Blanket rezoning hearing sees emotional testimony, frustrations from Calgarians

Calgarians packed council chambers once again as the marathon public hearing on blanket rezoning continued on Thursday.

Another day of public submissions on whether Calgary City Council should repeal the citywide rezoning bylaw brought forward a new wave of personal stories from residents who offered emotional testimony and pointed criticism of a process some say is in need of an overhaul.

One of those speakers, a homeowner from Inglewood, told councillors he initially resisted the rezoning changes when they passed in 2024. But after reconsidering, he invested in plans to add two additional suites to his property, including one designed with full accessibility features such as an elevator and an accessible parking stall.

“I keep wondering is our investment gone? What is happening? What are you trying to incent me to do now?” he asked council.

He said he expected the city to welcome an accessible housing project, only to discover that existing bylaws for backyard suites “pretty much restrict any functional accessibility design.”

With blanket rezoning now under review, he told councillors he has received conflicting guidance from the city on whether his plans, which he says have already cost more than ten thousand dollars, can proceed.

Another resident, from Marda Loop, described the looming impact of a three‑storey development set to rise beside her home.

“Morning sunlight will be gone basically until noon,” she said, adding that because the application was submitted before the hearing began, she has been told it cannot be appealed.

“So even as I speak today, I know I will bear the full burden of this misguided policy,” she says.

The blanket rezoning bylaw was introduced to allow a wider range of housing types across all neighbourhoods, part of a broader effort to increase density and address Calgary’s housing shortage.

As the hearing stretches into its fourth day, councillors say they are weighing a range of possible outcomes.

“Do we repeal blanket rezoning or do we keep the blanket rezoning in place and simply tighten up the rules around RC‑G,” Mayor Jeromy Farkas said during the session.

Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelley described the challenge facing council as a balancing act.

“It’s passion versus logic, it’s art versus science,” Kelley said. “There’s no really right answer between those two things, but we as councillors need to sit down and balance those two things.”

The public hearing is expected to continue into next week. More than 425 Calgarians have registered to speak, and council has already endured multiple 12‑hour days as the debate over the future of blanket rezoning continues.