Chamber chimes in on secondary suites issue
Posted Mar 9, 2011 3:42 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Calgary Chamber of Commerce says City Council’s decision this week concerning secondary suites is a positive step.
While disappointed Council voted against blanket legislation legalizing suites in homes, Director of Policy Ben Brunnen says streamlining the process where suites are already allowed is a reasonable compromise.
Between now and December, Brunnen notes city staff will conduct public consulations and it’s his hope they can convey to Calgarians that the proposed amendments make sense.
“If that information comes to light, then we’ll see a study from the City that’s going to call for greater approval of secondary suites across the city,” Brunnen tells 660News. “And I think it will be easier to say yes,” (with) “less opposition from various groups in the city.”
“We’re going to realize that there’s not going to be a lot of negative impacts arising from making it easier to legalize these suites,” Brunnen adds. “And then over time with this further study that the City is doing, there is an opportunity that we’ll be looking at some specifics zones and areas, where it makes a lot of sense to legalize secondary suites.”
Brunnen also points out that legal or not, secondary suites already exist in the city.
“I think the biggest issue we need to be looking at here is in Calgary, there are probably about 50 to 60 thousand secondary suites that are illegal already,” says Brunnen. “So the fact of the matter is these suites exist in our communities. Legalizing them is actually going to improve their ability to contribute to our social fabric.”
Council will revisit the issue again in December after city staff prepare a report on the issue.
