💸 Help stop Dan McLean's costly sprawl agenda

🧭 Councillor McLean wants to annex land from Foothills County for suburban developers

Amidst the ongoing public hearing for the repeal of rezoning for gentle density, ward 13 councillor Dan McLean is reviving a previously dismissed proposal to annex more land from Foothills County for suburban developers to build more costly sprawl. Just three years ago, the City dismissed the same proposed annexation citing Calgary already had enough land within its existing boundaries to support roughly 40 years worth of growth.

▶️ CBC Calgary Video: City looks to revive plan to annex nearly 170 hectares of land in deep southwest (March 30, 2026)

🏧 Annexation would likely benefit suburban developers at the expense of taxpayers

Councillor McLean is opposing financially sustainable development within city boundaries while pushing for annexation of even more surrounding land for sprawl at the taxpayers' expense. This could benefit suburban developers, many of whom donated financially to his recent election campaign according to McLean's election financial disclosure.

🎤 IT'S STILL NOT TOO LATE: Sign up to speak at the public hearing

We need more voices to speak up! You can participate in the public hearing on the proposed repeal of the Rezoning for Housing Bylaw. Even if you missed your assigned panel, you can still show up or call in to speak.

⚖️ The future of the City of Calgary is at stake

City council must choose between a future where Calgarians pay higher taxes and fees for less services to the benefit of suburban developers whose business model relies on socializing the cost of growth and spreading city resources ever thinner across expanding city boundaries. Alternatively, this council can choose to break with the status quo by charting a path towards a financially responsible city where infrastructure for existing communities is properly maintained and public services are actually strengthened with new growth.

The public hearing on the repeal of Rezoning for Housing is still underway with hundreds of Calgarians signed up to speak. After the hearing, city council will decide whether to repeal rezoning for gentle density and force Calgary further down the financially unsustainable path of more sprawl or to improve how we build gentle density so that the city can grow within our existing footprint and benefit existing communities.

⚠️ "FIX LATER" = "FIX NEVER"

The majority of city council did not run on fully repealing rezoning. The housing crisis and the crumbling infrastructure crisis demand decisive action, not kicking the can down the road. Ask city council to show the political will to find a solution now. Otherwise, it will likely never happen on their watch.

Campaign Statements and Pledges

Jeromy Farkas - Mayor

“Repeal and replace the blanket rezoning bylaw with a more targeted, community-informed strategy that supports gentle density while building a variety of homes at a more affordable price point.”

Jennifer Wyness - Ward 2

“I’ve been vocal about the need to invest in aging infrastructure now, before inflation and market pressures make it even more expensive. I’ll keep advocating for investments in safe roads, reliable transit, and water systems that support all Calgarians—not just the interests of a few.”

Andrew Yule - Ward 3

“While blanket rezoning has faced some pushback - especially when applied without careful consideration of local context - amendments that minimize impacts on areas without core services reflect a more measured and responsible approach to growth. In short, expanding modern zoning across the city brings older communities in line with the planning practices that have guided Ward 3’s growth for decades.”

DJ Kelly - Ward 4

"Many of Calgary’s older communities have seen population declines, leading to school closures, shuttered businesses, and a weakening sense of connection. The Calgary Party will help restore vibrancy to these neighbourhoods with respectful, community-led development.

Therefore, we support smart density, such as semi-detached homes, fourplexes, townhouses and backyard suites on residential streets that fits the character of existing neighbourhoods while welcoming new families. We also support higher density on main streets which can support local business and transit.

Fairness means:

• Every neighbourhood contributes to growth

• No one community is overburdened

• All redevelopment reflects local voices and values”

Raj Dhaliwal - Ward 5

“Dhaliwal also said that his team hit 21,000 doors during the election. He knocked on 1,000 of them himself. Not a peep. He said that if you want to see density, go up to Ward 5. Rezoning wasn’t even brought up.”

Myke Atkinson - Ward 7

“While it’s an easy and emotional play, the promises to repeal citywide rezoning won’t stop redevelopment; it will just revert and push it back into the same inner-city areas that have already absorbed most of the densification over the past decade. Citywide rezoning helps share that change more fairly across the city with suburban neighbourhoods that don’t generate enough tax revenue to cover their own upkeep.“

Nathaniel Schmidt - Ward 8

“The housing crisis is affecting us all, from seniors and students to working families. We need more homes, more housing options, and we need them now. I’ll prioritize the removal of unnecessary barriers to development and ensure we strengthen our communities through necessary neighbourhood amenities. We must support affordability across Calgary because we only succeed as a City when we all have a place to call home. “

Harrison Clark - Ward 9

“We must act to preserve and grow housing options that meet people where they are and allow them to build lives here. Ward 9 is already home to important, community-driven housing initiatives that align with the City’s broader goals around affordability, equity, and reconciliation.

Smart growth in Ward 9 means more homes, more affordability, and more livability—without sacrificing the spirit and identity of our communities.

Encourage gentle density through laneway suites, carriage homes, and row housing that complements existing streetscapes, protects heritage buildings, and preserves established tree canopies.”

🥾 Proposed partial rezoning offers pathway to solving the $1-billion housing impasse

Mayor Farkas successfully campaigned in the October election to repeal and replace rezoning with gentle density, but to date he has not provided Calgarians with a proposed path forward for “replacement” or how he intends to “support gentle density while building a variety of homes at a more affordable price point” as he promised in his platform.

With one day to go before the March 23 public hearing on the proposed repeal of the Rezoning for Housing Bylaw, a full repeal of rezoning risks:

🔥 Lighting on fire $861-million in federal funding for housing and infrastructure like Red Deer;

💰 Doubling down on Calgary's reliance on costly sprawl that paves over farmland and natural ecosystems around Calgary;

🚰 Burdening Calgary taxpayers with the cost of replacing aging infrastructure in low density neighbourhoods adding to Calgary's $49-billion infrastructure gap to replace aging roads, public transit, wastewater infrastructure and more.

Meanwhile, at the request of City Council, City Administration has prepared a solution that would, in effect, partially repeal the least popular components of rezoning for housing while still maintaining citywide gentle density, preserving federal funding, addressing the aging infrastructure crisis, addressing the lack of housing options, all while incorporating community-focused feedback on the current R-CG rezoning.

The table below outlines three options for City Council after the March 23 public hearing:

Full Repeal of Rezoning
No Repeal of Current Rezoning (R-CG)
Partial Repeal of Rezoning

Markup of City of Calgary table comparing options for full repeal, no repeal, or partial repeal of rezoning. Yellow rows and red text added by Project Calgary. (Source table: City of Calgary)

⚡️ TAKE ACTION: Help us ask City Council to support citywide gentle density so we can reinvest public funds in existing neighbourhoods

Calgary must build new housing within its existing footprint and stop diverting funds for more sprawl. Council must support citywide rezoning for community-focused gentle density (partial repeal or no repeal of rezoning) so we can preserve the billion dollars in federal funding for infrastructure and housing, address Calgary's aging infrastructure crisis and provide more affordable housing options citywide. Council must act now, not kick the can down the road to fix maybe never.

🎤 IT'S NOT TOO LATE: Sign up to speak at the public hearing

You can participate in the public hearing on the proposed repeal of the Rezoning for Housing Bylaw. Even if you missed your assigned panel, you can still show up or call in to speak.

📨 Email City Council

Email City Council and ask them to vote against full repeal of rezoning.

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