rezoning.
But without a replacement policy, she suggested Calgary could lose out on investment as homebuilders look to develop in other cities where it’s easier to build.
“If we take years to come up with a replacement plan, that’s thousands of homes that go un-built. And there’s enormous demand for housing in Calgary,” said Davies.
Councillors call for replacement
Ward 7 Coun. Myke Atkinson, who voted not to repeal blanket rezoning, also doesn’t see more local area plans as a proper alternative, as the documents cannot automatically rezone land.
Atkinson noted that none of the council members who opposed blanket rezoning have presented a viable replacement policy, including Farkas.
“I’m frustrated with the way that there has been this promise of a repeal and replace, and we haven’t had the replace come in,” said Atkinson.
He added that a replacement housing policy needs to come from a council member who voted to repeal, to ensure it can receive enough votes to pass.
In the meantime, councillors will discuss The Calgary Plan, which includes guidance for how the city can build more housing.
Later this fall, Ward 5 Coun. Raj Dhaliwal said council can build on Calgary’s momentum to improve its housing policy when working on its four-year budget. Nearly 28,000 new homes were added to Calgary’s housing supply last year, setting a new city record and more than doubling the city’s average over the past decade.
“This is an opportunity to stay committed to housing, and let’s keep building on last year’s success,” said Dhaliwal.
Calgary still waiting on final federal housing payment
During council’s blanket rezoning debate this spring, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation informed the city it may not send a fourth and final payment from the Housing Accelerator Fund, worth around $65 million, if the majority of lots in Calgary are not zoned for up to four units.
While Farkas said he’s confident Calgary can meet Ottawa’s zoning goals, he said he’s focused on what’s best for the city even if it means foregoing the final payment.
“I’m not going to bend over backwards to be able to comply with either Ottawa’s direction or even the provincial government’s direction. We have to do what makes the most sense here locally,” said Farkas.
But other councillors argue the city should ensure it can comply with any funding available that Calgary can use to improve its housing supply.
“Any dollars from any level of government should be welcomed, and we should keep the momentum going about building more units,” said Dhaliwal.
“More housing is possible as long as we’re committed to it.”
Earlier this year, the CMHC cancelled its agreement to provide housing funding to Red Deer, citing the city’s failure to meet mandatory conditions.
Political leadership on housing file needed, says prof
Dhaliwal criticized city council last week for making a habit out of repealing old policies without a replacement, after the blanket rezoning decision and last week’s climate emergency rescindment.
And repealing past policies is not a viable long-term strategy on council, said Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams. She said council will need to take a leadership role on issues like housing, which it can expect to debate repeatedly while in office.
“A council that simply kicks the can down the road and doesn’t deal with those issues will come under fire,” said Williams.
“Simply saying ‘no’ to any changes that have been made, and going back to the problems that existed before the changes were made, doesn’t satisfy.”
Williams noted council is not feeling much direct political pressure on housing currently because of how recent its blanket rezoning decision was. But she said voters expect governments to be proactive, and last week’s vote sends a message to residents that it currently isn’t doing anything to improve the city’s housing supply.
“The minute the issue of housing comes up again, a council that hasn’t addressed that question — a council that might not be eligible for funding that would otherwise be available — will find itself the subject of considerable criticism,” said Williams.