Growth with Care: Getting Edmonton’s Zoning Bylaw Right
Good change takes time. Meaningful change takes all of us. Edmonton’s Zoning Bylaw Renewal is one of the most significant steps that our city has taken in decades to shape a more sustainable, inclusive, and livable city. It’s long overdue. And while this is a bold step forward, it must also be responsive to the real-time challenges of growth, affordability, and equity.In this blog, I explore both the positives and negatives I recognize in the recent Zoning Bylaw Renewal. I chart out specific amendments, in addition to what Council is currently considering, to respond to concern coming from communities.Zoning Bylaw Renewal helps us respond to significant growth
When we first moved into our neighbourhood, I wasn’t thinking about zoning bylaws, I was thinking about what community meant to me, and finding a place that felt like home. But over time, I saw how the rules that shape our neighbourhoods also shape who gets to live here, and how.My partner grew up in the suburbs, and I’ve always been rooted in mature neighbourhoods. Together, we made our first home in the heart of Wîhkwêntôwin (formerly Oliver) — a vibrant, walkable neighbourhood with housing options that worked for us. But like many others, we eventually hit a wall: rising rents, limited options, and a growing desire to live closer to family, while still building a future.We were fortunate to find a bungalow with a basement suite (that we could share with a close friend) that helped to manage costs and keep us rooted in the community. But for most people, especially in Edmonton’s west end, that kind of housing option is increasingly out of reach.And this struggle isn’t just a personal challenge, it’s structural. For my generation and many others, the prospect of home ownership is slipping further away. Decades of policies have made housing less accessible and less flexible, and it’s time to turn that around with bold, coordinated action.
I’ve heard from many of you at the doors, in your emails, at community events, and more. I’ve heard from seniors who want to age in place, but can’t find housing that fits their changing needs. From young families squeezed out of the neighbourhoods that they grew up in. From renters trying to stay rooted, while prices keep climbing. These aren’t just isolated stories, but a pattern that can be seen throughout our city.
This is happening against a backdrop of rapid growth. In 2024 alone, the city’s population grew by 5.76% which is about 65,000 new residents, with our population totalling at around 1.1 million — we know that this number will continue to climb. (https://regionaldashboard.alberta.ca/region/edmonton/population/#/?from=2020&to=2024 )
This growth brings opportunity, economic vibrancy, and new energy to our community, but it also brings pressure on our housing supply, infrastructure, and our city services. If we don’t plan for this growth without adapting, we risk deepening the challenges we’re facing. We need to utilize every tool available to keep our city livable and affordable. That includes a strong, adaptive zoning bylaw.Zoning isn’t just about buildings — it’s about people. It’s about how we welcome new neighbours, how we create belonging, and how we design communities that reflect how people actually live. I've seen this kind of change firsthand in neighbourhoods like Britannia Youngstown (where I’ve spent much of my life), which has been transforming as more young families move in, and revitalization occurs. Residents who've grown up in these neighbourhoods have noticed the revitalization and mentioned it to me when I’ve been out door-knocking. This is the result of creating space for growth in a thoughtful, intentional way.
Specific parts of the new Zoning Bylaw create concerns
At the same time, I’ve heard and seen concerns about mid-block developments, parking, tree loss, or construction impacts — and your voices are essential. Community feedback is not meant to be a checkbox. To be adaptive, we need to take that feedback into account. At its core, the Zoning Bylaw Renewal is meant to address affordability and support a growing population, without losing what makes our neighbourhoods livable. Our goal is ambitious but clear — we want to build and live in a city that grows affordably, sustainably, and with care. One that maintains what we love about our neighbourhoods, while welcoming change that benefits everyone.
Administration has proposed several amendments to the Zoning Bylaw based on the first annual review, like limiting building massing, enhanced landscaping/waste collection standards, and demanding more front entrances to residential developments. Members of Council also moved to consider limiting mid-block developments to a maximum of six units (down from eight). These are all steps in the right direction.
But, I’m advocating for further targeted improvements that make this bylaw more responsive and rooted in lived experience. 
Policy solutions that can help us get this right:
Better Design Guidelines for Compatibility and Developer Accountability
Privacy protections like strategic window placement to avoid direct views into neighbours’s homes or yards.Tree protections, including incentives to preserve mature trees and replacement funds when they must be removed.Clear expectations and consistent follow-through, so developers are held accountable for quality, accessible, and community-responsive design.
Neighbourhood-Friendly Features
Tie infill projects to community benefits that neighbours can see in their community. This could include more benches, green space and playground improvements, or streetscape upgrades by expanding the Community Amenity Contribution Framework (https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/urban_planning_and_design/community-amenity-contributions)Use neighbourhood specific infill plans to guide development, in respect to local context and heritage (Example: Vancouver Character Home Retention Initiative)
Smarter Density While Still Reaching Our Goals
Direct higher density housing to corner lots, neighbourhood nodes, and main street corridors to ease pressure off mid-blocks while still meeting our housing targets.
Responsive Parking Policies
Minimum Parking Requirements in lower-transit areas for multi-unit developments.Residential parking permits to manage spillover in high demand areas.Gather data to measure real parking impacts over time.
Better Public Engagement
Clearer, more accessible notices on proposed developments.Real, in-person and online neighbourhood engagement opportunities.Enhanced education for infill developers to complete proactive and community-based engagement.
Let’s Keep Moving Forward
Zoning may seem technical, but the emotions it stirs are deeply human. These conversations can get heated. I’ve seen tensions rise between neighbours, and change feels personal when it happens on your street. When people feel unheard or misunderstood, it can build walls instead of bridges.But, I don’t shy away from these conversations, I welcome them. Because if we’re serious about addressing housing, affordability, and growth, we need to be just as serious about listening and learning from each other.These disagreements don’t have to divide us, but can instead deepen our understanding of each other — as long as we stay engaged with honesty, care, and a shared commitment to our city’s future.
We may not always agree on every detail, but we can work towards a shared goal — a city that grows with intention, respect, and inclusion. We cannot just halt all work done through imposing a moratorium across the entire city on infill development. We’ve seen what moratoriums do in other contexts, like the Province’s moratorium on wind and solar development. Investment flees, positive momentum comes to a halt, and bureaucracies drag their feet to introduce change.I’m committed to doing the work, listening to communities, and asking hard questions. I want to keep moving forward and finding solutions that reflect where we need to go as a city. This work is not easy, but it is always worth it. City-building never stops, so we need to continue listening and make impactful changes to the Zoning Bylaw. We are not just here to build new housing, but to continue building strong communities, support our neighbours, and shape how we live and grow, together. 
Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me on social media @rajahmaggay, or reach out to me at rajah@rajahmaggay.ca.
