plebIscite VOTE on Rezoning
During a recent Special Meeting of Council, a group of councillors brought forward a Notice of Motion to hold a plebiscite on the city-wide rezoning changes recommended in the City of Calgary's Housing Strategy. This motion was ultimately defeated, with Councillor Carra being among the eight council members who voted against the Notice of Motion. Below is additional insights into the rationale behind this decision.
The Role of Council
In June of 2022, council directed administration to develop the Housing and Affordability Task Force. Their focus was to create recommendations related to increasing, measuring, and managing housing affordability and affordable housing along the entire housing continuum. A tremendous amount of research, work, and consultation was done by the Task Force to form their comprehensive recommendations.
The role of council is to thoughtfully and skillfully harmonize the insights provided by our expert teams with the input gathered from constituent outreach. Achieving the right balance requires careful deliberation of both the present demands and future needs of all Calgarians. Each of the recommendations in the City of Calgary's Housing Strategy are a critically important step towards meeting those needs and ensuring affordable and accessible housing for everyone.
Delayed Timelines
A plebiscite would only further delay this critically important decision, and we cannot afford to wait. Calgary's housing crisis is worsening by the day, with 84,600 households—nearly one in five—struggling to afford their current housing. The resounding message from Calgarians over the past year has been a dire need for expanded housing options. Further delaying this vote will only exacerbate an already crisis-level problem.
Additionally, even with a plebiscite, council is still legally required to hold a public hearing on changes related to the land-use bylaw. Some argue that a plebiscite is a way for Calgarians to be a part of this process and have their voices heard, but that is exactly what the public hearing offers. It provides an opportunity for Calgarians to have their say and share their support or concerns for the rezoning process in a more fulsome and meaningful way, adding important context rather than a simple 'yes' or 'no' vote.
*For more information on how to participate at the public hearing, please see the 'Resources' section below.
Additional Costs
We heard from City Administration that costs associated with holding a plebiscite range from $50,000 (to have the plebiscite as an additional ballot question during the next municipal election) to upwards of $5-million for a stand-alone plebiscite vote. There are also additional throw-away costs in the range of $100,000 - $300,000 associated with engagement, communications, and marketing that has already occurred around the current public hearing date set for April 22, 2024.
Limitations of a Plebiscite
A plebiscite is non-binding. Meaning that even if the majority of Calgarians voted for or against the land-use change, council has no obligation to honor or vote in the same way as the majority. We saw this play out during the plebiscite on fluoride, where the majority of Calgarians voted in favour of reinstating fluoride into our municipal drinking water, but several councillors chose to vote against the plebiscite directive when the bylaw change was formalized in council. Also, as mentioned above, a plebiscite still requires council to hold a public hearing, meaning a plebiscite add costs, delays timelines, is non-binding, and will land us back where we are at now – hosting a public hearing.
Community Consultation
One of the arguments made during the Special Meeting of Council was that Calgarians have not had enough time to engage and learn about the rezoning recommendation. It is important to note that discussions around the City of Calgary Housing Strategy have been ongoing since March of 2023, with recommendations being publicly shared in July of 2023. There was a public hearing held this past September that consisted of three full days where 1000's of Calgarians came out to speak and wrote letters in support of all of the Housing Strategy recommendations, including rezoning.
Additionally, during the summer of 2023, The City's Corporate Research team undertook a survey among a randomly selected and statistically-representative sample group of Calgarians to gauge perceptions regarding housing affordability and assess support for the policy recommendations put forth by the Housing Affordability Task Force.
Participants were asked to weigh in on the Task Force's suggestion to diversify housing options across Calgary, which included allowing for various housing forms such as single detached homes, semi-detached, and rowhouses on parcels currently restricted to single detached homes and one suite.
Results revealed a significant level of support for the Task Force's recommendation, with 83% of respondents expressing their approval for the initiative. Among those, 45% showed strong support for the proposal, indicating a widespread acknowledgment of the need to address housing affordability concerns through diversified housing options.
Lastly, while community engagement plays a vital role in the decision-making processes, it must be balanced against and considerate of what is objectively in the best interest of all Calgarians. The Housing and Affordability Task Force was established to bring together individuals with diverse expertise in housing, including builders, operators, researchers, and residents. Their thorough research and consultation with policy experts has provided valuable insight into addressing Calgary's housing crisis. So while community input is important, it's just one aspect to consider when council is tasked with making challenging but critical decisions.
Additional Resources:
If you are looking to learn more about rezoning or have questions about how rezoning may affect your community, below are some resources for information, opportunities for engagement, and thoughtful commentary.
How to Participate in the April 22nd Public Hearing on rezoning
(There are three ways to participate in a council meeting - you can present in-person, over the phone, or submit a comment to become part of the official public record.)
Upcoming City of Calgary Rezoning Information Sessions and Webinars
Attend an upcoming in-person session or check out a recorded virtual one. You are also welcome to provide feedback - online engagement will be accepted through April 11, 2024
Ward 9 FAQ's on Rezoning
Our office has heard from community members asking how changes to exclusionary zoning will affect Ward 9’s established communities. Check out some answers to many of the frequently asked questions we’re hearing.
Visualizing the Impact of Rezoning, by More Neighbours Calgary
Helpful information on the realistic visual impacts that rezoning will have on our city, including simulations of what real communities could see in terms of change. Much of the density we can anticipate will largely go unnoticed as new developments will be contextual.