Calgary reverses course, approves affordable housing recommendations after criticism

A day after Calgary city council voted to reject affordable housing recommendations, councillors have decided to give them another look.

In a 14-1 vote Wednesday, council approved a motion to accept the recommendations from the Housing and Affordability Task Force.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek says there was some confusion as to what council was actually voting on Tuesday.

“The recommendations that were before us yesterday were to accept the report and thank the committee, the task force. But the task force wanted us to give it teeth. That’s why I didn’t separate anything. What was not before us yesterday was the ability to break apart the task force recommendations. That is not something we do when we assign someone to bring a report to us — that would be disingenuous,” she said.

The motion to reconsider was brought forward by Ward 6 Coun. Richard Pootmans.

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Related article: Calgary council rejects affordable housing recommendations, faces criticism

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Gondek says now, council has “a clear path forward.”

“I think with what’s proposed here, we’re accepting the recommendations, we are thanking the task force, and then we are doing work at committee, based on the best work that administration puts forward about how they will incorporate those recommendations. If anyone has a difference of opinion on what administration is recommending, at committee, you have your say. It then comes to council. There’ll be two opportunities for council to weigh in,” the mayor said, adding this time around, it will allow for public consultation.

The Housing and Affordability Task Force was established to enhance approaches to improving housing affordability and increasing access to affordable housing.

Initially, it had established six recommendations, focused on growing and diversifying the city’s housing supply and improving living conditions for people living in rentals, among other things.

Initial affordable housing vote draws major criticism

Council on Tuesday rejected recommendations in a vote of 8-7. That decision was met with swift criticism, including from Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner, who voiced her disappointment on Twitter.

“I have no words for this awful outcome,” she wrote. “Citizen research shows the number one service Calgarians ask us to invest more in is affordable housing. I’m holding back tears at the failure of Calgary city council to ignore best recommendations to make life more affordable for all Calgarians.”

I have no words for this awful outcome. Citizen research shows that the number one service Calgarians ask us to invest more in is affordable housing. I'm holding back tears at the failure of #yyccc to ignore best recommendations to make life more affordable for all Calgarians. pic.twitter.com/mjQobMvfKG

— Kourtney Penner (@kourtpenner) June 6, 2023

Following the initial vote, Indigenous housing advocate Katelyn Lucas told CityNews she, too, was disappointed by the decision, adding housing — or lack thereof — is connected to other problems in Calgary.

“We’re just increasing the social problems and the dependency that’s required by the city, with them not having an eye on increasing affordable housing and taking some bold action,” Lucas explained.

Calgary Nose Hill MP Michelle Rempel Garner also weighed in, calling council’s decision to reject the recommendations “embarrassing,” “unacceptable,” and “ridiculous.”

Meanwhile, Ward 5 Coun. Raj Dhaliwal said Wednesday he’s excited for what’s to come.

“Because yesterday, all those recommendations and the great work was just killed, killed on this council floor, and there was no step forward. So I’m very excited that we are trying to salvage most of that, hopefully, and start the journey towards the next stage, which is more affordable housing, more opportunities, more options for many of those Calgarians — 80,000 households who are waiting for us to make that policy decision,” he said.

-With files from Lauryn Heintz and Darren Rathwell