Mayor Nenshi on legalizing secondary suites for Calgarians

Mayor Nenshi discusses his proposal to legalizing secondary suites throughout Calgary.

Whatever your opinion on this issue, we encourage you to let your Council representatives know. Your voice will play a significant role in the coming debate. You can contact your alderman (http://bit.ly/g8zRqO) or Mayor Nenshi (via www.calgarymayor.ca) to let your opinion be heard.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• secondary suites
• calgary
• yyc
• suiteyyc
• city council
• yyccc

[ShazzMack]

Great summary & perspective, Mr. Mayor! :)

Good to hear you're working with the province to ensure regulations are logical & manageable for landlords (e.g. regulations like furnaces, etc.) ... that will help out for sure. Folks, we can also learn how other Canadian cities have done this successfully & work together here in Calgary to implement a good solution for our city.

[codyellis22]

Hahahahahah

90% of these comments make no sense...it's like a four kids in Jr. High are sitting around the computer lab trying to string coherent sentences together...go back to playing Warcraft and let the adults talk now.

Bottom line: it's wrong to pretend unsafe housing doesn't exist, one way or another our Aldermen need to act with leadership and do SOMETHING about these suites, they're already there!

[ATrustedAuthority]

This really would help young people get their first home. the suite is a 'mortgage helper' when they are just starting out, and later as their children are growing, the suite becomes a family room. And even later when the kids leave home it can be a suite again with renters supplementing pensions. It is a long term help to families.

[iglobalcast]

Mr Mayor when you talk about the other major cities already zoned R2 what cities have not? When you talk Toronto are you talking Missisauga,Oakville and outlying cities. When you talk Vancouver are you talking about Richmond,Surrey and New Westminister etc... there is a big difference between those areas and Calgary they have numerous cities in the same area as Calgary . Gee theres a thought many cities within the area that is now Calgary.. hmm that might be an idea

[iglobalcast]

Mr Nenshi if you were so caring for the girl with MS you would give her a tax break with the recent refund from the province . Calgary’s own plans for a 4.4-per-cent hike, and it could be crunched down to only 1.2 per cent for residential taxpayers (a bit more for business or industrial property owners). Or, the city can decide to spend that $42 million in “tax room.” nope you just want to grab it.

[tocantinsfan]

Faced with the opportunity to give Calgarians $42 million in property-tax relief, Mayor Naheed Nenshi wants to commit it instead to the city’s massive borrowing costs and projects like libraries and rec centres.

[tocantinsfan]

@ShazzMack While I agree regulations are needed for rental quality the problem is the illegal suite landlord that is benefiting under the table. As far as other cities ,If I wanted to live in another city I would have .. whats good for Toronto ,Vancouver etc is good for them. Because everyone else does something doesn't mean its right. Enforce and eliminate the illegal suites and promote the high density residences in the R2 areas where they were designated,designed and promised to be.

[tocantinsfan]

@AdeleMS Exactly the only reason the rents are cheaper in suites is because they are usually paid under the table with no tax paid and illegal .They will put downward pressure on real estate prizes as rent is tied to affordability or desirability of home purchase. Then look at all those poor new homeowners when they can't renew their mortgages because the appraisels are to low and have to come up with major cash to renew their mortgage.

[tocantinsfan]

@tonyisserious the slumming down of Calgary

[tocantinsfan]

@acsial thats the whole issue on secondary housing most of the commentors are students,non-homeowners ,Real estate developers and slumlords.

[tocantinsfan]

I like his arrogance on the TV today when asked about the refund on property tax from the Provincial government or possibly using it to lower the current tax raise. His comment "Its only 3 dollars a month" and then went on to say he could find better use for the money. Well Mr Nenshi it is that smug spend spend and Fxxx the homeowner is your biggest mistake. 3 bucks here throw a couple garbage bins and so on will be your undoing.

[iglobalcast]

And as far as that goes anyone who doesn't own property in an effected R1 area should have no say in this issue as it is not their business.