The Alberta government is directing Edmonton to roll back some of the zoning changes that came into effect in 2024, including rules around housing types, density, building heights and parking.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the Province said it’s giving the City three months to amend its zoning bylaw.
Under the new direction, Edmonton will be required to follow the rules that were in place before its 2024 zoning changes. The City will also have to restore minimum on-site parking requirements that were in place before 2020.
The changes come as the province says it has heard concerns from Albertans about high-density infill, including parking, traffic, building size, and how new developments fit into established neighbourhoods.
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The Province says the changes are not intended to stop infill development, but will set expectations around the scale of development and infrastructure capacity.
“Responsible infill development must be appropriately scaled and supported by adequate utilities and water infrastructure,” Premier Danielle Smith said in a statement.
“We can build more homes without asking people to give up the things that make their neighbourhood a place they want to call home.”
Edmonton’s current zoning bylaw, which took effect Jan. 1, 2024, reduced the City’s residential zones from 16 to six and expanded the types of housing allowed across Edmonton.
The changes allowed property owners to build duplexes, rowhouses, townhouses and three-storey apartment buildings with up to eight units in areas that previously allowed only single-family homes, along with garden and backyard suites.
The bylaw also expanded options for home-based businesses, including allowing uses such as corner stores and cafes in some areas, and created more locations where daycares could operate.
Edmonton will now have 18 months to conduct a broader review of its land-use bylaw, including public consultation and work with industry.
The Province says its new direction will apply across Alberta, with infill development expected to be appropriately scaled, supported by adequate utilities and water infrastructure, and responsive to local conditions.
Calgary will maintain its current approach, the Province said, after recently repealing its blanket rezoning bylaw. YYC will also be directed to create an overlay identifying lands restored to previous low-density residential zones.