City Council approves Housing Strategy with amendments

Today at a special meeting of Council, Home is Here: The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy 2023 - 2030 was approved with amendments. 

During three days of meaningful and passionate public participation and debate at the Community Development Committee, more than 160 residents and groups generously shared their experiences with Calgary’s housing crisis and their opinions about the recommended actions in the Housing Strategy. 

“One in five Calgary households are currently unable to afford their housing,” says Tim Ward, Manager of Housing Solutions at The City of Calgary. “Today marks an important turning point. Approval of the Housing Strategy will have a profound impact on the lives of Calgarians. Implementation of the Strategy will address the housing crisis and support our efforts to build more market and non-market housing.”  

 Amendments made to the Housing Strategy today include:  

·     Leveraging City owned sites for emergency housing for families 

·     Including incentives for downtown office conversions to support post-secondary residents 

·     Investigating business licensing for residential landlords 

·     Considering infrastructure investments for increased densities 

·     Adding reporting considerations for planning application processes  

Council’s approval of the amended Housing Strategy is a significant stride towards increasing the supply of market and non-market housing to meet demand and improve affordability, ensuring that there is a diverse range of options in all communities so all Calgarians can find a home that meets their needs. 

“The Housing Strategy aligns with The City’s broader goal to create a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous city for all Calgarians,” says David Duckworth, City Manager. “It reflects the commitment of Administration and Council to improve the quality of life for residents and build a stronger, more resilient Calgary.” 

As a variety of actions in the Strategy are implemented, Calgarians can also expect supports for affordable housing providers and housing subsidiaries, and assurance that housing choices meet the needs of equity-deserving populations and Indigenous people living in Calgary. Administration will report to Community Development Committee on an annual basis on progress towards implementation.  

Next steps: 

·     Implementation will begin for actions that do not require further budget or Council approval. 

·     For actions that cite the budget, Council will consider these during the budget adjustments in November 2023.  

·     Actions that require land-use or bylaw changes will follow the regulated legislation process and will return to Council to a public hearing in the coming months.  

·     Approved actions with budgets not yet determined will be presented in future year budget requests. 

·     Administration will report to Community Development Committee annually on progress made against the strategy.  

For details on the proposed Housing Strategy before amendments, refer to Calgary.ca/housingstrategy.