Calgary Election 2025

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Calgarians Have Spoken —

Now It's Time to Act

The Mandate Is Clear: Repeal Blanket Upzoning

Calgarians for Thoughtful Growth (“CFTG”) engaged in a focused, grassroots campaign during the 2025 municipal election, aimed at informing voters and candidates about the serious impacts of the City's blanket upzoning bylaw. Through a detailed questionnaire, candidate interviews, and public outreach we advocated with voters and made sure candidates understood the stakes:

  • The need to repeal blanket upzoning now, before it gets lost in the shuffle.

  • The importance of transparent and accountable planning

  • The priorities of working with communities and preserving community character and green space

  • The requirement that City Council — not Administration — lead policy

  • The demand to refocus on core municipal services

Thanks to your support, these issues were front and center throughout the campaign. Now that the votes have been counted, Calgarians have elected a City Council that supports repeal of blanket upzoning and a return to the fundamentals of running a city that is responsible to its residents and focused on delivering effective operational services and preserving community character while appropriately integrating growth.

The New Council: Majority Supports Repeal

At least nine (9) council members, including Mayor Jeromy Farkas, support repealing the blanket upzoning bylaw. Here’s what we know:

  • Mayor – Jeromy Farkas (Independent): Pledged to repeal and replace it “with a community-informed, targeted strategy” 

  • Ward 1 – Kim Tyers (Communities First): Supports repeal and restoring community consultation.

  • Ward 6 – John Pantazopoulos (Independent): Campaigned on repeal.

  • Ward 9 – Harrison Clark (Independent): Opposes blanket upzoning

  • Ward 10 – Andre Chabot (Communities First): Part of a slate pledging to repeal.

  • Ward 11 – Rob Ward (Communities First): Part of a slate pledging to repeal.

  • Ward 12 – Mike Jamieson (A Better Calgary): Committed to repeal.

  • Ward 13 – Dan McLean (Communities First): Part of a slate pledging to repeal.

  • Ward 14 – Landon Johnston (Independent): Campaigned on repealing the bylaw.

This is a historic shift. The blanket upzoning policy — passed by the previous Council in defiance of widespread public opposition at the April / May 2024 public hearing where 70+% of submitters were opposed. The election was in essence a plebiscite on blanket upzoning, delivering to the new Council a clear mandate to act and repeal the bylaw.

Details of all newly elected Councillors stated positions are set out in the schedule at the end of this report.

Action Is Needed — Now

While the Council begins its term, every day of delay allows more blanket upzoning impacts to spread:

  • Developers may rush permits under the current rules.

  • Neighbourhood character and property values remain at risk.

  • Public trust erodes the longer action is postponed.

City Council must move decisively to repeal the bylaw and return to R-C1 and R-C2 zoning as the base residential zoning.  From that clear and well understood zoning Council can then start the work to transition to a better, consultative planning process designed with input from affected communities. This will be the foundation for sustainable development plans for decades to come. 

We urge Council to take these immediate steps:

  • Obtain a legal opinion on repeal mechanisms from independent legal counsel.

  • Place repeal of the blanket upzoning bylaw as a priority on the Council agenda without delay.

  • Pause all upzoned RCG development applications until the Council’s direction is clear. 

How Council Can Repeal Blanket Upzoning

While repeal of Calgary’s blanket upzoning bylaw must follow the procedures set out in the Municipal Government Act and the City’s Procedure Bylaw, there are several lawful and expedient options available to City Council - including calling a special meeting of Council and providing expedited public notice. This matter has already received extensive public input: the majority of Calgarians who participated in the public hearing last April and May 2024 opposed the blanket upzoning bylaw, and the results of the October 2025 municipal election serve effectively as a plebiscite — demonstrating that Calgarians clearly want this bylaw repealed. There is no need to delay meaningful action.

Because multiple legal pathways exist, it is essential that Council obtain an independent legal opinion — separate from the City’s Law Department, which played a central role in designing and enabling the original upzoning bylaw. An external, impartial opinion will ensure councillors receive a clear, unbiased understanding of their legislative options, as an essential aid to help them act in line with the strong mandate for repeal delivered by Calgarians in the recent election.


CFTG is actively exploring ways to fund and provide this independent legal review to assist Council and provide them with an informed view separate from City Administration and the City’s legal department, that have a vested interest in blanket upzoning. Acting swiftly based on sound legal advice can prevent further harm to neighbourhood character, public trust, and the property values of more than 311,000 properties affected by the upzoning bylaw.


WHAT YOU CAN DO

Immediate Action to Pause the Issuance of Development Permits under the Upzoned R-CG 

Although the repeal process may take time, Council has the authority to act now. It can immediately pause the issuance of development permits under the upzoned R-CG designations until the future of the bylaw is resolved. This temporary halt would prevent irreversible harm to Calgary neighbourhoods, protect the character and infrastructure of established communities, and signal to residents that their voices are being respected. Acting now will preserve Council’s options while honouring the outcome of the election.

Practically all zoning initiatives underway that would further impact the zoning of R-C1 and R-C2 communities, including the Calgary Plan, need to be paused pending a thorough and fulsome community consultation process that informs future planning for our City.

Continuing Legal Appeal and the Need for Immediate Council Action

While we continue to actively pursue the appeal of the judicial review of the blanket upzoning bylaw to preserve a legal avenue for its reversal, the better approach and democratic path forward is for City Council to repeal it. This election sent a clear message: Calgarians want meaningful change. Council’s repeal of the bylaw would represent a true reflection of the public will — not just a courtroom remedy, but a decision made by elected representatives accountable to the people.

This is your victory — now help us make it count. Now is the time to establish your expectations regarding ongoing communication with your new councillor:

  • Contact your new councillor to remind them of their campaign commitments.

  • Share our website with friends and neighbours:
    www.calgariansforthoughtfulgrowth.com

  • Stay connected: We’ll provide updates and tools to keep momentum strong.

  • Contribute to fund both the ongoing appeal and the legal opinion initiative.

Together, we can rebuild a city planning system rooted in community, fairness, and transparency.

New Representative’s Name and Contact Email

Mayor - Jeromy Farkas - themayor@calgary.ca

Ward 1 - Kim Tyers - ward1@calgary.ca

Ward 2 - Jennifer Wyness - ward2@calgary.ca

Ward 3 - Andrew Yule - ward3@calgary.ca

Ward 4 - Daniel (DJ) Kelly - ward4@calgary.ca

Ward 5 - Raj Dhaliwal - ward5@calgary.ca

Ward 6 - John Pantazopoulas - ward6@calgary.ca

Ward 7 - Myke Atkinson - ward7@calgary.ca

Ward 8 - Nathaniel Schmidt - ward8@calgary.ca

Ward 9 - Harrison Clark - ward9@calgary.ca

Ward 10 - Andre Chabot - ward10@calgary.ca

Ward 11 - Rob Ward - ward11@calgary.ca

Ward 12 - Mike Jamieson - ward12@calgary.ca

Ward 13 - Dan McLean - ward13@calgary.ca

Ward 14 - Landon Johnston - ward14@calgary.ca