Welcome to Communities Matter

LEARN ABOUT THE BLANKET REZONING

CALGARY
COMMUNITIES
MATTER

Speak at the Public Hearing

City Hall
Chambers

Apr 22, 2024

9:30 am

LEARN MORE

If you missed your panel slot...

If you missed the panel slot for your time at the public hearing, please register again with the City and you will have the opportunity to speak at the hearing.

Speak at the Public Hearing

Where:

Learn More

When:

April 22, 2024
9:30 am

Address:

800 Macleod Trail SE

HOW TO REGISTER TO SPEAK AT CITY HALL

Please keep in mind, if you’re unable to attend you can fill out the same form and submit a public comment up to 2500 words.

Attendance can be in-person or over the phone. We need as many people to participate as possible.

We each get 5 mins to speak.

The city organizes speakers into panels, there are five people per panel. You will receive an email with which panel you are on.

You can register to speak up until the day of the public hearing and during the public hearing.

The agenda item to fill out the form to register to speak is released two weeks prior to the public hearing. We will have the agenda item posted on this website, so you can reference the item number.

Click here for talking points.

Please start your oral or written response with “I am in opposition of the blanket rezoning."

Need help? Reach out to calgarycommunitiesmatter@gmail.com

The public hearing is available to watch live, there is up to a 45 second delay in transmission.

When it's your turn to speak over the phone if that's how you are attending, be sure to follow the City's instructions by putting the live video on mute to ensure there's no reverberation of sound.

When it is your turn to speak in-person or by phone, the City will call up the panel number along with the names of the participants in that panel. You will speak in the order that your name is called. If you register at the same time as someone else you know, there's a good chance you'll be speaking near the same time as one another.

If speaking in-person, be sure to stand near the mic and speak clearly.

You do not have to wait on the phone the entire time nor be at council for the entire time, you need to be present only when it's the panel before yours. If you are at work and need someone to contact you to let you know when your panel is coming up, please contact calgarycommunitiesmatter@gmail.com and we will arrange this for you.

Form:

https://forms.calgary.ca/content/forms/af/public/public/public-submission-to-city-clerks.html

Info for filling out form:

Are you speaking on behalf of a group or Community Association?

No, unless you're speaking as a board member of a community association or other group, etc.

How do you wish to attend?

Remotely (on the phone) or in person

What meeting do you wish to comment on?

Council

Date: 2024-04-22

What agenda item do you wish to comment on?

Blanket Rezoning

Are you in favour or opposition of the issue?

Opposition

You can provide visual material to use while speaking. It's okay to fill out the form now without submitting the files. You can either send an email up to the day prior including your files to the email provided there or you can bring our visuals on a usb stick for the day of. Another option is to bring 8.5 x 11 paper which they'll project it onto the wall, make sure to have a second copy of the paper to leave with the city clerk for record.

Comment if you'd like to make another record of your position.

RSVP

Need Data?

Click Here

For data to help with your talking points on April 22, 2024.

Data of particular interest may be tree canopy, traffic flow map, off street parking zones, urban heat raster data map, CMHC builder’s report (one and two family) community detail, SRG online land supply, surface water quality sonde data, annual river withdrawals, GHG by property type, transit network lines (geospatial), development permit public notices.

About Communities Matter

We are driven by a commitment to inform and empower residents on the critical issue of a general rezoning proposed by our city. We are volunteers dedicated to fostering informed civic engagement. We recognize the significance of City Council's upcoming decision on the proposed by-law as this sweeping rezoning, transitioning numerous neighborhoods from RG-1 to general zoning, holds profound implications for all residents.

We firmly believe in the power of collective action and collaboration. Together, we can amplify our voices and advocate for a more inclusive, transparent, and community-centered decision-making process. By fostering dialogue, sharing information, and facilitating engagement, we strive to ensure that every citizen's perspective is valued and considered.

Help us with this crucial endeavor to safeguard the interests and well-being of our neighborhoods. Together, let's work towards a city where the concerns and aspirations of every resident are heard and respected. Your participation is instrumental in shaping the future of our community.

Get Involved

Join Mailing List

Write Letters

Attend Public Hearing

Learn more about how blanket rezoning will impact the City of Calgary and what you can do to create a more resource-conscious future.

Overview of the Issues:

Lack of Specificity: Blanket rezoning does not take into account the unique characteristics and needs of individual neighbourhoods or areas within the city. This can lead to inappropriate land use changes that do not align with the existing community context.

Gentrification and Displacement: Rezoning can lead to increased property values and rents, potentially displacing long-term residents and businesses, particularly in lower-income neighborhoods. This can contribute to gentrification and socioeconomic segregation.

Infrastructure Strain: Rapid development resulting from blanket rezoning can put strain on existing infrastructure such as roads, schools, and utilities. Without adequate planning and investment, this can lead to congestion, overcrowding, and service deficiencies.

Loss of Community Character: Rezoning without consideration for neighbourhood character and heritage can result in the loss of unique architectural features, cultural assets, and community identity.

Environmental Impact: Blanket rezoning encourages unsustainable development practices, leading to habitat destruction, increased pollution, and degradation of natural resources.

Traffic Congestion: Intensified development without sufficient transportation planning can exacerbate traffic congestion and reduce the quality of life for residents.

Affordability Challenges: Rezoning incentivizes the construction of high-end housing or commercial properties, exacerbating affordability challenges for low- and moderate-income residents.

Public Participation: Blanket rezoning limits opportunities for meaningful public participation and input in the decision-making process, leading to a lack of community buy-in and trust in local governance.

Long-Term Sustainability: Without comprehensive planning and consideration of long-term impacts, blanket rezoning undermines the city's overall sustainability and resilience to future challenges such as climate change and economic fluctuations.

What's actually happening

"As an architect working in Calgary, we are already seeing the potential effects of the blanket upzoning. Our office has had several calls already from property owners looking at how many units could be put on their properties, not to build homes, but purely to increase property value. One of the other architects in our office has been trying to buy an inner-city home but is now being priced out of the market as homes are now being marketed for their potential land value if the blanket upzoning is approved. He just wants to find an inner-city home to raise his family. He wants to live there, not make money off it. This is not how to maintain neighbourhoods. When the City talks about land use predictability, they are looking at it through the lens of developers. "

Facts

Calgary is the hardest working city in Canada – 29% work more than 50hrs/week
61% hold a minimum of one post-secondary degree (national average is 56% (https://www.calendar-canada.ca/faq/what-city-in-canada-has-the-most-educated-people)
Most common degrees Business/Law, Engineering, Health – Calgary outpaces every other city in
Canada in STEM related education (16% compared to national 11%).
Calgary has highest number of engineers on a per capita basis (builders, innovators, fixers, designers, collaborators).
Alberta has the top ranked k-12 education system in Sciences, not only across Canada, but globally, which is why we have the highest educated adult population. (see PISA Study (Alberta is ranked second, only behind Singapore), also https://www.calendar-canada.ca/faq/what-city-in-canada-has-the-most-educated-people)
Alberta is home to 527,000 businesses and home to 3,000 emerging tech companies. (https://calgaryherald.com/business/local-business/alberta-now-home-to-3000-tech-companies-new- report-shows-an-industry-hitting-its-stride)
Since 2015, the innovation ecosystem in Calgary has seen a 460 per cent growth in business incubators and accelerators, which has resulted in over 1,700 privately held technology companies. Innovators who seek venture capital to scale their big ideas can find it in Calgary. https://www.geekwire.com/sponsor-post/north-american-tech-talent-streams-to-calgary-canada/
Calgary tech industry is among the highest in Canada in terms of growth, says a report released by Coldwell Bank Richard Ellis's (CBRE) Tech-30 2022. Calgary was ranked the top 30 leading technology markets in the U.S. and Canada, as well as 10 up-and-coming sectors. Nov 2, 2022 https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-s-growing-tech-sector-turning-heads-1.6136079
Population: 1,306,780 (2021) – 50% female, 49% male
Over 65 - 177,405
15 to 29 - 240,245
Median age – 38
502,300 households
In 2021, approximately 420,000 or 33.3 % were immigrants
Recent immigrants (last 5 years) - 81,315 or 19%, of this 72% aged 25+
In 2021, first and second immigrants comprise 6 out of 10 people in Calgary
Alberta, specifically Calgary, disproportionately contributes to Canada’s GDP on a per capita basis.

The above points of consideration should inform that Calgarians are some of the most highly competent, well informed, educated, scientific, hardworking citizens across all of Canada. Additionally, based on the highly amplified level of opposition to Council’s Blanket Upzoning proposal, I would also add that we have an equally competent level of engagement re: our civic affairs issues.

There is a resounding level of opposition to the Blanket Upzoning proposal.

"Smart City Planning for Sustainable

Communities"

Communities Matter