Item 1 — The Mass Rezoning of All Residential Land in Calgary

Understanding what changed, why it happened, and what both sides say about it

What Happened

On August 6, 2024, every single-family residential property in Calgary was automatically converted to a new zoning designation called R-CG — Residential Grade-Oriented Infill.

This happened through Bylaw 21P2024, passed by Calgary City Council on May 14, 2024, and signed by the Mayor on June 19, 2024.

Individual property owners did not receive written notice that their specific property was being rezoned. The City's position is that the public hearing held before Council voted satisfied the legal notification requirement under Section 692 of the Municipal Government Act.

What Did the Old Zoning Mean?

The Old Designations

Before August 6, 2024, most Calgary single-family homes sat on land designated R-C1 or a closely related zone such as R-C1s, R-C1N, or R-2.

Those designations had one primary purpose: only one detached home could be built on the lot. The following were not permitted:

• Rowhouses

• Townhouses

• Subdivision of the lot into multiple parcels

Why It Mattered to Homeowners

When purchasing a home in Calgary, the zoning designation attached to a property is registered on the land title and is a matter of public record. That designation is one of the factors homeowners and developers alike consider when making decisions about a property. Many homeowners made purchasing decisions based at least partly on what that zoning allowed on their property and their neighbours' properties.

What Does R-CG Allow?

The New Designation

R-CG existed before 2024 and was previously applied only in specific areas of Calgary where the City had determined higher density was appropriate. The blanket rezoning extended that designation to all single-family residential land across the city simultaneously.

What Can Now Be Built

Under R-CG the following are all now possible on a standard residential lot:

• Rowhouse building: Multiple attached units sharing side walls, each with its own entrance from the street

• Townhouse development: Similar in form to rowhouses but often oriented differently on the lot

• Duplex or semi-detached home: Two dwelling units sharing a single lot

• Single detached home with a secondary suite: One house with a self-contained suite within the basement

• Single detached home with a backyard suite: One house with a separate dwelling unit in a detached building at the rear of the lot

The Numbers

• Maximum density: 75 units per hectare

• Units on a standard lot: Approximately 8 to 12 dwelling units

• Maximum lot coverage: 60%

• Typical existing lot coverage in established neighbourhoods: 25% to 35%

• Maximum building height: 11 metres

What Does 60% Lot Coverage Look Like in Practice?

A Concrete Comparison

A typical single-family home in an established Calgary neighbourhood covers between 25% and 35% of its lot. That leaves significant space for front and back yards, side setbacks between neighbouring homes, mature trees, and soft landscaping.

A development at 60% lot coverage covers more than half the lot. The building footprint is substantially larger, setbacks are reduced to the minimum permitted, and the space available for trees and landscaping is significantly smaller.

The Environmental Impact

It is worth noting that not every development under R-CG will build to the maximum permitted density or coverage. The rules set a ceiling not a floor. However the loss of mature trees that can accompany larger building footprints has real consequences:

• Mature trees provide natural cooling

• They manage stormwater

• They improve air quality

• They contribute directly to property values

• Once removed they take decades to replace

Why Did the City Do This?

Housing Supply and Affordability

Calgary's population has been growing rapidly and housing supply has not kept pace. The City argued that allowing more housing types in more locations would increase overall supply and help moderate housing costs over time.

Efficient Use of Existing Infrastructure

Established neighbourhoods already have roads, water and sewer infrastructure, schools, parks, and transit in place. Adding more housing in these areas makes use of existing investment rather than requiring the City to extend infrastructure to new developments on the urban fringe.

Transit Access

Many established Calgary neighbourhoods are close to LRT stations and major transit routes. Adding density near transit reduces car dependency, supports transit ridership, and makes more efficient use of transit infrastructure.

Equity and Access

Single-family zoning has historically concentrated lower-density higher-cost housing in established neighbourhoods close to amenities and employment. Allowing more housing types in those areas can make them more accessible to a broader range of household incomes and types.

Alignment With Provincial Direction

The Province of Alberta has signalled support for municipalities taking steps to increase housing supply and reduce barriers to development. The blanket rezoning aligns Calgary with that direction.

What Are the Concerns About This Change?

The Process

Critics argue that rezoning every single-family property in the city simultaneously without direct notice to individual property owners was an unusual approach. A site-specific rezoning application in Calgary would normally trigger written notice to neighbouring property owners. The blanket rezoning did not do this at the individual property level.

Reliance on Existing Zoning

Many homeowners purchased their properties with the understanding that the zoning of their street would remain stable. They argue that the City changed the rules retroactively on what was for most people the largest financial decision of their lives, without compensation or individual recourse.

Neighbourhood Character

Established Calgary neighbourhoods have physical characteristics — mature tree canopies, generous lot sizes, consistent setbacks, low traffic volumes — that many residents value and that are directly connected to the lower density that previous zoning maintained. Critics argue that the cumulative effect of widespread redevelopment under R-CG would permanently alter those characteristics.

Infrastructure Capacity

Some residents and community associations have raised questions about whether existing infrastructure can absorb the additional population that higher density development would bring, particularly in areas where that infrastructure is already under pressure.

Speed and Scale

Even among those who accept the need for more housing density, some critics argue that implementing a city-wide change all at once rather than phasing it in or targeting it to specific areas was unnecessarily disruptive and did not allow communities adequate time to plan and adapt.

How Have Homeowners Responded?

Restrictive Covenants

Several Calgary communities have responded by pursuing Restrictive Covenants — private legal contracts registered directly on land titles that limit a property to one single family home regardless of what the zoning allows. Because a Restrictive Covenant is a private contract between neighbours it sits outside the City's jurisdiction and cannot be unilaterally removed by the City.

Communities currently implementing or exploring Restrictive Covenants include Varsity, Brentwood, Lakeview, Chinook Park, Kelvin Grove, Eagle Ridge, and Elboya-Britannia among others. Approximately 15 Calgary communities are currently in this process.

Formal Planning Engagement

Other homeowners are engaging through the formal planning process by:

• Attending public hearings

• Participating in local area planning consultations

• Communicating with their elected councillors

Both approaches reflect homeowners exercising the options available to them within the existing legal and planning framework.

Key Facts

• Date the rezoning came into force: August 6, 2024

• Bylaw number: 21P2024

• Previous designation for most single-family homes: R-C1, R-C1s, R-C1N, R-2

• New designation: R-CG — Residential Grade-Oriented Infill

• Maximum density under R-CG: 75 units per hectare

• Maximum lot coverage under R-CG: 60%

• Typical existing lot coverage in established neighbourhoods: 25% to 35%

• Maximum building height under R-CG: 11 metres

• The City's argument for the change: Increasing housing supply, making efficient use of existing infrastructure, and improving housing affordability and access

• Primary concern among critics: The change was too broad, too fast, and removed protections that homeowners had reasonably relied on

Read the full bylaw: calgary.ca

See the related proposal: [Link to Item 1 Proposal — insert once created]

Next: Item 2 — Erasing the Old Zoning Categories Entirely →