Dobey Realty

Calgary’s Citywide Rezoning, Explained

By Evans Dobey, REALTOR® | Updated November 2026 | What the 2024 rezoning did, what the 2026 repeal changed back, and what it means for infills, suites and resale

View of downtown Calgary from the Crescent Heights escarpment in winter

The short answer

  • Calgary approved citywide rezoning in May 2024. From August 6, 2024, most low-density residential lots were rezoned to R-CG, which allows rowhouses and townhouses as well as single and semi-detached homes.
  • City Council voted 12 to 3 on April 8, 2026 to repeal it. The repeal took effect on August 4, 2026, and the City says 99% of affected properties went back to the zoning they had before 2024, such as R-C1 or R-C2.
  • Some lots kept their R-CG zoning, mainly those with approved permits or applications in before the cut-off. So a rowhouse can still go up on some streets.
  • Secondary suites are now a permitted use in every low-density district. Backyard suites have tighter rules again.
  • In October 2026 the province told Calgary to keep these low-density rules in place while the City finishes a wider review of its zoning bylaw, expected in 2027.

If you own a home in an established Calgary neighbourhood, or you’re thinking of buying one, this is one of the most common questions I get: can someone build a fourplex next door now? This guide explains what changed in 2024, what changed back in 2026, and what that means for infills, suites and resale. Zoning rules are complicated, so I link to the City’s own pages for every rule.

This is general information, not legal or planning advice. Always check the zoning for a specific property with the City of Calgary.

What happened, and when

DateWhat happened
September 2014The R-CG (Residential – Grade-Oriented Infill) district is created. Owners can apply to rezone to it one property at a time.
May 14, 2024Council approves citywide rezoning after the longest public hearing in the City’s history.
August 6, 2024Citywide rezoning takes effect. R-CG becomes the base zone for most low-density residential lots in established areas.
December 15, 2025The new Council starts the process to repeal citywide rezoning.
March 23 to April 8, 2026Public hearing on the repeal.
April 8, 2026Council votes 12 to 3 to repeal citywide rezoning, with some exemptions.
July 21, 2026Council approves follow-up changes, including making secondary suites a permitted use.
August 4, 2026The repeal takes effect. Most lots return to their pre-2024 zoning.
October 2026The province directs Calgary to keep its restored low-density zoning while it completes a broader land use review, planned for 2027.

Sources: City of Calgary: Repeal of Citywide Rezoning and the City’s Council decision summary (PDF).

The zones you’ll see

Your property’s zoning (the City calls it the land use district) decides what can be built on it. These are the low-density districts most Calgary homeowners will run into:

DistrictWhat it generally allows
R-C1Single detached homes. The most common zone in many established neighbourhoods before 2024, and again now.
R-C2Single detached, semi-detached and duplex homes.
R-CGRowhouses and townhouses as well as singles and semis, with suites. This is the zone citywide rezoning applied to most lots.
R-GA low-density mixed housing zone used mainly in newer suburbs.
H-GOLarger grade-oriented buildings, used in areas set out in approved local area plans.

Each district has its own rules for height, lot coverage, setbacks and parking. The exact rules are in the City’s Land Use Bylaw 1P2007.

What happened to your property

On August 4, 2026, about 99% of the affected properties went back to the zoning they had before August 6, 2024. The City reinstated the old low-density districts (R-C1, R-C1L, R-C1N, R-C2, R-1, R-1N, R-2 and R-CGex) to make that possible.

Who kept R-CG, R-G or H-GO zoning

A property kept its newer zoning if any of these applied:

  • It already had an approved permit or subdivision under R-CG, R-G or H-GO before the repeal took effect.
  • A permit or subdivision application was submitted before first reading of the repeal bylaw.
  • The owner had applied for and received a rezoning on their own after August 6, 2024.

Lots that were zoned R-CG before 2024, through an owner’s own application, stay R-CG too.

How to check a property’s zoning

  1. Use the City’s find your land use tool and enter the address.
  2. Or look the address up on myProperty, which also shows permit history.
  3. If you think the map is wrong, the City asks you to email [email protected].

A tip for buyers: MLS® listings show a zoning field, but sellers enter it and some still say R-CG from before the repeal. Always check the City’s tool before you rely on it.

Can someone build an infill next door?

It depends on the lot next to you.

  • If the lot is R-C1 or R-C2 again: a builder can put up what that zone allows, usually a new single or semi-detached home. To build rowhouses, they’d need Council to approve a land use redesignation first. That means a public hearing, and neighbours are notified and can give feedback.
  • If the lot kept R-CG zoning: rowhouses and townhouses are still possible, under the updated R-CG rules below.
  • If a project was already approved: it can go ahead, even if the zoning on the rest of the street changed back.

R-CG rules for new projects after August 4, 2026

RuleBeforeNow
Maximum height11 m10 m
Maximum lot coverage60%55%
Maximum density75 units per hectare75 units per hectare (unchanged)
Zero lot line homesAllowedNot allowed
Rowhouses that meet all the rulesDiscretionary usePermitted use again, as before 2024

To see what’s proposed near a home, search the City’s Development Map. It lists development permits and land use applications, and some are open for public comment.

What changed for suites

  • Secondary suites (like a basement suite) are now a permitted use in all low-density districts. If a suite meets the rules for your district, it needs a building permit but no development permit.
  • Backyard suites (garden or laneway suites) are permitted in R-G and discretionary everywhere else, so a development permit and neighbour notice still apply.
  • A property can have a secondary suite or a backyard suite, not both.
  • Backyard suites need parking again, and they can’t be built on properties with a semi-detached home.

For how to check whether a suite is legal and what it means for your mortgage, see my basement suites guide.

What it means for buying and selling

The repeal only took effect in August 2026, so there isn’t enough sales data yet to say how it’s affecting prices. Here’s what I tell clients in the meantime.

If you’re buying

  • Don’t pay for development potential you haven’t confirmed. A listing that says “R-CG lot” or “redevelopment opportunity” may have changed back to R-C1 or R-C2.
  • If you plan to build, check the zoning and ask whether the property has an approved permit. An approved development permit can be worth a lot, since it can still go ahead under the old rules.
  • If you care about what gets built next door, check the zoning of the neighbouring lots and the Development Map before you remove conditions.
  • If you want a suite for rental income, the new permitted-use rules make that simpler than before.

If you’re selling

  • Check your current zoning before you list, so the listing is accurate.
  • If your lot kept R-CG or has an approved permit, say so and have the paperwork ready. Builders will ask for it.
  • A legal, registered suite is still one of the most useful things you can point to. My RPR guide covers the compliance side.

What happens next

Two things are still moving:

  • The province’s direction. In October 2026, Alberta directed Calgary to keep its restored low-density zoning, and to map the properties that went back to it, until the City’s broader land use review is done. That review is planned to finish in 2027.
  • A new zoning bylaw. The City is rewriting its Land Use Bylaw and renaming it the Zoning Bylaw. Council has also been discussing where more housing should go instead, with a focus on transit stations, main streets and former industrial sites.

Until then, if you or a builder want more homes on a lot than its zoning allows, it takes a land use redesignation approved by Council, then a development permit and a building permit.

Checklist for homeowners and buyers

  1. Look up the property’s current zoning with the City’s land use tool.
  2. Check the neighbouring lots too, if what gets built next door matters to you.
  3. Search the Development Map for permits and applications nearby.
  4. If a listing advertises development potential, ask for proof: the zoning and any approved permits.
  5. If you plan a suite, check the rules for your district and get a building permit.
  6. For a specific project, call the City’s Planning Services Centre at 403-268-5311 or book a meeting.

Official sources

Last reviewed November 2026. Zoning rules are changing, so confirm the current rules for a specific property with the City of Calgary.

Common questions

Have a question that isn’t here? Ask me and I’ll get back to you, usually the same day.

No. Council repealed it on April 8, 2026, and the repeal took effect on August 4, 2026. About 99% of affected properties went back to the zoning they had before 2024.

Enter your address in the City’s find your land use tool, or look it up on myProperty. Don’t rely on an old listing or an old letter from the City.

Only if their lot kept R-CG zoning, already had an approved project, or Council approves a land use redesignation for it. Redesignations go to a public hearing, and neighbours are notified.

Yes. Since the July 2026 changes, secondary suites are a permitted use in all low-density districts. If your suite meets the district rules, you need a building permit but not a development permit.

No. Since August 4, 2026, a property can have one or the other, not both.

Most likely, unless you had an approved permit or an application in before the cut-off, or you applied for the rezoning yourself after August 6, 2024. Check the City’s land use tool for your address.

It’s too early to tell. The repeal took effect in August 2026, and there isn’t enough sales data yet to measure any effect.

Not sure what you can build, or what’s coming next door?

Send me the address. I’ll check the zoning, nearby applications and any permits before you buy or list.

Talk to Evans
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