The province of Alberta has ordered Edmonton to reverse recent zoning rules that encouraged higher-density housing in established neighborhoods, a move that has led to tension between provincial and municipal governments. Premier Danielle Smith announced on Thursday that Edmonton must revert to earlier regulations regarding housing types, density, building heights, and parking requirements by the end of March 2024. Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack expressed surprise at this decision, arguing it undermines local democracy and could negatively impact housing affordability and infrastructure costs. Calgary's mayor Jeromy Farkas also criticized the move, warning that such interference from provincial authorities sets a dangerous precedent for local governance.
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Tensions ramped up between the City of Edmonton and the Alberta government after the province ordered the municipality to roll back zoning rules aimed at encouraging higher-density housing in established neighbourhoods.
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province → ramp → neighbourhoods
Asked Friday whether he was surprised by the province’s decision, Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack said he was.
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he → ask → decision
“Yes, because I think governance should actually mean something,” Knack said when speaking on Global News Morning Edmonton.
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Knack → think → Edmonton
“This is going have a direct impact on people’s ability to make housing choices for themselves.
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This → have → themselves
This will have an impact and create chaos in investment attraction and retention.”
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This → have → attraction
Knack added the premier’s decision on Thursday has ramifications across the entire province.
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decision → add → province
Calgary’s mayor also weighed in, saying the move threatens local democracy and sets a dangerous precedent for the province working to influence city councillors in the future.
“Just because the premier agrees with how I voted yesterday, does not mean that she gets to decide how I vote tomorrow,” Jeromy Farkas told reporters outside of Calgary city council chambers on Friday.
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Farkas → weigh → Friday
Farkas says city council has an obligation to listen to citizens on important issues in public hearings as evidence for their decisions, but being forced to follow directions from a higher government undermines that process.
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forced → say → process
“You can’t order me to vote a certain way at city council, and if I don’t adhere to your order — are you actually going to fire me as the mayor of the City of Calgary?” Farkas questioned.
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Farkas → order → Calgary
On Thursday, Premier Danielle Smith announced the province would require Edmonton to reverse key aspects of its zoning bylaw, which has largely been in place since 2024 and was designed to allow more infill housing development across the city.
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which → announce → city
The province has directed Edmonton to return to earlier rules governing housing types, density and building heights, while also restoring minimum on-site parking requirements that existed before 2020.
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that → direct → 2020
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City council has three months to comply.
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council → get → months
The mayor argues restricting infill development will make housing less affordable and push growth to the city’s outskirts, where adding new infrastructure and services increases long-term costs.
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adding → argue → costs
Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams described the decision announced on Thursday as an extraordinary circumstance and said he hopes to have constructive discussions with Edmonton.
“This is really giving Edmonton a lot of options, in terms of what they can do moving forward,” Williams said.
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Williams → describe → what
“I think Edmontonians and Albertans generally want to see a constructive relationship.
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Edmontonians → think → relationship
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Act → ask → Appeal
Knack criticized the province’s approach, saying Edmonton was not consulted before the announcement.
“At the end of the day I would have preferred to work with the provincial government, but they didn’t give us the courtesy of even a five-minute phone call before deciding to make changes,” he said.
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he → criticize → changes
When asked whether the city would consider challenging the directive, Knack said council will “have to examine all the legal options.”
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council → ask → options
A statement from Edmonton’s urban planning team said the city is still reviewing and assessing the province’s announcement.
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city → say → announcement
A special city council meeting is scheduled for Oct. 16 to discuss the province’s directive and possible next steps.
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meeting → schedule → directive
Ward tastawiyiniwak Councillor Karen Principe said some of the reaction at city hall has framed the dispute as a battle between Edmonton and the province.
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some → say → Edmonton
“They see it as war,” Principe said, referring to some of her council colleagues.
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Principe → see → colleagues
“When you go in with a frame of mind of ‘it’s us against them,’ I don’t think anyone wins.
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anyone → go → them
We have a job to do.
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We → have → job
We need to work with other levels of government and it’s just the reality.
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it → need → government
“We need to pull up our socks and get to work and figure this out.”
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We → need → this
Jan Hardstaff of the Residential Infill Working Group said she hopes the province’s intervention will reset relations between the two governments.
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intervention → say → governments
“I think we need to start having a conversation instead of a confrontation with the city,” Hardstaff said.
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Hardstaff → think → city
“I think city council needs to stop looking at this as a kind of doom-and-gloom scenario.
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council → think → scenario
Instead, I think we need to see this as an opportunity to reset.”
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we → think → opportunity
The province said the changes will remain in place while Edmonton undertakes a broader review of its land-use rules, including public consultation and discussions with industry.
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Edmonton → say → industry
The city will have 18 months to complete that review.
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city → have → review
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