Most of the candidates running for Calgary’s mayor are promising to eliminate citywide rezoning, while another local area is considering restrictive covenants to prevent development prompted by this policy.
A restrictive covenant is a legal agreement associated with a property title that limits its use or development, even after ownership changes.
Municipalities, developers, and landowners commonly use restrictive covenants to ensure land is developed in ways that preserve or boost adjacent property values, as noted by Alberta Municipalities.
Former city councillor Jeromy Farkas, who is campaigning for mayor again, revealed his housing strategy on Wednesday.
This plan consists of 25 points and includes establishing a renter support office, expediting approval for family-oriented housing, safeguarding park areas, and emphasizing transit-centric development.
The primary objective is to “repeal and replace blanket rezoning” with a more focused community approach that promotes “gentle density” while creating affordable housing.
“Clearly, this blanket rezoning approach hasn’t succeeded. It hasn’t produced the homes needed at the desired scale, speed, or price,” Farkas told Global News.
“With our targeted approach, we believe we can construct more homes quickly and cost-effectively.”
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Farkas joins other mayoral candidates like Communities First candidate and Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp and former city councillor Jeff Davison in promising to eliminate the citywide rezoning policy.
“We need to restore trust with the public and repeal that bylaw,” Davison stated. “We must engage all stakeholders to determine, ‘What’s the plan? What do we want for future housing initiatives in Calgary that best serve Calgarians?’”
Last year, Calgary city council approved a bylaw altering the default residential zoning, allowing various housing types—including single-family homes, semi-detached houses, duplexes, and rowhouses on the same property.
This change followed a public hearing at city hall that drew a record number of speakers, most of whom opposed the policy shift.
Experts suggest that candidates opposing citywide rezoning are appealing to frustrated Calgarians.
“These individuals are motivated; they’re likely to donate, volunteer, and vote. This issue could significantly drive voter turnout,” said Lori Williams, an associate professor of policy studies at Mount-Royal University.
“However, it’s a challenging balance for mayoral candidates because they must connect with a diverse city population.”
This tension is particularly evident in the Lakeview area, where residents are advocating for property owners to adopt restrictive covenants.
Keith Marlowe from the Lakeview Restrictive Covenant Initiative noted that recent decisions by the city council and three new developments have prompted this effort.
“This has upset the community since they strongly opposed upzoning, which council seemed to overlook,” Marlowe commented.
He added that the restrictive covenant would stay on a property’s title for 75 years.
“We are all voluntarily agreeing to limit our own development rights to support our neighbors,” he explained.
When asked about the Lakeview community’s move towards these covenants, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek stated that property owners have the freedom to manage their own properties as they wish.
“If someone wants to make changes to their private property, that’s their choice,” Gondek said.
“Individuals are free to make choices about their properties as long as they comply with local bylaws and legal regulations.”
The city claims that the citywide rezoning has “significantly broadened the variety and availability of housing options in Calgary.”
City statistics reveal that in the first quarter of 2025, 271 new home applications were submitted in established communities, marking a 59% rise compared to the same period last year.
31% of these applications were for rowhouses and townhomes, a 163% increase from the first quarter in 2024.
A briefing note from the city also indicates that citywide rezoning facilitated about 45% of all new low-density housing development permits in well-established neighborhoods.
The next municipal election in Calgary is scheduled for October 20.
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