Increased appeals for development permits in Calgary due to growing worries about delays
In the heart of Calgary, a surge in development permit appeals following citywide rezoning has significantly increased delays and costs for developers, contributing to higher housing prices and impacting affordability.
Since May 2024, there have been 269 development permit applications in Calgary that would have previously required a land-use change. This surge in appeals has put upward pressure on housing costs because developers face longer project timelines and higher carrying costs, which tend to be passed on to homebuyers. Each day of appeal delay adds approximately £500 in costs to the price of a Calgary home, with average appeals taking around 68 days to resolve.
The Subdivision Development and Appeal Board (SDAB), an independent quasi-judicial board that oversees development decisions made by the City of Calgary, is addressing these appeals. Despite meeting legislated timelines, the SDAB's process still requires an average of 68 days per appeal, contributing to costly delays.
The SDAB has taken steps to streamline the appeal process, as confirmed by its chair, Tim Bardsley. As of the end of June 2025, 85 appeals have been lodged with the SDAB city-wide, with 55 of these appeals for RC-G "discretionary uses" and five for H-GO permitted uses.
To address these challenges, Calgary city administration is undertaking several steps. A more comprehensive analysis of SDAB appeals trends and statistics is scheduled for publication in early Q3 2025 to better understand and manage the situation. Council discussions are ongoing about streamlining approval processes and potentially adjusting the appeals mechanism to reduce delays and costs while balancing community input. Builders and city planners are advocating for reforms to speed up appeal resolution and clarify requirements under the new rezoning framework, aiming to limit costly postponements that impact housing supply and prices.
The citywide rezoning decision allows a variety of housing types, including single-detached, semi-detached, duplexes, and rowhouses, on a single property. However, the decision to remove a public hearing on rezoning for certain property types has raised concerns, with Shameer Gaidhar, the chair of the Calgary Inner-City Builders Association, stating that some of the appeals are being used to delay a development.
Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner inquired to ensure the SDAB had the capacity to handle the amount of appeals following the citywide rezoning policy change. The SDAB has confirmed that it has sufficient staff and members to carry out the streamlined appeal process and continue to adhere to their statutory obligations.
As the city navigates these challenges, it faces a tension between maintaining community oversight via appeals and avoiding delays that exacerbate housing affordability challenges. Efforts are underway to find a more balanced, efficient approach to permit approvals post-rezoning to support timely housing development and mitigate cost impacts on both developers and buyers.
[1] Calgary Herald, June 2025, "Calgary development permit appeals surge following citywide rezoning," [online] available at: https://calgaryherald.com/business/real-estate/calgary-development-permit-appeals-surge-following-citywide-rezoning
[2] Calgary Sun, May 2025, "Calgary housing prices on the rise due to development permit delays," [online] available at: https://calgarysun.com/2025/05/20/calgary-housing-prices-on-the-rise-due-to-development-permit-delays
[4] Calgary Real Estate Board, June 2025, "Calgary housing market update: June 2025," [online] available at: https://calgaryrealestateboard.ca/market-stats/calgary-housing-market-update-june-2025
[5] Calgary City Council, Ongoing discussions, "Streamlining approval processes and addressing development permit appeals" [online] available at: https://calgary.ca/city-council/council-and-committees/council-meetings/agendas-and-minutes/council-meetings/2025/council-meetings-2025/june-2025/agenda-package/agenda-item-13-06-2025.pdf
- The surge in development permit appeals in Calgary post-citywide rezoning has led to an increased focus on policy-and-legislation, particularly in relation to streamlining approval processes for real-estate development to address affordability concerns. (Calgary Herald, June 2025)
- The delays in development permit approvals, often due to the appeals process, have implications not only for developers but also for investors owing to the associated costs of longer project timelines. (Calgary Sun, May 2025)
- As part of its efforts to manage the development permit appeals, Calgary city administration plans to analyze trends and statistics, weigh political considerations, and potentially reform the appeals mechanism, in order to keep policy in line with general-news developments and community concerns. (Calgary Real Estate Board, June 2025; Calgary City Council, Ongoing discussions)
