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The City Plan, adopted by Edmonton’s city council in December 2020, forecasted a generational shift in the way our city needs to adapt. Economic, environmental, and societal changes have drastically changed the needs of our city and its citizens.
The City Plan gave us the blueprint to ensure Edmonton is vibrant, sustainable, and thriving in the future. The zoning bylaw is a long-anticipated implementation tool of the City Plan, and the proposed draft provides a level of clarity and certainty that the previous complicated bylaw could not.
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City Plan and its implementation under the zoning bylaw are both examples of years-long projects that incorporated extensive engagement from Edmontonians. Countless hours of collaboration have shaped the draft before city council for consideration. The result combines public feedback, local context, and best practices in urban planning and built form. The zoning bylaw, as drafted, considers the best interests of Edmonton today and for the long term.
The urgency to increase our housing supply is front and centre every day: We are experiencing record migration to Edmonton from other parts of Canada and the world, and we need places for people to live. Right-sizing municipal regulations for building homes in Edmonton is overdue. Streamlining processes, which will happen if the zoning bylaw is adopted, will benefit current and future residents who can be assured that there will be more housing and housing types in more places. The ability to provide a choice in housing types and accelerate the delivery of new homes to people will have social and economic benefits citywide.
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Cities are under immense pressure to provide a high quality of life for residents and businesses. We don’t want to see the influx of new Edmontonians as a pressure point because of challenges in building new housing; likewise, the availability of attainable housing must be a factor to attract more people with talent and skills that contribute to our communities. A lack of attainable housing will undoubtedly serve as a deterrent, limiting our economic success in Edmonton.
While the uptake of new zoning regulations is anticipated, we know from previous zoning amendments, like removing parking minimums, that observable changes will take time. Cities are constantly evolving, and we appreciate that starting down the road of zoning implementation may come with some hiccups. However, we also know that city administration is committed to monitoring and reviewing progress with a promise to make changes if something isn’t working. This attention to the results of the new regulations is essential.
If you drive through a neighbourhood built in the last five-10 years, you will see a big difference compared to the city streets built 40 or 60 years ago. Our rules for building homes simply have not kept pace with the changing needs in our society.
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To provide the types of housing people want, builders regularly apply for variances. This takes a lot of time and money, and the additional costs are ultimately passed on to people who live in those units. Right-sizing our zoning rules will mean more housing for more people in more places.
It also demonstrates that Edmonton is a business-friendly place, continuing a path to our city being ranked No. 1 in the Canadian Home Builders’ Association national benchmarking study. The call to action to increase the supply of homes efficiently at all levels of government is clear.
With its draft zoning bylaw, Edmonton is poised to maintain its position as a leader in Canada and, in turn, an excellent place for all of us to live.
Laura Brunco is CEO of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Edmonton Region.
Gary Hoeft is vice-president of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Edmonton Region.
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