Calgarians flooded city hall on Monday morning in protest of city council’s proposal to change housing zoning laws that would allow fourplexes be built next to single detached residential homes.
At issue is the fact that Calgary is one of many cities in Canada facing a housing affordability and supply crisis due to a number of reasons, including the Trudeau Government’s mass immigration policy that far outpaced housing capacity.
To make up for the crisis, the Trudeau Liberals have blackmailed Mayor Gondek into the proposed bylaw change, earmarking $228 million over the next three years from their federal Housing Accelerator Fund that’s contingent on city council loosening up zoning restrictions.
Calgarians — specifically the single home city dwellers — are furious with the prospect of a fourplex staggering over and depreciating the value of their home, among a number of other concerns.
City councillor Dan McLean, who’s one of the few concillors who oppose the proposal, posted to his social media account a video of over 500 residents showing up to City Hall on Monday, most who he claimed were opposed to the re-zoning proposal.
“HUGE crowd at City Hall for day 1 of public hearing with most speaking against blanket upzoning and those speaking in favour because they can’t afford a house,” McLean said. “So the obvious question is will up-zoning the city really make homes less expensive? I don’t think so.”
Moreover, a No Blanket Rezoning website has been created, allowing those opposed to easily send an email to their city councilor.
The letter states that the rezoning proposal encourages unplanned and uncoordinated development in existing communities that are not designed for increased density, overloads the capacity of infrastructure like the electrical grid, water, sewer, parking, and emergency services, and negatively affects property values of long-term residents.
Gondek denies she’s being blackmailed
Gondek denies that her agreement with the feds is contingent on changing zoning laws, but Liberal Housing Minister and wildfire misinformation spreader Sean Fraser literally said as much in November 2023 after meeting with her.
As for Premier Danielle Smith, she said the province won’t be interfering retroactively with Calgary’s agreement with the feds, but nonetheless chastised the Trudeau Government for their “destructive agenda on Alberta taxpayers.”
“It’s going to be up to the Calgary council to decide if the $228 million is worth essentially handing over all of their zoning-making power to the federal government,” Smith said.
Calgary is expecting an additional 110,000 residents from 2023 to 2028.
