Achi news desk-
Urban leaders in Calgary and Edmonton are raising concerns about Bill 20 despite new affordable housing provisions.
On Wednesday, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver announced several provisions in Bill 20 that aim to speed up the construction of affordable housing throughout the province.
This includes amending the Municipal Government Act to exempt all non-profit subsidized affordable housing units from municipal, education and provincial taxes.
The province will also amend the MGA to require municipalities to offer digital options for public hearings on planning and development, which it says will encourage more public participation in the planning and development process locally. This amendment will also limit the ability to hold additional public hearings that are not required by legislation.
Finally, McIver said the MGA will be amended to limit municipalities’ ability to request non-statutory studies for construction and development, which he said are costly and delay the construction of affordable housing.
“These improvements we’re proposing will help municipalities and their residents find the right balance,” McIver told reporters Wednesday morning.
Alberta Municipalities said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the changes to Bill 20 will help speed up affordable housing projects but are not enough to address the affordable housing crisis.
“With input from municipal representatives, the provincial government could have done more and made further improvements,” the organization said.
Janis Irwin, the Opposition NDP’s housing critic, said the affordable housing provisions are not going to help Albertans. He urged the United Conservative government to repeal Bill 20 and Bill 18, which prohibit municipalities from entering into agreements with the federal government without prior approval.
“The UCP has prioritized the centralization of power over addressing the housing crisis, the health care crisis, and ensuring Albertans can afford to pay their bills,” Irwin said in a statement.
“These pieces of legislation consolidate power in the hands of Danielle Smith and her cabinet. These bills do nothing to strengthen trust with municipalities that are working hard to tackle the housing crisis.”
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Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said many of the provisions announced by McIver are already in place. Calgary already exempts not-for-profit affordable housing units from municipal property taxes, and Calgary already allows residents to participate in public hearings by phone or Microsoft Teams.
“I mean, there is nothing new in this announcement. So for anyone who was looking for something new or special, it’s not there. This is old news,” he told reporters Wednesday afternoon.
Edmonton city councilor Anne Stevenson is concerned about the effects of these bills – the effects and the financial consequences.
“My mind really goes to the federal restrictions on some of the funding we could receive. As a city, we have been able to provide hundreds of units of much-needed affordable and permanent housing and support because of direct funding relationships with the federal government. Anything that puts that at risk I think is very concerning.
“In terms of some of the tax deferral opportunities for residential development, you know, certainly something we could explore, I think that could have some positive benefits. But again, I haven’t had much time to look at these and explore them fully.”
Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi wants the province to hit a pause on its proposed bills affecting municipalities.
“We urge the province of FE to end these two pieces of legislation, consult with municipalities, get our input, consult with other stakeholders, such as the universities, and then bring something back that could work for everyone. I think it could be a win-win situation if there is a little pause and a thoughtful approach to engagement and input.”
State outlines changes to city charters
McIver also announced that the province is proposing updates to city charters in Calgary and Edmonton to “remove potential barriers to housing development,” including removing inclusionary housing provisions. Inclusionary housing provisions enabled Calgary and Edmonton to require developers to provide housing units, land or money that could be used to increase non-market housing.
“As we’ve heard from the development community, inclusionary housing could have a chilling effect on their ability and willingness to invest in cities to build housing,” he said.
But Irwin said the proposed changes suggest the Alberta government cares more about private, for-profit deals than Albertans.
“The UCP will allow developers to call the shots, which could increase prices for unsubsidized units. These changes will not prioritize what communities need, which is affordable housing,” he said.
“Problems require collaboration, and Danielle Smith’s desire to control everything, everywhere, all at once will delay progress in ensuring that all Albertans have a roof over their heads.”
Gondek said the city has never used the inclusionary housing provision in the charter, adding that the city will find another way to provide incentives to developers to build affordable housing.
“That is clearly stated in our housing strategy,” he said.
The city’s charter updates will also allow developers to appeal off-site levies to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal, but McIver did not provide any details about the process Wednesday.
“The biggest thing we talked about with the minister was about the appeal process. So are people going to be able to appeal against the whole by-law, the off-site levy by-law, or just parts of it? You need to have parameters around it, and I didn’t hear anything about that today,” Gondek said.
McIver also said the province will remove Calgary and Edmonton’s ability to create bylaws related to building codes and energy efficiency standards, saying the province has been working to update provincial codes to “best suit the needs of Albertans .”
– with files from Emily Mertz, Global News.
