Rezoning Success & why your Hub Membership matters

Calgary experienced a climate victory last Tuesday when Council approved the citywide land use amendment known as inclusionary zoning, or 'Base RC-G zoning'. After the longest public engagement in Calgary City history, which saw Council sit through two weeks of public comment, the motion approving this long overdue zoning reform was carried with a 9 - 6 vote.

 

Rezoning Vote Record

 

Rezoning success & what this means for Calgary

This zoning reform was one of 33 recommendations from the Housing and Affordability Taskforce created by Council to provide “advice and policy recommendations relating to increasing, measuring, and managing housing affordability and affordable housing.”

While plenty has been written about what rezoning means practically (see City of Calgary, Calgary Sun, Calgary Herald for more), what makes it a win for climate can be summarized easily:

Zoning reform will:

  • Allow more dense forms of housing to be built across the city

  • Help increase housing supply and urban density over time

  • Contribute to reducing sprawling urban expansion

  • Allow more choice of housing options for Calgarians

 

Although it isn’t a magic wand that will instantly fix housing and affordability problems in Calgary, rezoning is an important first step along the path to a more dense, liveable and affordable city. This victory would not be possible without the courage and dedication of volunteers like you, who demonstrated their passion for climate by speaking at city hall in support of rezoning.

Hub Members and volunteers speaking in favour of rezoning.

 

Hub Advocacy Training & why Membership matters

Prior to the public engagement session, the Climate Hub offered our Speak at City Hall Training, where 75 volunteers signed up to receive training on how to craft their personal story and express their support for rezoning. This popular training was directly responsible for empowering a large group of Calgarians to express their support for rezoning. By our count, roughly 10% of all speakers were mobilized by us!

Impressed? I know I am. This outcome demonstrates that we are truly punching above our weight on municipal climate issues. More importantly, we are building a grassroots movement based on diversity, collaboration and direct action on climate issues. And our movement needs you to become a Member.

 

Become a Member today

By becoming a Hub Member you will not only be helping fund our climate work; you’ll be a part of a dedicated community that is fighting for a livable, equitable future for all Calgarians. Becoming a member means that you are among our small but mighty collective that is speaking truth to power at City Hall and beyond. Help us to keep these climate victories coming.


Click here to become a Member today!

 

 

Written by Daniel Smithies