Calgary zoning repeal reshapes housing districts

Summary#

On March 23, 2026, Calgary City Council passed Bylaw 9P2026 at third reading, amending the City’s Land Use Bylaw 1P2007. Its stated aim is to repeal the citywide residential rezoning approved in 2024 and return affected parcels to specified residential districts.

  • The bylaw restores previously deleted land-use districts and changes the zoning of listed parcels from R-CG, R-G or H-GO to other residential districts.
  • Council removed proposed R-CG rule changes in subsections 4(a)–(j) and (l). Other R-CG rule changes remain in the bylaw, with “Mayland Heights” removed from one table.
  • Council directed City staff to test and seek feedback on the removed R-CG rule changes. Staff must immediately test and model the proposed density rule; if appropriate, they are to bring amendments to a July 21, 2026 public hearing.
  • Council also directed staff to prepare a later bylaw for certain parcels where an approved development permit was overturned by the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB), and to bring it to Council in Q4 2026. This is not an automatic restoration now.

What it means for you#

  • Owners of affected parcels: Their land-use district changes under the bylaw. The exact district for each parcel is in Schedule C, which is not included in the supplied material.
  • People considering housing or development: The bylaw changes zoning, but the supplied material does not give enough detail to say what housing or other projects would be allowed on each parcel.
  • People seeking secondary or backyard suites: Council directed staff to bring forward a July 21, 2026 proposal to make these uses permitted in low-density residential districts. That direction did not itself change the rules.
  • Residents generally: The decision does not directly change property taxes, create a housing benefit, or establish a new application or appeal process.

Money#

No cost estimate is provided in the available material.

  • Council directed staff to undertake testing, modelling, engagement and analysis. The cost and staff time are not stated.
  • A public submission warned that repeal could affect federal Housing Accelerator funds. The supplied material does not confirm that claim or quantify any funding effect.

What is unclear#

  • Which specific properties change districts, and what each district allows; the parcel schedule and full amended bylaw text are not supplied.
  • The start date for the bylaw’s changes.
  • What the R-CG rule changes retained in the bylaw do, and what testing or engagement will involve.
  • How the proposed later restoration for parcels with overturned permits will be handled, and which parcels may qualify.
  • Whether repeal affects funding or housing construction; the supplied material does not establish those outcomes.

Case for#

  • Some public submissions supporting repeal raised concerns about parking, traffic, infrastructure capacity and changes to neighbourhood character. Returning parcels to specified residential districts may address those concerns by changing the zoning rules.
  • A submitter from Glenbrook said recent construction was too fast and parking was insufficient; another submission from Mt. Pleasant raised concerns about traffic, bins and older infrastructure.
  • Council also directed staff to study where more housing could fit around transit, nodes, corridors and available brownfield sites. That could help inform future choices about where growth occurs.

Case against#

  • Some public submissions opposing repeal argued that it could limit housing choices and affordability. A Calgary physician who opposed repeal also warned of possible effects on Housing Accelerator funds and city costs; those claims are not confirmed in the supplied material.
  • Repeal changes zoning for listed parcels, but the supplied material does not show how much housing capacity may be reduced or where affected residents could find alternatives.
  • The final bylaw passed 12–3. Councillors Yule, Atkinson and Schmidt voted against it. An amendment deleting the specified R-CG rule changes passed 9–6; Councillors Yule, Pantazopoulos, Jamieson, Tyers, Wyness and Johnston voted against that amendment.

Votes

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That with respect to Report C2026-0153, the following be adopted, after amendment: That Council: - Give three readings to Proposed Bylaw 9P2026 amendments to the Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 (Attachment 2), to repeal blanket rezoning, including: - Textual amendments (Section 1 and Schedule A and B, Attachment 2) to insert previously deleted Land Use Districts and delete Land Use Bylaw amendments approved…

For (80%)
Against (20%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That Bylaw 9P2026 be introduced and read a first time.

For (80%)
Against (20%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That the amendment to the proposed Bylaw 9P2026 be amended by: - deleting the words “subsections 4(a) through (j) and (l)” and replacing with “Section 4” and - adding the words “and that Section 8 be deleted and replaced with the following: “Sections 3 and 5 of this Bylaw come into force on 2026 August 04.”"

For (40%)
Against (60%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That the amendment to the proposed Bylaw 9P2026 be amended by deleting the words “subsections 4(a) through (j) and (l)” and replacing them with the words “subsections 4(a) through (o)”.

For (20%)
Against (80%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That proposed Bylaw 9P2026 be amended as follows: That subsections 4(a) through (j) and (l) be deleted in their entirety.

For (60%)
Against (40%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That Proposed Bylaw 9P2026 be amended as follows: That Schedule C be deleted in its entirety and replaced with a Revised Schedule C, to remove all parcels with current R-G zoning, as reflected in Distribution 1.

For (27%)
Against (73%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That Proposed Bylaw 9P2026 be amended as follows: - Delete Section 1(d), (e), (f) and (h). - Delete Section 3(c), (d), (e) and (f).

For (47%)
Against (53%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That Proposed Bylaw 9P2026 be amended as follows: That Schedule C be deleted in its entirety and replaced with a Revised Schedule C, to remove all parcels with current H-GO zoning, as reflected in Distribution 2.

For (27%)
Against (73%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That the amendment to the Proposed Bylaw 9P2026 be amended by deleting the words “MAYLAND HEIGHTS”.

For (53%)
Against (47%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That Proposed Bylaw 9P2026 be amended as follows, as amended: That the words “BOWNESS”, “BAYVIEW”, “VARSITY”, “ACADIA”, “BEL-AIRE”, “BRAESIDE”, “CHINOOK PARK”, “EAGLE RIDGE”, “FAIRVIEW”, “GARRISON GREEN”, “HAYSBORO”, “KELVIN GROVE”, “KINGSLAND”, “LAKEVIEW”, “MAPLE RIDGE”, “MAYFAIR”, “MARLBOROUGH”, “MEADOWLARK PARK”, “NORTH GLENMORE PARK”, “OAKRIDGE”, “PALLISER”, “PUMP HILL”, “SOUTHWOOD”, “WILLOW P…

For (40%)
Against (60%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That Bylaw 9P2026 be read a second time, as amended.

For (80%)
Against (20%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That Bylaw 9P2026 be read a third time, as amended.

For (80%)
Against (20%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That with respect to Report C2026-0153, the following Motion Arising be adopted: That Council direct Administration, as part of the 2026 June 16 Strategic Meeting of Council (EC2026-0228), to include housing, as one of the ‘tangible examples of how these proposed plans will guide growth, development and mobility in Calgary’. Administration is directed to provide discussion, information and analysi…

For (100%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That with respect to Report C2026-0153, the following Motion Arising be adopted: That Council direct Administration to: - Undertake the appropriate testing and engagement through the Zoning Bylaw project on the remaining proposed R-CG rule changes outlined in Section 4 of the proposed Bylaw 9P2026, specifically subsections 4 (a) through (j) and (l); and - Where proven through testing and engagemen…

For (100%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That with respect to Report C2026-0153, the following Motion Arising be adopted: That Council direct Administration to: - Prepare an amending bylaw to restore the land use designation of affected parcels to their original state prior to bylaw amendment 21P2024 Citywide rezoning for parcels that had an approved development permit that was overturned by the SDAB between 2024 August 06 and 2026 Augus…

For (100%)

Public Hearing Meeting of Council, item 7.3.1 (Repeal of Blanket Rezoning (Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Amendments Implementing Citywide Residential Rezoning), LOC2026-0010, C2026-0153): That with respect to Report C2026-0153, the following Motion Arising be adopted: That Council directs Administration to bring Land Use Bylaw amendments to the July 21st Public Hearing which classifies: - The Secondary Suites use as a permitted use in low-density residential districts; and - The Backyard Suites use as a permitted use in low-density residential districts.

For (67%)
Against (33%)