A Legacy of Segregation
Since the early 20th century, communities have used zoning to organize land use and minimize conflicts between different activities to protect public health, safety, and welfare of citizens and the environment. Over time and with social progress, we have learned how zoning has separated more than just land uses — it has segregated people.
Regardless of intention, zoning rules have and can lead to disproportionate impacts for some segments of the population. For this reason, zoning has a dual legacy: of promoting the public good and of exclusion.
Read Edmonton’s zoning history
Embedding Equity
While Edmonton has advanced Zoning Bylaw amendments that support an inclusive and equitable city — more work needs to be done. Renewing Edmonton’s Zoning Bylaw provides an opportunity to advance equity in Edmonton, including but not limited to:
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Removing people-based regulations
- Removing the differentiation of community-supported living arrangements in all residential zones to allow different ways of living together
- Creating more flexible zones to provide more attainable and affordable types of housing
- Providing more flexible regulations to accommodate informal gatherings, recreation, arts, culture and spirituality throughout the city
- Addressing any unjust processes such as privileging property owners over renters for notifications of proposed development
- Creating a bylaw that is more approachable in its presentation and easy to understand
Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) and Equity Toolkit
To ensure equity considerations are included in all aspects of the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative, the City is creating a GBA+ and Equity Toolkit to consider the unintended social impacts of our regulations and take thoughtful and decisive action to create Everyone's Edmonton.
The GBA+ and Equity Toolkit will provide administration with guidance on how best to consider concepts of equity and diversity when drafting zoning rules for the city, including:
- Acknowledging assumptions and biases at the regulation writing stage
- Identifying social inequities and identity factors
- Listening to community perspectives
- Exploring equity measures that have been or can be taken
To learn more about how the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative is embedding equity, or find out how to participate in the development of the GBA+ and Equity Toolkit, email the Zoning Bylaw team at zoningbylawrenewal@edmonton.ca