Questionnaire for Candidates

Calgarians for Thoughtful Growth have released a Questionnaire on Blanket Upzoning and City Planning

— a short, focused survey that has been sent to every candidate for Mayor and City Council in Calgary (copy attached). It covers topics such as:

  • The future of blanket upzoning.

  • The preservation of neighbourhood character.

  • Infrastructure and community services.

  • The protection of mature tree canopy.

  • The importance of public consultation.

  • The City’s use of DC zoning to override private restrictive covenants.

The questionnaire is part of a voter education initiative to ensure Calgarians know how candidates will approach issues of planning, development, and public engagement. The survey and outreach campaign are separate from the legal challenge currently before the Court. No funds raised for the legal appeal are being used for this voluntary initiative.

Calgarians for Thoughtful Growth will seek to verify all candidate responses before publication to ensure they are authentic and reflect the position of the candidate. The results will be published in advance of the election to help voters make informed decisions. Candidates who do not respond will be noted as such in the published results.

Robert Lehodey, K.C., one of the original review Applicants:

“This survey serves a dual purpose. It gives voters the upzoning and planning answers they need to make an informed choice — and it gives us the accountability tool that the voters can use later. Successful candidates should expect that we will hold them to their commitments on planning, consultation, and community protection.”

Peter Collins, one of the applicants:

“The bylaw failed to account for the unique character and infrastructure of individual neighbourhoods and eliminated the opportunity for neighbours to raise site-specific concerns through a hearing process. This questionnaire will inform voters concerning the candidates’ position on blanket upzoning and planning reform, including whether they support changes to maintain fair processes, protect neighbourhood-specific considerations, and restore the public input that was removed by the blanket upzoning.”

The appeal filed in July challenges the legality and fairness of the City’s omnibus upzoning process, which rezoned 311,570 properties without direct consultation.

What the Bylaw Did In April 2024, Calgary City Council passed a blanket upzoning bylaw that allows fourplexes and rowhouses to be built on all residential lots — without requiring individual hearings, community consultation, or parcel-specific review. Although approximately 70% of speakers at the public hearing opposed the bylaw, City Council approved the measure by an 8-6 vote.

Importance of Candidates Responses

The upcoming municipal election will be a decisive moment. Calgarians now have a critical opportunity to make their voices heard — and their votes will directly influence how our neighbourhoods evolve, who shapes that change, and whether community perspectives are respected in the process.

Patricia McCunn-Miller, a group member and applicant:

“What’s at stake is more than just zoning — it’s the defining character of our established neighbourhoods: the green spaces between homes, the mature tree canopy, adequate infrastructure, and the setbacks and scale that make our communities livable. Blanket upzoning hands the reins to private developers, not residents, and it risks transforming neighbourhoods without any say from the people who live there.”

“We’re urging every Calgarian to ask candidates where they stand — because the consequences of blanket rezoning aren’t abstract. They are already showing up in your City, in your neighbourhood, and on your street.”