Calgary Council: Rezoning Showdown Looms in Public Hearing

CALGARY — Circle March 23, 2026, on your calendar. That's the day Calgary's council will let the public duke it out over whether to kill the city's controversial blanket rezoning policy—a fight that's been simmering since the old council shoved the measure through over a chorus of boos.

Ward 11 Councillor Rob Ward announced the hearing date, calling it a "big win for local voices." Translation: the people who got steamrolled last time finally get another shot.

The Fight That Won't Die

Here's the setup. Back in May 2024, the previous council passed a rezoning policy that made rowhouses and townhouses fair game on most residential lots—no public hearing required. The vote was 9-6, but not before a marathon 15-day public hearing where more than 700 speakers showed up, and most of them weren't there to cheer.

The policy made Residential – Grade-Oriented (R-CG) the default zoning across the city. Developers loved it. Neighborhoods? Not so much.

That anger didn't just evaporate. It showed up at the ballot box. In October 2025, Mayor Jeromy Farkas and a fresh council majority rode into office on a promise to axe or rework the blanket rezoning. By December 15, 2025, Councillor Andre Chabot's motion to start the repeal process sailed through with a 13-2 vote. Only Councillors Myke Atkinson (Ward 7) and Nathaniel Schmidt (Ward 8) held the line.

The Federal Money Problem

Now for the messy part. Calgary's rezoning wasn't just a local brainstorm—it was a condition of scoring $251,309,276 in federal cash from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). The city's already banked payments in November 2023 and January 2025.

But here's the catch: the CMHC deal hinges on Calgary keeping its commitments. Tear up the rezoning, and Ottawa could yank future payments or claw back what's already been handed over. The agreement gives CMHC the power to reduce or withhold funds if the city goes rogue.

Former Mayor Jyoti Gondek championed the original bylaw. The Calgary Inner City Builders Association (CICBA) insists it saved time and cash on projects. But the new council's betting that voters care more about control over their neighborhoods than federal dollars with strings attached.

What Happens Next

The March 23, 2026, public hearing will settle whether Calgary pulls the plug on blanket rezoning or keeps the policy—and the money—intact. Expect the chamber to be packed.