"Will lead the way in Canada": Internet reacts to Edmonton's zoning bylaw

Different corners of the internet have been lighting up this week in response to Edmonton’s new zoning bylaw, completely overhauling the previous decades-old bylaw.

The bylaw, which City Council voted 11-2 to pass on Monday, will allow property owners to build duplexes, rowhouses, townhouses, and three-storey apartments with up to eight units in areas previously allowing only single-family homes plus garden or backyard suites.

Property owners will also have more options for setting up home businesses, including corner stores, cafes, and more areas where daycares can operate.

The City aims to boost density, limit sprawl, and improve the walkability of neighbourhoods throughout Edmonton.

It’s the first major overhaul of the zoning bylaw since the 1960s and will come into effect on January 1, 2024.

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The news has excited different corners of the internet, mainly Reddit, with comments from urban planning enthusiasts abroad to locals on the r/Edmonton subreddit.

“Fantastic news — Edmonton is definitely gunning for the ‘be a real city instead of a bunch of suburbs stitched together’ trophy. Not many of those in Canada,” one person wrote on a post to r/Alberta.

“Good news all around. Edmonton has pretty progressive zoning laws and will continue to lead the way in Canada and most of North America regarding this,” another commenter said.

“This is honestly a huge deal. Basically, every city in Canada has a huge housing shortage, but they make it ludicrously difficult to build new homes unless it’s way, way out in the suburbs. Edmonton probably has the best housing policy in the entire country now, and in 5-10 years from now, we’ll be very grateful we’re not the next Calgary/Vancouver/Toronto/Ottawa,” someone else wrote in r/Edmonton.

On r/f*ckcars, one person wrote, “That’s great news for the future of the city.”

A poster to r/Canadahousing wondered why similar moves weren’t being made in other cities.

Why is Edmonton able to ease zoning but not the cities that really need it?
byu/ottawamanempire incanadahousing

Although much of the reaction to the news online has been positive, a handful of commenters fear the new zoning bylaw does not address issues such as parking and concerns about businesses operating in their neighbourhoods.

What do you think about Edmonton’s new zoning bylaw? Let us know in the comments.