Commentary
Densification of suburban neighbourhoods has been sold as a silver bullet to solve Canada’s housing crisis, but is instead running aground as pushback builds from affected residents.
Calgary is a case in point. In May 2024, following a marathon two-week public hearing, the city council voted 9-6 to pass a “blanket rezoning” policy allowing for duplexes, townhomes, and fourplexes in single-family neighbourhoods.
Roughly 300,000 properties were rezoned in one fell swoop.
Dissenting councillor Terry Wong explained that he voted against the policy based on feedback from over 700 speakers at the public hearing and 5,000 emails and letters, 70 percent of which Wong said were opposed to the rezoning….