New provincial regulations could help Calgary, Edmonton lower housing costs
Alberta’s government has proposed changes to the City charters, something it says will help limit the potential for cost increases to new housing.
The move is also intended to make sure there is one consistent minimum standard to which all buildings must be built across the province.
City charters for Calgary and Edmonton are regulations that give those cities the ability to modify or replace specific provisions in the Municipal Governance Act (MGA) and some other provincial acts and regulations.
The act regulates how municipalities are funded and how, as local governments, they should govern and plan for growth.
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“My department is considering every possibility, including updates to the city charters for Calgary and Edmonton,” Ric McIver, minister of municipal affairs, said in a statement.
“The minor changes we are proposing for the charters will help keep the costs of new housing down while maintaining flexibility for Alberta’s two major urban centres.”
Those changes, the Province said, will help limit potential housing cost increases and support the cities’ needs.
They involve three areas of provisions within the charters including off-site levies, which enable municipalities to charge developers a portion of the costs associated with servicing a new area.
These changes will still allow Calgary and Edmonton flexibility but will also make sure off-site levies don’t unnecessarily drive up the costs of building new homes.
Inclusionary housing, something that allows the cities to require a developer to provide money or other resources to the municipality to be used for affordable housing, will be repealed to help limit the potential for cost increases to new housing, the Province said.
The building code bylaw authority, which allows the cities to make bylaws regarding energy consumption and heat retention, is also being removed. The Province said the policy’s removal will ensure there is one uniform building code standard across Alberta.
As required by regulation, the proposed changes to the city charters will be posted online for 60 days. After that, they’ll go to cabinet for final approval.
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