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Global News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Global News
Calgary community explores restrictive covenants as citywide rezoning hits campaign trail
The majority of candidates vying to be Calgary's next mayor are vowing to repeal citywide rezoning, as another neighbourhood explores restrictive covenants as an option to block development spurred by the policy. A restrictive covenant is a legally binding agreement on a property title that limits how a property is used or developed, even after it is sold to a new owner. Restrictive covenants are frequently used by municipalities, developers, and landowners to ensure land is developed in a manner that maintains or enhances the value of neighbouring properties, according to Alberta Municipalities. 1:54 Glenora restrictive covenant creates headache for Edmonton homeowner Former city councillor Jeromy Farkas, running for mayor a second time, unveiled his housing platform Wednesday. Story continues below advertisement The 25-point plan includes the creation of a renter support office, the streamlined approval for family-oriented housing, protection for park space and prioritizes transit-oriented development. The first policy point is to 'repeal and replace blanket rezoning,' with a more targeted community strategy that 'supports gentle density' while building a more affordable homes. 'It's very clear that this blanket rezoning, all-size-fits-all approach hasn't worked. It hasn't been able to build the homes at the scale or the speed or the price point that's needed,' Farkas told Global News. 'We think that we can get more homes built more cost effectively and faster with that targeted approach.' Farkas becomes the latest mayoral candidate to promise scrapping the citywide rezoning policy along with Communities First candidate and Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp and former city councillor Jeff Davison. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We have to rebuild trust with the public and we've got to repeal that bylaw,' Davison told Global News. 'We've got to work with all stakeholders to say, 'What's the plan? What do we want as a housing initiative going forward for Calgary and what works for Calgarians?'' Farkas' promise to repeal citywide rezoning prompted a response from Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott, who is not running for re-election. 'Seeing prominent candidates and parties retreat to policies of exclusionary zoning, discrimination, and economic segregation under the guise of 'progress' and 'compassion' is painful,' Walcott wrote on social media. Story continues below advertisement 'Have some courage, it might just inspire people.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Have some courage, it might just inspire people." Calgary city council voted in favour of a bylaw to change the city's default residential zoning last year, which amended the land-use bylaw to allow a variety of housing types including single-detached, semi-detached, duplexes and rowhouses on a single property. The move followed a record public hearing at city hall in which the majority of speakers opposed the policy change. 1:50 Fight over Calgary zoning changes heads to court Experts suggest it's those frustrated Calgarians that candidates against citywide rezoning are trying to tap into. 'Those folks are motivated, they're going to donate, they're going to volunteer, they are going to come out and vote, and it may be that in some places, this is an issue that really gets voters out,' said Lori Williams, an associate professor of policy studies at Mount-Royal University. Story continues below advertisement 'It's also tricky when you're a mayoral candidate, because you've got to appeal to people throughout the city.' That frustration is coming to a head in the southwest community of Lakeview, where a group of residents is pushing to have neighbours sign restrictive covenants on their properties. According to Keith Marlowe with the Lakeview Restrictive Covenant Initiative, the effort was spurred by city council's decision and three recent developments in the area. 'I think that's what is getting people's backs up. The community was very strong that they didn't want upzoning and that was seemingly ignored for whatever reason by city council,' Marlowe said. Marlowe said the restrictive covenant would remain on a property's title for 75 years. 'We're all voluntarily agreeing to put certain restrictions on our own ability to develop our property in the hopes that it helps our neighbours as well,' he said. When asked about Lakeview's push for restrictive covenants on Tuesday, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said property owners can do what they want with their own properties. 'Anytime there's an individual that's interested in doing something with their private property, it's something that's up to that individual,' Gondek said. 'Individuals are able to do what they choose with their properties as long as it abides with any given bylaw and within the rules of the law.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Individuals are able to do what they choose with their properties as long as it abides with any given bylaw and within the rules of the law." Story continues below advertisement 2:22 Calgary's city-wide rezoning proposal: what does RC-G look like? According to the city, citywide rezoning has 'significantly increased the diversity and supply of housing options in Calgary.' City data shows 271 applications were submitted for new homes in established communities in the first quarter of 2025, a 59-per cent increase over the same time period last year. Thirty-one per cent of those applications were rowhouses and townhomes, a 163-per cent increase from the same quarter in 2024. A city briefing note into the matter also suggests citywide rezoning enabled nearly half or 45 per cent of all new low-density housing development permits in established neighbourhoods. Calgary's next municipal election is on Oct. 20.
Calgary Herald
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Some Calgary councillors want to 'rein in city hall overreach'
A cohort of Calgary city councillors say they want to clamp down on city hall's tendency to fund programs and services that fall outside of the municipality's jurisdiction. Article content Councillors representing the Communities First political party — a caucus that includes Sonya Sharp, Andre Chabot, Dan McLean and Terry Wong — are bringing a notice of motion to Tuesday's executive committee meeting that asks the city to develop a comprehensive chart of government responsibilities for key policy and service areas, and to clearly show which functions are municipal, provincial, federal or a shared responsibility. Article content Article content Article content Calgary's mayor criticized the proposal, which calls for the chart to be published on the city's website and social media channels by July 4, as 'electioneering.' Article content Article content Sharp said the notice of motion stems from council decisions she argued shouldn't have been made. She cited last year's single-use items bylaw — which council voted to scrap two weeks after it was implemented, following public backlash — and a councillor's proposal to advocate allowing non-citizens with permanent residency status to vote in Calgary's municipal elections. Article content 'Reports like the bag bylaw, cancelling fireworks, non-(citizen) voting . . . all that is distraction from focusing on the things that matter to Calgarians,' she said. Article content Sharp said she's wanted to bring this motion forward since council's approval of the 2025 budget last November, which resulted in an average 5.5 per cent property tax hike for households. She argued that part of the reason property taxes keep going up is because city hall spends $135 million a year on tax-funded services that fall outside its jurisdiction, as outlined in the Municipal Government Act. Article content Article content Article content 'This notice of motion isn't saying we're going to go and cut any of that funding,' she said. 'What we're saying in general is, when administration brings a report back to council, it needs to identify if we're playing the lead role. Is it a core city service? Are we advocating to the province, or are we supporting the province in advocating to the federal government?' Article content The motion would also require all council and committee reports to include a 'clear jurisdictional label' indicating whether the item is a core municipal responsibility, a shared responsibility with other orders of government or if it falls outside the city's responsibility. Article content Chabot, who often points out during council debates when something is or isn't under municipal purview, said the motion would put those conversations in 'black and white.'
Calgary Herald
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Councillors' notice of motion aims to 'rein in city hall overreach'
A cohort of Calgary city councillors say they want to clamp down on city hall's tendency to fund programs and services that fall outside of the municipality's jurisdiction. Article content Councillors representing the Communities First political party — a caucus that includes Sonya Sharp, Andre Chabot, Dan McLean and Terry Wong — are bringing a notice of motion to Tuesday's executive committee meeting that asks the city to develop a comprehensive chart of government responsibilities for key policy and service areas, and to clearly show which functions are municipal, provincial, federal, or a shared responsibility. Article content Article content Article content Calgary's mayor criticized the proposal, which calls for the chart to be published on the city's website and social media channels by July 4, as 'electioneering.' Article content Article content Sharp said the notice of motion stems from council decisions she argued shouldn't have been made. As examples, she cited last year's single-use items bylaw — which council voted to scrap two weeks after it was implemented, following public backlash — and a councillor's proposal to advocate allowing non-citizens with permanent residency status to vote in Calgary's municipal elections. Article content 'Reports like the bag bylaw, cancelling fireworks, non-(citizen) voting . . . all that is distraction from focusing on the things that matter to Calgarians,' she said. Article content Sharp said she's wanted to bring this motion forward since council's approval of the 2025 budget last November, which resulted in an average 5.5 per cent property tax hike for households. She argued that part of the reason why property taxes keep going up is because city hall spends $135 million a year on tax-funded services that fall outside its jurisdiction, as outlined in the Municipal Government Act. Article content Article content Article content 'This notice of motion isn't saying we're going to go and cut any of that funding,' she said. 'What we're saying in general is, when administration brings a report back to council, it needs to identify if we're playing the lead role. Is it a core city service? Are we advocating to the province, or are we supporting the province in advocating to the federal government?' Article content The motion would also require all council and committee reports to include a 'clear jurisdictional label' indicating whether the item is a core municipal responsibility, a shared responsibility with other orders of government, or if it falls outside the city's responsibility. Article content Chabot, who often points out during council debates when something is or isn't under municipal purview, said the motion would put those conversations in 'black and white.'
Global News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
A Better Calgary Party to endorse some Communities First candidates to avoid vote split
One of Calgary's three political parties won't be running a full slate of candidates in the upcoming election, in an effort to avoid splitting conservative voters. The A Better Calgary Party (ABC Party) held a one-time 'bypass vote' amongst its members to determine whether to run a candidate in certain wards. 'We felt that for the sake of Calgarians, we need to stop splitting the vote,' ABC Party executive director Roy Beyer told Global News. ABC Party members voted to refrain from running a candidate in five wards across the city: Ward 1, Ward 4, Ward 7, Ward 10 and Ward 13. The incumbents in those wards include Sonya Sharp, Sean Chu, Terry Wong, Andre Chabot and Dan McLean. However, Sharp has announced her intention to run for mayor and it remains unclear if Chu will seek another term, after telling reporters this term would be his last back in 2021. Story continues below advertisement Beyer said Sharp's endorsement is based on her work as a councillor and not for her candidacy for mayor. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The ABC Party's endorsements of incumbents include candidates of Communities First, the other centre-right party formed by Sharp, Wong, Chabot and McLean. 'You just need eight council members,' Beyer said. 'If we can get there between us and others, we will have a true conservative coalition or centre-right coalition and that's the goal here.' Communities First declined to comment when asked by Global News on Monday. Lori Williams, an associate professor of policy studies at Mount Royal University, said it's too early to tell whether the endorsements could stand to benefit the Communities First party. 'It could help them,' Williams said. 'But the affiliation with or the endorsement of a further right political party could potentially hurt them amongst those who are not interested in ideology or parties, or are much more moderate in their conservatism.' The Calgary Party, the third party on this year's municipal ballot, said it plans to run a full slate of candidates in the election. Its mayoral candidate Brian Thiessen said he feels it's important for a party to run candidates in each of the city's 14 wards. Story continues below advertisement 'I think Calgarians deserve the right to vote for policies of the party, so if you don't run in certain wards, you're depriving Calgarians the right to vote on your policies,' he said. 'I think if Communities First or A Better Calgary has good policies, they should run in every ward and let Calgarians decide.' According to the ABC Party, all other incumbents including Mayor Jyoti Gondek received a no vote from the members, and the party will move forward with nominating and supporting challengers including in the mayoral race. 'People like Wong got a vote, or Sharp, their voting records don't necessarily scream conservative,' Beyer said. 'But our people said, 'No, overall we still see them as good candidates,' and we want to see that we avoid vote splitting.' Gondek has announced she is running for re-election as an independent, while former councillors Jeromy Farkas and Jeff Davison are also vying to become Calgary's next mayor without party affiliation. The ABC Party said it will announce its nominated candidates in Wards 2, 9, 12 and 14 'in the coming days.' The nomination deadline for candidates is on Sept. 22, and Calgarians head to the polls on Oct. 20.
CBC
11-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
As Calgary Party launches, Alberta's major cities brace for big change to local politics
Social Sharing The Calgary Party officially launched on Saturday, marking the beginning of a long road ahead introducing its candidates to voters around the city, amid a range of new party names on the ballot in this fall's municipal election. Alongside Communities First and A Better Calgary Party, the Calgary Party will vie for the mayoral and councillor seats as part of a major shift in local politics that Alberta's two biggest cities are undergoing. This fall's election will be the first in Calgary and Edmonton to include official political parties. The Calgary Party is a centrist party led by mayoral candidate Brian Thiessen. A lawyer and former chair of the Calgary Police Commission, Thiessen said the new party will run candidates in every ward who have agreed to develop policy and vote together on four key policy areas: public safety, housing, transit and critical infrastructure. Otherwise, he says the party won't whip votes on any other issues. "I think it was a sea change day for municipal politics in Calgary," Thiessen said on his party's launch. While he acknowledges political parties aren't a popular addition to local politics, Thiessen is optimistic about what his party can accomplish. He argued that if a party can get eight or more candidates elected, it will be able to follow through on election promises more effectively and efficiently by co-operating from day one, which he contrasted against Calgary's current council that is often criticized for its dysfunction. "I've talked to councillors who say it takes up to two years for council to get to know one another and learn how to work together. This one never did. We'll be working together on day one," Thiessen said. Calgary's political sea change Municipal parties are being introduced after new provincial legislation was unveiled last year in Bill 20, that among other things allowed parties and slates to run in Alberta's two biggest cities for mayoral and councillor seats. School boards are excluded from the change. Albertans have no idea what to expect from municipal party politics, said Duane Bratt, political science professor at Mount Royal University. He argues it will be difficult for voters to familiarize themselves with what these new parties offer and know what to expect from them. "People know what the NDP stands for, the Liberals stand for, the Conservatives stand for. Instead, we're going to get a whole bunch of parties with the word 'Calgary' in there," Bratt said. "[Federally], people have history and tradition to get a sense of where they stand. But A Better Calgary? The Calgary Party? What's the difference between those?" The Communities First party presents itself as more of a known commodity for voters, with Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp running for mayor and incumbent councillors Andre Chabot, Dan McLean and Terry Wong seeking to retain their seats under the party banner. Sharp said the party also won't be whipped, as its members may disagree, but they'll work to support each other's interests. Communities First has already pledged to work together to repeal blanket rezoning. Sharp said she initially had reservations about the introduction of political parties, but the idea has grown on her because she thinks co-operation between eight candidates is needed to accomplish anything at city hall. "We thought, why don't we build a unique caucus of like-minded individuals committed to individually representing our constituents," Sharp said. She added that Calgary has never seen a more divided council than the one it currently has, and she doesn't believe the same division will be seen with political parties. The third registered party is A Better Calgary, which launched last summer. Its organizers have said it intends to run on a platform of common sense and fiscal responsibility, and that it was formed out of frustration with decisions made by Calgary's current council. The party has not yet selected a mayoral candidate. Along with Calgary's three registered parties, the Principled Accountable Coalition for Edmonton party and Edmonton First slate are set to run in Alberta's capital. City councillor Tim Cartmell is also expected to launch the Better Edmonton party. While the practice is new in Alberta, other major Canadian cities like Vancouver and Montreal already have municipal political parties. While most of the focus around political parties may lie in the mayor's race, Bratt is interested to see how the successful candidate's victory will influence the make-up of council around them. "Where it could impact are councillors that are directly affiliated by party status with a mayoral candidate, and so we'll have to see if they've got coattails," Bratt said. Most of the discussion around this shift in municipal politics has revolved around campaigns, but Bratt said not enough focus has been given to the way parties could shift how councils govern. He added that voters don't know whether to expect voting discipline once parties are in power, or whether city hall will see opposition party leaders. Independent pushback Some independents running in this fall's election are skeptical about the addition of parties. Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek is set to run as an independent when she seeks re-election, and she's called political parties "the kiss of death for local representation." Former city councillors Jeff Davison and Jeromy Farkas are two other mayoral candidates who currently aren't running under party banners. Farkas said he opposes a "takeover of city hall" by political parties. He added that the level of dysfunction and vitriol that can be seen between parties at various levels of government in Canada and the U.S. should be a warning for Albertans. He added that instead of partisan politics, voters want to see council work across ideological divides to push good ideas forward. "When you have an environment of party politics where an idea is judged based on the jersey colour rather than is it a good idea or is it what Calgarians need, I think we all suffer," Farkas said. The 2025 municipal elections in Alberta are scheduled for Oct. 20.
