City-led Rezoning

rezone

transitive verb

law

: to change the zoning of (an area) : to designate (a zone or zones of a city, town, or borough) for a new purpose or use through a change in the applicable zoning regulations.

Canada is in the midst of a cultural, economic, and political rezone. From federal elections to the local civic elections in the city of Edmonton, leadership and laws are shifting to designate a new purpose. It could be to facilitate more housing or to realign with constituents around issues of affordability. One thing is clear: we are in the midst of a massive transition.

One example of this change is Edmonton’s bylaws. As I mentioned in earlier letters, Alberta is in the middle of a major migration wave. Cities like Edmonton are expected to double in population over the next 15 years — hitting around 2 million — after it took more than 120 years just to reach 1 million. In plain terms, Edmonton doesn’t have the infrastructure or housing to handle that kind of growth.

Enter the city-led rezonings. I recently got an ad inviting me to a public hearing for a proposed city-led rezoning, scheduled for May 20, 2025. Why does this matter? One word: Opportunity.

The City Plan calls for more density in specific nodes and corridors identified as key growth areas. By selectively rezoning these strategic spots, it creates new opportunities for developers who might not have seen much value before in areas zoned for lower-density, less profitable forms.

Opening up the market to higher-density zoning means developers can now underwrite bigger projects in locations with strong access to jobs, amenities, and public transportation. And with the city taking the lead on the rezoning, that’s one less hurdle for the private sector — making it easier to deliver housing and services for the thousands of new residents coming here for work, life, and recreation.

Now that you have access to Ballpark Development, you can quickly underwrite any lot you find in this node for its highest and best use — even before the rezoning is approved.