Legal challenge against blanket rezoning taken to Alberta Court of Appeal

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Summary 

The article reports on the legal challenge launched against Calgary’s city-wide blanket upzoning bylaw, which rezones roughly 300,000 properties to allow more housing forms like rowhouses and fourplexes. Opponents argue that Council’s process lacked transparency, failed to properly consider community concerns, and undermines existing neighbourhood character. The case, brought by Calgarians for Thoughtful Growth, claims that Council’s decision was procedurally unfair and contrary to the statutory hearing rights of residents.

City officials, meanwhile, maintain that the rezoning is necessary to address housing affordability and aligns with broader provincial and federal objectives. The court challenge could set an important precedent for how far municipalities can go in overriding local preferences and long-standing planning expectations.