City council votes against sending proposed blanket rezoning to a plebiscite

Calgarians won't be given the opportunity to vote in the next municipal election on the city's blanket rezoning proposal.

During a special meeting on Wednesday, council voted 8-6 to deny a motion to send its proposed policy to a plebiscite, which would have seen the matter added to ballots during the 2025 municipal election.

The city is proposing to change its base residential zoning district to Residential Grade- Oriented infill (RC-G) in a bid to boost housing density in neighbourhoods currently zoned for single-family housing. The change is based on the recommendations of the housing strategy approved by council in September.

The RC-G district would allow homeowners to develop medium-density housing such as duplexes and row housing without first applying to the city for a landuse change.

The issue will now go to a public hearing next month as initially planned.

Coun. Dan Mclean introduced the notice of motion earlier this month with the backing of councillors Sonya Sharp, Terry Wong, Andre Chabot, Sean Chu and Peter Demong — the same six who voted in favour of the plebiscite Wednesday. Mclean highlighted other issues that were put to plebiscites in Calgary, such as the turned-down 2026 Olympic bid and the successful vote to add fluoride back to the city's tap water.

“I believe this to be even more consequential as it does affect every single Calgarian,” Mclean said during the meeting. “And remember, not a single member of council ran on the blanket rezoning in this last election. I believe we need a mandate from the people to do what is proposed.”

The results of the plebiscite wouldn't have been binding and would still have required a public hearing.

Councillors in favour of the plebiscite argued that a blanket rezoning would remove the ability to hold public hearings on individual properties for land-use changes in the future.

“Every time we hear a land-use redesignation application, we hear from community members with real concerns about the effect these new applications will have on their neighbourhood and their lives,” said Sharp. "They get to speak directly and unfiltered to the people they elected to make those decisions ... what's being proposed would remove that opportunity.”

Mayor Jyoti Gondek and some other council members who voted in opposition likened a plebiscite to “kicking the can down the road.” The councillors said next month's public hearing will give the public the opportunity to express their views and the “why” behind it — rather than the simple yes or no that a plebiscite would offer.

“We believe that the public needs to be heard from. The public has been advised that April 22 is the date of the public hearing,” said Gondek, noting the city has spent almost $1 million on engaging the public ahead of that meeting. “We have cleared the week so that as many people that want to come out and weigh in can absolutely do so.”

Wong proposed an amendment to postpone that hearing to June, but it was defeated in an 11-3 vote. He said there's still a lack of understanding among the public about the issue.

“I want them to hear the facts. I want to hear the implementation. I want them to hear the ramifications and the impacts of this,” said Wong.

Critics of the policy have stated the change would alter the character of existing neighbourhoods and lead to overdevelopment, while proponents have claimed it will limit suburban sprawl and improve housing affordability.