Alberta proposing legislation for municipalities to speed up ‘all types’ of housing

The Alberta government is proposing new tools for municipalities that they say will accelerate affordable and attainable housing development.

However, Calgary’s mayor says this is something the city has already done, calling it’s another “reannouncement” from the province.

Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver proposed several elements aimed at speeding up the housing development process. One proposed change includes exempting non-profit housing from property taxes through Bill 20.

“As families from across Canada and the world move here in record numbers, all housing is paramount,” says McIver. “We are updating the Municipal Government Act to fully exempt non-profit, subsidized, affordable housing from municipal and education property taxes.”

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Other proposed changes include expanding the Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) Program.

McIver says, if the legislation passes, municipalities will be able to support the capital costs of privately-owned affordable, or attainable housing, such as office-to-residential conversions — as long as the development is appropriate for the area and will lead to more homes.

McIver says the CRL program is already being used by communities to help them reach their development potential and expanding the criteria will help to spur additional housing development.

“We’re short on all forms of housing,” he says. “And let’s face it folks, more wealthy people can outbid less wealthy people for the affordable housing if they haven’t got any other choices.”

“It’s important we build more affordable housing and more market housing.”

Mayor Jyoti Gondek says, while she’s happy to see the announcement about non-profits being exempt from property taxes, she says that was already announced weeks ago.

“I would prefer to characterize them as reannouncements,” she says. “There’s nothing new. Anyone looking for something new, or special, it’s not there.”

The opposition NDP claim these pieces of legislation from the province consolidate power in the hands of Danielle Smith and her cabinet. They also claim it would allow developers to call the shots, which they say could increase prices for non-subsidized units.