Calgary rezoning debate continues into day three
Three days into Calgary's public hearing on proposed rezoning and nearly 200 speakers later, some councillors say there's a clear pattern when it comes to what they're hearing from people presenting.
"Typically younger Calgarians under the age of 50 are coming out in support (of proposed blanket rezoning) and we're seeing a lot of older Calgarians, homeowners over the age of 50, speaking against," said Jasmine Mian, the ward 3 councillor.
"I think it's because they have had very different lived experiences with the housing market. And younger people typically want to see change and are demanding us to take action," she said.
Panels of young people, including several representing post-secondary students, showed up at City Hall on Wednesday to voice their support for rezoning to R-CG.
"Young people are denied agency over housing choices and subsequently the direction of our lives," said Hanna Crisostomo, a University of Calgary student and representative with the Urban Calgary Students Association.
Crisostomo presented a letter to council signed by 146 students who supported blanket rezoning.
"The decision to embrace change will mean the difference between building a resilient city for the future, or continuing down the path where one in five Calgarians cannot afford their housing," she said.
MAJORITY AGAINST
Still, the vast majority of feedback the city has received on the rezoning issue has been in opposition. Speaker after speaker lined up Wednesday to call on council to vote down blanket rezoning, citing concerns over the impacts it could have on community character and parking.
"Older people tend to want to move into quieter communities -- single-family residential, maybe with fewer neighbours," said Coun. Andre Chabot.
"But if you're younger and you're raising a young family, you want to be in a higher density," he added.
It will still be days before council will start its debate and present amendments over proposed changes. Councillors say they will need seek to find a balance as it tries to implement its housing strategy.
Statistics from city administration estimates one in five Calgarians struggle with housing affordability and upzoning, if passed, could add about 1,500 homes per year by streamlining the process.
"I'm looking at what we do to make sure that housing is in good supply for everyone in our city, not just right now, but well into the future," said Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Some structural damage' from wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., mayor confirms
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver says he got a cellphone ticket for using his points app in the drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
B.C. YouTuber ordered to pay $350K for 'relentless' online defamation campaign
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Chief says grave search at B.C. residential school brings things 'full circle'
Chief Robert Michell says relief isn't the right word to describe his reaction as the search begins for unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school he attended in northern British Columbia.
'Endless Shrimp' just one misstep for Red Lobster as it eyes bankruptcy protection
While it's unclear what these closures might mean for the 27 restaurants in Canada, Red Lobster is expected to file for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. this month.
B.C. man shot sex worker in the back during drug-fuelled birthday, court hears
A man from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been sentenced to four years behind bars after shooting a sex worker in the back during a drug-fuelled 43rd birthday.
'Inhumane conditions': 68 dogs pulled from Winnipeg home
Nearly six dozen dogs were seized from a home Wednesday morning by the Winnipeg Humane Society. It is the largest known seizure of animals in the city’s history.
Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.
Driver said he smoked pot oil, took medication before Florida crash that killed 8 Mexican workers
A man with a long record of dangerous driving told investigators he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription drugs hours before he sideswiped a bus, killing eight Mexican farmworkers and injuring dozens more, according to an arrest report unsealed Wednesday.