Red Deer City Council has decided not to proceed with zoning bylaw changes that would allow “Four Units As-of-Right” (4UAOR) on all residential lots, following significant public input and careful consideration of community concerns.
“Today’s decision reflects what we’ve heard from our community,” said Mayor Ken Johnston. “Red Deerians want more housing options, but they do not support applying Four Units As-of-Right as a blanket zoning change. We know the housing challenge in Red Deer is real and urgent, and Council remains committed to finding solutions that balance that urgency with the values and priorities of our community.”
While Red Deerians expressed strong support for increasing housing options, public feedback showed opposition to a city-wide as-of-right zoning model.
Council acknowledged this input and confirmed its commitment to continue advancing other initiatives under the Housing Accelerator Fund 2 (HAF2) program to help address the city’s housing challenges.
City Council also directed the Mayor and members of Council to advocate to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Gregor Robertson and MP Burton Bailey to remove the federal requirement for 4UAOR, and Administration will advocate to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) administration for the same.
Administration confirmed that, although 4UAOR will not proceed, other HAF2 projects will continue to focus on removing barriers, enabling diverse housing options, and accelerating supply.
“The Housing Accelerator Fund is designed to remove barriers and speed up housing development, but 4UAOR is not the only way to achieve that,” said David Girardin, Senior Manager of Growth and Planning. “We have a range of tools available, and we are confident we can meet our housing targets by advancing other initiatives that reflect community priorities and build support for a more diverse housing mix.”
Girardin emphasized that public feedback gathered through this process remains critical to ongoing work.
“Through public participation, residents shared ideas that will help shape future housing approaches and solutions,” said Girardin. “While Council has chosen not to proceed with 4UAOR, the feedback gathered through this process will continue to guide other housing initiatives.”
Council also acknowledged the importance of community input in shaping housing solutions.
“We want to thank everyone who shared their perspectives,” said Mayor Johnston. “The input we received was invaluable and will continue to guide our efforts as we work to increase housing availability in a way that makes sense for Red Deer.”
For more information about the Housing Accelerator Fund and engagement process, visit www.reddeer.ca/HAF2.
**With information from the City of Red Deer
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