Blanket zoning — What it means for you
Edmonton is in the perfect storm: blanket zoning, millions in funding from the federal government, highly-favourable taxpayer-backed funding for investors, and relatively affordable properties.
Blanket Zoning for All
Bylaw 20001 passed in October 2023, which zoned nearly every residential lot in Edmonton as RS or RSF. This means that nearly EVERY residential property in Edmonton could have a multiplex of up to 8 units built on it today. Combined with the very permissive criteria of 2.5.2.6 and 2.5.2.7 of Bylaw 24000 (the District Policy), the result is a blanket zoning that should concern all Edmontonians.
Blanket upzoning removes the ability to control and manage growth. Uncontrolled growth can result in significant increases in densities in concentrated areas. Given that sanitary and storm sewers are connected and gravity-based, uncontrolled growth in one area can have a significant impact on surrounding areas. During the Zoning Bylaw public hearing, an engineer who had managed the City's 942 km of combined sanitary and storm sewers recommended that the City not proceed until EPCOR develops and implements a plan to mitigate sanitary and storm sewer issues. A failure would have substantial financial costs - that means a property tax increase for you.
In 2016, the Edmonton Journal sued the City of Edmonton to access the results of flood modelling prepared for the City's Flood Mitigation Strategy. The modelling showed that in the event of a significant four-hour rainstorm, a large percentage of the pipes in mature neighbourhoods would be at capacity. It is these neighbourhoods that are targeted for the most significant levels of intensification.
CMHC and the Federal Government Fueling Investor Speculation
It is important to acknowledge the impact the federal government's Housing Accelerator Fund combined with blanket zoning has had on infill development in Edmonton, especially in mature neighbourhoods. The City of Edmonton will receive $192.6 million from the Housing Accelerator Fund to create the conditions for an additional 5,700 new homes built by the end of 2026 beyond what might have been built under the previous zoning. As of July 2025, Edmonton has exceeded the target with 6,202 units permitted above baseline projection.
The Fund’s intent and conditions were leveraged to drive additional “transformational” changes that far exceeded those undertaken by other municipalities. The call for transformational change was used to impose the highest level of densification in Canada on Edmontonians, allowing for at least 8 dwelling units on single-family lots. This is not the type of transformation that residents anticipated or desired, leading many to feel a growing sense of concern and a loss of trust in elected officials at this late stage.
The CMHC funding programs are attracting “get rich quick” investors, not interested in what is best for families and communities. The financing options of the CMHC MLI Select program make rental investments so lucrative, that much of the affordable family-oriented housing in our mature neighbourhoods will be lost over the next 3 to 5 years and replaced with numerous small rental units. The CMHC MLI Select program's financing options have prompted developers to buy many single-family homes in established neighborhoods. This trend is driving up prices for smaller homes and reducing affordability. Realtors have reported that new homeowners are choosing not to buy homes in established neighborhoods due to concerns about the possibility of a three or four-story development overshadowing their lot. As a result, their only option is to sell to developers.
Not Made for Your Benefit
This perfect storm doesn't help individuals or families to get into property ownership. This is for investors with deep pockets to own and make income. Before this 8-plex was built, there was a single-family home that was on the market for what could be considereerd an entry-level price; a family could have bought and owned that. Now, it's a $2.25 million investor opportunity. Instead, the current City Council is putting ownership out of reach for Edmontonians and in the hands of investors.
