Updated District Policy and Plans
Read the revised 2023 draft District Policy and district plans in preparation for public engagement this fall.
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The City Plan introduces a new planning geography called districts. Districts are collections of diverse neighbourhoods where residents can meet most of their daily needs within a 15-minute walk, roll or transit trip from their homes.
District Planning is about changing the way Edmonton plans and supports development and growth to move us closer to our vision for a more connected, prosperous, healthy and climate-resilient city of 2-million people.
The District Planning project is not about restricting movement, monitoring people or tracking an individual’s carbon emissions.
The project has 3 main components:
Edmonton’s communities are its lifeblood and will continue to provide us with the opportunity to turn our time and attention to things that really matter, like a connection with each other and to the greater good.
Scroll through District Maps with Neighbourhoods to find which district you live in.
The project’s final public engagement phase is scheduled from October 23 until December 1, 2023.
Thank you to everyone who shared feedback on the draft district plans in 2022. Read the
summarizing the feedback and engagement.Sign up for updates on the District Planning project.
Edmonton’s planning system needs more than just a tune-up. It’s made up of hundreds of small geographic plans, many of them more than 30 years old, that no longer serve our city like they used to. This is why The City Plan introduced a called districts — so we can plan for the future in a new way.
Since a plan for every neighbourhood isn’t feasible — Edmonton has over 400 neighbourhoods — The City Plan groups collections of diverse neighbourhoods across Edmonton into 15 districts. The District Planning project is about building a plan for each district. District plans support The City Plan by communicating and illustrating how each district is intended to change and densify when Edmonton reaches its 1.25 million population milestone.
When city planning focuses on a broader district level, it helps us be more thoughtful and efficient with our infrastructure like roads, transit and parks. District Planning will describe how the City is supporting more housing, businesses, amenities and transportation options in each district as we welcome more Edmontonians within our city’s current boundaries.
The intention is to move Edmonton towards a city where everyone enjoys access to amenities and services within a 15-minute walk, roll or transit ride from their home. Though, districts are not meant to be self-contained. For some households, 15-minute access could mean visiting nearby districts.
District Planning is not about restricting movement, monitoring people or tracking an individual’s carbon emissions, and nothing will be put in place to do so.
The City Plan sets the vision for Edmonton’s growth to a population of 2 million people. District plans and the Zoning Bylaw Renewal will both play a role in guiding future development to achieve this vision.
Zoning sets regulations (the rules) for what can be built on your property through the development permit process, including what activities and businesses can happen there, as well as building height, location and footprint controls (among other things).
Zoning determines the development potential of a site today. If the zone allows single-detached, duplex or row housing, that is what can be built there. As new homes and businesses are developed to welcome more Edmontonians, the City’s Development Planners will ensure that all proposed developments follow these rules.
District plans will set the policy direction to guide Edmonton’s gradual redevelopment as our city grows to 1.25 million people. They will provide direction for future development by informing the rezoning process, which is a formal public process.
When an application to rezone a property is made, the City’s Development Planner will determine if the proposed development aligns with policies in the relevant district plan (and any other relevant statutory plan) as part of their analysis. They will provide a recommendation to City Council on whether or not the rezoning should be approved and City Council will make the final decision.
The District Planning project is not proposing to rezone any land across the city. This means that your underlying zone will not change if district plans are adopted at the City Council Public Hearing in May 2024.
Check out the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative to learn more about Edmonton’s proposed new Zoning Bylaw.
Building and maintaining a city is expensive. As a city grows outwards and new taxpayers help pay for its costs, there are also new roads to plow and pave, new pipes to connect and new parks to mow.
The City Plan seeks to shift how Edmonton will grow to manage these costs, targeting 50% of growth to happen in infill areas citywide. By growing in existing areas of the city, new residents can make use of existing infrastructure and facilities.
As Edmonton grows to 1.25 million residents, growth will still continue in planned communities at the edges of the city’s boundaries but redevelopment will be primarily encouraged and supported in existing nodes and corridors. This builds on the City’s infill strategies and will help Edmonton transition from growing out to growing in and up.
District plans will help prioritize specific areas for development to support vibrant communities and efficient use of resources.
Visit the Growth Management Framework project website for more information on how the City will manage its growth.