Calgary's rezoning repeal, August 4, 2026
Calgary repealed its 2024 citywide rezoning. Most low-density lots reverted to the zoning district they had before 2024 — which changes what you can build.
Last reviewed: August 2026
What happened
In 2024, Calgary adopted a citywide rezoning (often called "blanket rezoning"). It made a rowhouse-scale district — R-CG, Residential Grade-Oriented Infill — the base district across most low-density residential land, so that rowhouses and small multi-unit projects were allowed on lots that had previously permitted only a single house.
That citywide change was repealed effective August 4, 2026. On that date, Bylaw 9P2026 restored the older residential districts and more than 300,000 parcels reverted to the specific district each one was in before 2024. Only a few thousand parcels — mostly those that had already gone through their own individual rezoning — kept the newer designation.
What your lot reverted to
Reversion is per-parcel. The most common pre-2024 districts lots went back to:
- R-C1 — Residential Contextual One Dwelling (about 142,000 parcels)
- R-C2 — Residential Contextual One/Two Dwelling (about 60,000)
- R-1N — Residential Narrow Lot (about 49,000)
- R-1 — Residential One Dwelling (about 28,000)
- R-C1N — Residential Contextual Narrow Lot (about 15,000)
See the full list of Calgary districts and their rules.
What this means for what you can build
If your lot reverted to R-C1 or R-1, the practical effect is a return to one house per lot, plus a secondary suite in most cases. The rowhouse / multi-unit option that the citywide rezoning had opened up is gone unless your lot is still in R-CG, H-GO, or a multi-residential district.
The repeal was not a pure undo. It also carried a handful of targeted changes to R-CG itself — a lower height limit and lower parcel coverage than the interim rules had allowed. If your project assumed the 2024 or interim numbers, it needs to be re-checked against the current district.
How to check your lot
Enter your address in Amest's Address Lookup — it reads the current district for that parcel and shows the setbacks, height limit, coverage and unit count that apply to it now, along with a buildable-area diagram. You can also check the City of Calgary's own land use map.
Check what your lot can build now
Look up an address →Common questions
Did my Calgary lot's zoning change on August 4, 2026?
Most likely yes, if it is a low-density residential lot. More than 300,000 parcels reverted to the district they were in before the 2024 citywide rezoning — commonly R-C1, R-C2, R-1, R-1N or R-C1N. Only about 3,000 parcels that had already been rezoned individually kept their newer designation.
Can I still build a rowhouse or fourplex on my lot?
Only if your lot's district still allows it. The 2024 rezoning had made a rowhouse-scale district (R-CG) the base district across most low-density land. After the repeal, a lot that reverted to R-C1 or R-1 is back to one house (plus, in most cases, a secondary suite). Lots that are still R-CG, H-GO, or a multi-residential district can still do more.
Did the repeal ban basement / secondary suites?
No. A separate bylaw keeps a secondary suite a permitted use inside a single detached house in the restored R-1 and R-C1 districts, so a legal basement suite is still allowed on most lots.
How do I find out which district my lot is in now?
Enter your address in Amest's Address Lookup, or use the City of Calgary's land use map. Amest shows the current district plus the setbacks, height limit and buildable area that district allows on your specific lot.
This page is a plain-English summary for property owners, not legal or planning advice. Amest is not the City of Calgary. Parcel counts are approximate. Confirm your lot's current district and rules with the City of Calgary and a qualified professional before buying or building.