Alberta government tells Edmonton to dump infill rules, cites parking, property value

Alberta's government says it's ordering the city of Edmonton to revert to its old rules for infill housing development.

Premier Danielle Smith says the city's policies, which have largely been in place since 2024, are too permissive and are harming homeowners by reducing property values and creating parking headaches.

The 2024 changes paved the way for housing redevelopment across much of Edmonton in an effort to increase density and manage population growth.

Smith says the goal can't just be to build more housing, and that more attention needs to be paid on making sure new developments are properly integrated into the existing community.

She says Edmonton city council will have three months to comply, after which it will be required to review and consult on its land use rules.

The province is also ordering Calgary to maintain its current rules after that city's council backtracked on its own zoning policies earlier this year. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2026.

By Jack Farrell | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.