Activist Calgary mayor pushes blanket rezoning despite widespread concerns

Amid the myriad of unpopular things historically unpopular Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek has done — including the soon to be revoked single-use bylaw, the botched arena deal, shocking property tax increases, the bogus declaration of a climate emergency, and refusing to attend a menorah lighting ceremony for political reasons — she is now pushing a controversial blanket rezoning of the entire city that has folks in Cowtown a little upset.

The rezoning would see Calgary in its entirety rezoned so that single family homes and communities could see high-density housing built anywhere. Many are concerned that without due process or oversight, the culture, sense of community, history and even property value and traffic within certain communities could be adversely impacted.

Ward 13 City Councillor Dan McLean believes that an issue of this magnitude — an issue which he believes is far bigger than other issues the city has voted on like fluoridation or an Olympic bid — should be subject to a public plebiscite during the next municipal election. Unfortunately, despite some members of Mayor Jyoti Gondek’s so-called 'Hateful Eight' breaking ranks with her to vote to scrap her single-use bylaw, Councillor McLean’s motion for the rezoning issues to go to plebiscite was defeated 8-6.

McLean joined us to discuss the matter and to clarify some additional points of concern, including reports that while this matter was still being discussed in council, city administration effectively committed to making these changes in exchange for federal funding before the matter had been decided by Calgary’s elected authorities. We also asked if Calgary’s Mayor was complicit in circumventing due process in this instance, or whether she was simply inept in failing to be aware that this was happening without her knowledge.

Finally, we asked Councillor McLean about the bizarre drive among progressive politicians to seem to want everyone piled on top of each other in high-rises and multi-plex buildings instead of using the abundant land we have in Alberta to allow folks who choose to live in the suburbs with a backyard to do so in peace.

Instead of trying to legislate us into living in sky-high coffin apartments and 15-minute cities, it would be great if elected officials could fix some potholes, tackle drug-epidemics and ensure that people can safely walk on downtown streets.