The repeal of Calgary’s citywide rezoning, approved by council on April 8, came into effect on August 4, 2026. According to the City, 99% of properties return to the zoning that applied before Rezoning for Housing took effect on August 6, 2024.
What changed
- Old districts are back: low-density districts such as R-C1, R-C1L, R-C1N, R-C2, R-1, R-1N and R-2 return to Land Use Bylaw 1P2007.
- Exemptions: lots with an approved or submitted R-CG, R-G or H-GO permit or subdivision application under the rules, and lots rezoned at the owner’s request after August 6, 2024, keep their zoning.
- R-CG rules for future projects: maximum height drops from 11 m to 10 m, lot coverage from 60% to 55%, and zero-lot-line developments are no longer allowed. In July, council kept the maximum R-CG density at 75 units per hectare.
- Suites: a property can have either a secondary suite or a backyard suite, not both; backyard suites can no longer be built on semi-detached lots and need parking again. Secondary suites, however, are now a permitted use in low-density districts.
What owners need to do
The City says no action is required from property owners. To build a rowhouse on a lot that is no longer R-CG, an owner now needs council approval of a land use redesignation, plus development and building permits. You can check a property’s zoning with the City’s find-your-land-use tool.
For buyers: if you are paying for development potential, confirm the current zoning before you remove conditions. We check this for every lot or infill property we help clients buy.
R-CG rules for future projects: before and after August 4, 2026
Background: two years of citywide rezoning
Rezoning for Housing took effect on August 6, 2024. It changed most low-density residential lots to a base district, R-CG, that allowed rowhouses, townhouses and other multi-unit homes as well as single-detached and semi-detached homes. Council approved the repeal on April 8, 2026, with a transition period to August 4 so that applications already in progress could be processed under the rules in place when they were submitted.
Who keeps R-CG
Not every lot goes back. A lot keeps its current zoning if it has an approved or submitted permit or subdivision application under R-CG, R-G or H-GO, or if the owner applied to rezone it after August 6, 2024. In those cases the new R-CG rules (lower height, lower lot coverage, no zero-lot-line homes) apply to future projects on lots that are still R-CG.
Suites: one change in owners’ favour
Most suite rules became stricter: one suite per property, no backyard suites on semi-detached lots, and parking requirements for backyard suites. But secondary suites (a basement or other suite inside the house) are now a permitted use in low-density districts. In practice, a permitted use should mean a more predictable approval when a suite meets the rules. Combined with the City’s Secondary Suite Incentive Program, this keeps a legal basement suite one of the simplest ways to add a rental home.
Practical steps
If you own or are buying in an established community, a few simple checks now can save you time and money later.
- Selling a lot you marketed as R-CG: confirm whether it kept R-CG. If not, update your listing and price; buyers who planned a rowhouse will discount for the rezoning risk.
- Buying for redevelopment: make your offer conditional on zoning and, if needed, on a pre-application meeting with the City.
- Planning a suite: check whether your property already has a suite of either kind, since only one is allowed.
- Neighbours: new rowhouse proposals on lots that reverted will go through council, with notice and a public hearing.
