Premier Smith says Calgary's Urban Transformation Act will not be repealed

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said she was pleased to hear the province has no plans to overturn the recently approved city-wide rezoning bylaw.

Calgary City Council has approved Calgary City Council after the longest public hearing in the city's history, a bylaw that would see Calgary's primary residential rezoning move to R-CG, which allows single-family detached homes to row homes.

Bill 20 introduced by the province would allow them to repeal or amend any city bylaw on the books. Currently, the Alberta government reserves the right to enforce the repeal of land use and planning clauses.

On May 16, CBC Eyeopener host Lauren McGinnis asked Alberta Premier Danielle Smith if she would consider repealing the Citywide Rezoning Act. Premier Smith said he was concerned the legislation was passed as a requirement of the federal government to get cash for housing.

LiveWire Calgary has confirmed in several stories that there is no clear link between city-wide rezoning and federal housing money. READ MORE HERE.

When pressed for a definitive answer on whether to repeal Calgary's law, Premier Smith said Calgary voters will have the final say in October 2025.

“Calgary has an election in 18 months and it will be up to Calgarians to decide whether they believe council made the right decision,” said Premier Smith.

McGinnis: “You don't get involved?”

Smith said, “I don't. It's up to Calgarians to decide if they're offended.”

While debating the city-wide rezoning, anti-redistricting citizens didn't hesitate to share their belief that it will be up and running next October to councilors who vote yes.

Council members said they understood and agreed with the political capital that would be spent on the topic.

It's a political ploy, says the deputy of the city council

Mayor Gondek said it was appropriate for Premier Smith to comment on Calgary's redevelopment law.

“We were fully within our jurisdiction and, frankly, within our mandate for the work that we were supposed to do,” he said.

“As elected local councilors and mayors, it was our job and it would have been difficult for the province to intervene.”

9th district. Gian-Carlo Carra was less diplomatic when asked about Prime Minister Smith's comments. He says his government is more interested in politics than governing citizens.

Carra believes she knows what needs to be done to solve Calgary's housing crisis.

“I would suggest that the premier making this announcement is a huge political win for him because he knows what this province needs, which is an upgrade to help address Calgary's housing crisis,” he said.

“He's also fueling anger, fear and disunity and trying to take back Calgary City Council in the next municipal election.”

According to Carra, the big city charters were the beginning of redefining the relationship of cities with the province. While he said it's important to have checks and balances on governance, he said Bill 20 reduces the due diligence the provincial government has to do to “influence those checks and balances on municipal partners.”

“I think it has more to do with swords and politics than good governance,” Carra said.