More than 16,000 new dwelling units approved in Edmonton one year after new zoning bylaw

It's been more than a year since the city's new zoning bylaw came into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, and the City of Edmonton says it is seeing results in paving the way for more housing.

City administration was tasked with creating a report focusing on analyzing landscaping provisions and whether any bylaw amendments are needed for eight-unit multi-family homes which are allowed to be built under small-scale residential zoning. 

In 2024, 16,511 new dwelling units were approved in Edmonton. This is a 30 per cent increase from 2023. The largest number of approved new dwelling types were for multi-unit housing and single detached housing.

The report was presented at Tuesday's urban planning committee at city hall which allowed for further input from the public.

More than 70 people signed up to speak at the meeting. 

Some residents who voiced concerns said the pace of development could destabilize mature neighbourhoods that may not yet have the amenities and infrastructure to support densification.

"The private urban forest is shrinking, impervious surfaces are growing, and community livability is being degraded. We urge council and this committee to prioritize densification and already underutilized zones with existing infrastructure instead of destabilizing mature neighbourhoods," Belgravia resident Nicole Klein told council. 

"We are living through an housing affordability crisis," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi told media on Tuesday afternoon regarding the strong reaction to the city's zoning bylaw changes. 

"We have challenges related to how we sustain our services. We have environmental sustainability challenges. We have a city that continues to sprawl. We need to tackle all those challenges."

Administration recommended reducing the maximum building length along an interior side lot line from 30 metres to 50 per cent of the site depth, or 25 metres, whichever is less, in an effort to address public concerns about size and shading over surrounding homes. 

City staff also suggested regulating a maximum of four entrances on the side of a row house and design changes to street-facing facades of buildings. 

Impact of eight-plex housing 

Administration's analysis of land parcels with a site area of 600 sq. m or greater found that only 50 per cent of all permit applications that could build eight units or more on the site actually built eight units or more.

"There's a lot of misinformation as well as lack of clarity. For example, we are only seeing very few, eight-units being built mid-block. But a lot of people are concerned about that … So reality is not matching with people's perceptions," Sohi said. 

"I think that's what we need to make sure that people are understanding what's actually happening in their neighbourhood."

Data in administration's report looked at the distribution of types of housing units being approved in both developing areas — located primarily outside Anthony Henday Drive — and redeveloping areas inside the Henday. 

The developing area saw more new dwelling unit approvals than redeveloping areas.

The unit approval breakdown consisted of 43 per cent single-detached homes, 22 per cent for secondary suites and about 30 per cent mixed between semi-detached, row and multi-unit housing.

For neighbourhoods within the Henday, more than half of the approved units will be in multi-unit buildings. Only about five per cent of approved housing units were for single-detached homes. 

Some residents, who did not want the full bylaw scrapped, had concerns that aspects of the bylaw were not going to alleviate affordability and demand but instead cater to the financial interests of developers and asked the city to consider having a maximum of four units per lot and 2½ storeys. 

Other residents like Evan Capp said they support the bylaw because it provides a potential path for future home ownership. 

"It gives me hope the city will provide choice for where to live and grow, especially near the services that make the city great, be it transit, rec centres or schools," Capp said.

"I believe this bylaw is the city choosing to prioritize those who are not currently comfortably housed, rather than just those who are comfortably housed."

Councillors discussed the zoning bylaw — and possible changes to it — late into the night on Tuesday. 

Coun. Michael Janz advocated for exploring architectural and design changes for mid-block row houses. Sohi proposed reconfiguring entrances on those buildings, allowing for two on each side, two on the front and two on the back. 

"That way it's more fitting into the community," he said.

Jennifer Rice and Karen Principe supported reducing the number of dwellings allowed on corner and mid-block sites, but committee members voted down those ideas.

Coun. Rice also wanted city officials to explore regulating parking supply for row housing and multi-unit housing in multi-unit buildings in neighbourhoods within the Henday but her motion was ruled out of order.

Amendments to the bylaw will be discussed at a public hearing on June 30.