Calgary council votes to repeal blanket rezoning

Calgary city council has taken the first formal step toward dismantling the city’s blanket rezoning policy, voting 12–3 on Wednesday to repeal the measure after a public hearing that went on for several days.

The vote, coming on the first of three required readings, saw councillors Myke Atkinson, Nathaniel Schmidt, and Andrew Yule vote against it. The decision sets the stage for a return to pre‑rezoning rules and a renewed search for a replacement framework.

Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot celebrated the outcome, saying he was “ecstatic about council’s decision to move forward with a new plan on how to make our city better.”

But others expressed reservations. Ward 8 Coun. Schmidt, who voted against repeal, said the decision weighed heavily on him.

“I struggled a lot with this,” he said. “Sometimes it can feel a little bit frustrating that we’re saying that people who are looking to buy a home for the first time are relegated to areas that are louder, busier, and have more pollution.”

A notable shift came from Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly, who campaigned on amending blanket rezoning rather than eliminating it. He said residents in his ward have made it clear the current policy is not working for them.

“I am voting to repeal this policy, but I want to be equally clear that repeal cannot be the end of the conversation,” he said. “It must be the beginning of a better one.”

Mayor Jeromy Farkas, who ran on a platform of repealing and replacing blanket rezoning, described his vote as a compromise rather than a victory.

“I didn’t get everything I wanted out of this,” the mayor said. “We need to both repeal and replace blanket rezoning so that we can continue to build.”

Farkas said the city has already begun laying the groundwork for a new direction, citing recent investments in affordable housing. He emphasized that the coming months will focus on expanding housing options for Calgarians.

Some councillors argued that repealing the policy without a replacement ready is irresponsible. Ward 7 Coun. Atkinson was blunt in his criticism.

“I believe in good governance, and this isn’t good governance,” he said. “You don’t repeal and then figure something else later.”

Ward 3 Coun. Yule echoed that sentiment, saying he could not support a full repeal without a clear alternative.

“I just can’t support a full repeal until we find something better as a council,” he said. “And we can do that, we have time. We just have to move onward.”

What comes next

The change will go into effect on Aug. 4, according to the city.

Application received before that date will processed “in accordance with the current land use zones.”

Alongside the repeal debate, councillors also discussed changes to R‑CG zoning on Wednesday, the base district under blanket rezoning that allowed rowhouses and townhomes on land previously zoned solely for single‑detached homes.

Any future R‑CG development will again require individual land‑use redesignations once the change takes effect.