Calgary council to debate development pause, infrastructure review for Bowness, Montgomery

A proposal to halt high-density development in two northwest Calgary neighbourhoods for a review into critical infrastructure in the area has cleared its first hurdle at city hall.

The motion, from Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp and Ward 7 Coun. Terry Wong, requests an analysis of the major infrastructure in Bowness and Montgomery including roads, water, and wastewater following June’s critical rupture of the Bearspaw feeder main.

However, the motion also calls for a temporary pause on new developments of four units or more in those neighbourhoods until the review is complete in June 2025.

“We’re not saying don’t build in Bowness or Montgomery ever again, that’s not what this is about” Sharp told reporters. “Give it a pause so we can understand the stability, the solid foundation, to build housing, affordable and everyday homes.”

The duo argues residents in Bowness and Montgomery have had an impact to their quality of life due to “repeated infrastructure failures and resulting disruptions” following the feeder main break, which prompted boil water advisories and construction detours throughout the summer.

“We want to be sure there’s continuity of service, and the risk management plans associated with that are well-placed… and most importantly, that the water that comes out is clean and safe,” Wong said Thursday.

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A technical review of the motion was approved 7-3, with Couns. Dan McLean, Jasmine Mian and Kourtney Penner opposed; Penner noted concerns the temporary pause on development could lead to legal issues.

City solicitor and general counsel Jill Floen told committee there could be a legal risk around the development pause, with the applicant of a rejected development permit having the right to appeal the decision or challenge it in the courts.

“We simply need to make decisions on applications that are submitted to us,” she said. “We, of course, need to work with applicants and explain the rationale behind the decisions that we are going to make, and then the ball is in their court to determine whether or not they’re going to challenge that.”

Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek said she plans to take a deeper look at the intent of Sharp and Wong’s motion before it goes before council later this month.

“I think we need to be very cautious at a time when we’re trying to deliver housing, and we’re putting, effectively, on any kind of housing being delivered,” Gondek told reporters.

“A healthy debate will be had and we’ll figure out what our colleagues are actually trying to accomplish.”

The motion is getting criticism from housing advocacy group More Neighbours Calgary, claiming the motion’s intent is to block new housing in two communities.

“There’s no evidence that the water main break from this summer was was because we built more buildings,” the organization’s co-founder Willem Klumpenhouwer said in an interview. “I think that argument is quite weak, connecting those two things together.”

Klumpenhouwer said he is in favour of reviewing infrastructure capacity, but is opposed to “putting a freeze in a housing crisis on reasonable development.”

However, the move is being applauded by some residents in Bowness.

“Take that second, look into everything, there’s buildings going up everywhere,” Bowness resident Stephen Olszewski said. “You need new piping, you need new systems, and clean up the act.”

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