Council votes to maintain existing infill requirements after several intense meetings

Emma Zhao · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 09, 2025 1:09 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

After respective days of contentious debate, Edmonton's metropolis assembly has voted to support infill units to the archetypal maximum of eight.

The motion, introduced by Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, passed successful a constrictive win, with councillors voting 6-5. Councillors Michael Janz, Ashley Salvador, Andrew Knack, Karen Principe and Jennifer Rice voted against. 

Councillors Tim Cartmell, who is readying to tally for mayor, and Sarah Hamilton were absent from the Tuesday meeting. Both were distant connected vacation.

The determination comes aft a question to trim the fig of allowable units successful caller mid-block, multi-family buildings from 8 to six was brought to metropolis council.

Instead, councillors opted for a nationalist consultation process connected the merits of portion reduction, which would see much assemblage engagement and adept research. That question passed with a unanimous vote. 

The zoning bylaw, which came into effect past twelvemonth and streamlined the city's zoning regulations to let for much infill improvement and density crossed the city, has been divisive.

Sohi, who is not moving for re-election adjacent term, said the connection for portion simplification to infill developments would acceptable a concerning precedent if passed.

"My interest is that arsenic we effort to physique consensus, that you spell to six, past the propulsion comes. Now we are down to six, present we're going to propulsion down to four. Where is that bottommost line?" helium said during the gathering Tuesday.

"There mightiness beryllium radical who would not beryllium blessed with reducing from 8 to six, and immoderate radical whitethorn not beryllium blessed with settling with six erstwhile they privation to spell to 4 oregon three."

He concluded that assembly did not person capable accusation to marque a decision, contempt having heard from hundreds of Edmontonians successful nationalist hearings past week.

WATCH | Design changes could code infill conflict: 

Rob Smyth, co-chair of the Glenora Community League's civics committee, was successful attendance, and acknowledged that the simplification would beryllium a large measurement forward, peculiarly successful much mature neighbourhoods. 

He said galore of the residents successful his neighbourhood person been complaining that ample infill developments created problems astir postulation travel and parking. 

"Going to six would beryllium precise overmuch supported by, successful my estimation, the immense bulk of assemblage people. I deliberation this would archer a communicative that assembly is listening to the community," helium said.

Last Friday, assembly members had to ballot connected a question to widen meetings connected the zoning bylaw into the summertime break.

On June 30, Cartmell called for a moratorium that would intermission approvals for mid-block infill developments, until the metropolis re-examines its district plans. Councillors learned aboriginal that the determination would spell against the Municipal Government Act. 

Ward Dene Coun. Aaron Paquette said the heated debates astir the infill connection person go a distraction. 

"To beryllium blunt, this contented desperately needed to beryllium depoliticized. Politicizing onshore usage is an incredibly mediocre mode to tally a city, incredibly poor," Paquette said during the meeting.

"Everyone tin conscionable instrumentality a measurement backmost and instrumentality this retired of the silliness of an predetermination play and enactment it wherever it belongs, into a spot wherever assemblage dependable is heard, intelligibly recorded."

Results from the nationalist consultation process volition instrumentality to metropolis assembly successful the archetypal 4th of 2027.