May 21, 2025
Edmonton City Council has approved rezoning applications for five strategically identified Priority Growth Areas (PGAs) that each play a role in supporting the city’s housing and infrastructure as it grows toward a population of two million. These PGAs identify where the city plans to encourage developments of higher concentrations of residential, commercial and employment growth.
“Priority Growth Areas will create a strong system of nodes and corridors that encourages transit-oriented and sustainable development,” said Travis Pawlyk, Branch Manager, Development Services. “These changes are designed to support the creation of a healthy, urban, climate-resilient city where Edmontonians have access to a variety of housing and transportation options and can easily meet their daily needs close to home.”
The approved rezonings aim to encourage a mix of housing opportunities and business investment within specific nodes, which are designated urban centres, and corridors which are key main streets:
- Wîhkwêntôwin Node and 124 Street Corridor
- 156 Street and Stony Plain Road Corridors
- University-Garneau Node
“The rezonings in these priority areas build on what we already know about these areas: they are well served by transit, in high demand by residents and are hubs of economic activity,” said Shauna Kuiper, Director, Planning Coordination. “More housing options will be critical for the students, individuals and families that will one day make their home alongside existing members of the communities.”
The benefits of Priority Growth Areas include:
- Creating more certainty for applicants and the surrounding community on what types of developments will be encouraged and supported in these areas.
- Reducing the costs and risks associated with developer-initiated rezonings, which helps streamline the development process and make it easier to build new homes and businesses.
- Unlocking land supply in our existing neighbourhoods to incentivize the development of a wider range of housing options and more diverse economic and employment opportunities.
- Proactively identifying infrastructure such as water, drainage and transportation considerations to support the increased density enabled by the proposed rezonings.
The rezoning applications were developed following a comprehensive technical review and extensive public engagement, ensuring that the proposed changes reflect both city-wide goals and local needs. The rezoning process involved numerous opportunities for public input, including community meetings, online engagement and a public hearing.
