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Global News
20 hours ago
- Business
- Global News
Council draws ire of Calgary developers after ‘housekeeping' land-use changes defeated
Two groups of developers are calling out Calgary city council after proposed 'housekeeping' changes to the city's land-use bylaw were defeated, and a move to reconsider the vote was also shot down. Global News has obtained two letters sent to city council on Thursday: one from the Calgary Inner City Builders Association (CICBA), and the other from a group of 18 high-rise developers. In its letter, CICBA noted its members are 'exceedingly disappointed and frustrated' with council's decision. 'The introduction of politics to administrative, housekeeping amendments is a dangerous exercise,' the letter read. 'It reduces our ability to deliver much-needed housing units and it erodes housing affordability across the city.' Earlier this month, city council was presented with 12 amendments to the city's land-use bylaw, which outlines the rules and regulations for development of land in Calgary within each zoning district. Story continues below advertisement The updates included updated language around rear setbacks, parcel coverage and garage rules, as well as the removal of requirements for mobility storage lockers, and the removal for rezoning and public hearing for child-care services in an existing building. The proposal also included a language change around the period for appeals, aligning it with the provincial rules. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy According to the city, the amendments 'streamline process, reduce timelines and costs for applicants, and focus on enabling housing and services for families,' and were done in consultation with the building industry. However, the changes were defeated in a tie vote with councillors Sean Chu, Sonya Sharp, Dan McLean, Jennifer Wyness, Andre Chabot, and Terry Wong voting against. 'My frustration is we have a bunch of people who talk about finding efficiencies, saving money, and creating partnerships with industry, and creating more affordable housing, but at every single turn they vote against that,' said Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner. Earlier this week, council then debated a motion to reconsider the vote on the land-use bylaw amendments, which required a two-thirds majority. However, that reconsideration vote was also defeated with councillors Sharp, McLean, Wyness, Chabot, and Wong voting against. 'It was pointed out to me by several members of council that had they been able to break apart the various housekeeping changes, they felt it would've been a better decision so we prepared that,' Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek told Global News. Story continues below advertisement 'Instead (of) letting that happen, enough members of council just turned it all down again.' In the other letter to councillors, the highrise developers noted they 'do not understand' why council would 'not at least support reconsideration through voting separately on each of the individual amendments,' asking councillors to once again reconsider. 'These types of amendments represent necessary and impactful incremental improvements to our shared planning and development system,' the letter read. 'These types of amendments result in reduced red tape and costs which can increase the supply and affordability of housing.' In an interview with Global News, McLean, who represents Ward 13, said he agreed with what he read in the letter, and does support some of the housekeeping amendments, but defended his decision to vote against the reconsideration. 'I think if we broke them apart one by one they would've all passed, and I didn't want them to all pass,' he said. 'Bring them back separate if you want them to pass.' Wong, the councillor for Ward 7, told Global News in a statement that he felt five of the updates were policy matters bundled into an omnibus vote, not housekeeping. 'I voted against the reconsideration as there was no official mechanism to 'straw vote' which amendments would be supported or rejected; thus I was not confident that an amended omnibus package could be achieved,' his statement read. Story continues below advertisement Wong said he is engaged in discussions to approve some of the 'less contentious amendments' during a council meeting in June.
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
Edmonton mother pleads for suspect to turn themself in following hit-and-run that killed teen son
A mother is making a desperate plea to try and find the driver responsible for a hit and run that took the life of her 13-year-old son. 'I'm just stuck. I can't move forward,' Jessa Lynch told Global News earlier this week. Her son, Adam 'AJ' Edhi, was struck by a vehicle and killed while riding his bike in southeast Edmonton on May 29, 2024. The suspect fled the scene and still hasn't been found. The incident happened at around 4 a.m. along 34th Avenue between Mill Woods Road East and 48th Street. Lynch said Edhi was riding his bike to his girlfriend's house, something he did almost every morning, when he was struck. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Lynch describes this past year as 'a year of hell.' Story continues below advertisement Between working full time and being a single mother to her three other kids, she says she hasn't been able to properly grieve the loss of her eldest son. 'It's hard. I don't get the chance to be sad. Not given that opportunity,' she explained. Since the collision, Lynch has since moved into a new house, saying that living in her old house was too difficult. She described her late son as loud and lively, something that she misses now. 'He likes to create concoctions in the kitchen, so it's kind of different not coming home and finding a million pots on the stove,' she said. 'He was the life of the house, so it's quiet.' Edmonton Police say they are still investigating. Lynch says she has no words for the person who took her boy's life, but she calls on the driver to come forward to bring peace to her family. 'They don't seem to care at all. They've gotten away with whatever they did, and I'm the one that suffers the consequences of that,' Lynch said. A memorial will be held on May 31 at 3 p.m. to honour Edhi in the 34th Avenue and 48th Street area in Mill Woods.
Global News
a day ago
- Climate
- Global News
Manitoba residents, cottagers assess wildfire damage in Lac du Bonnet
Many residents and cottagers in Lac du Bonnet, Man., are returning to the area to assess the damage and begin cleaning up the rubble, after a raging wildfire tore through the area two weeks ago. The more than 4,000-hectare wildfire destroyed dozens of properties, scarred the landscape beyond recognition, and took the lives of two people who were unable to flee the flames. The area is barely recognizable to Ron Burley, who has lived in Lac du Bonnet for the past nine years. 'It looks like a war zone,' Burley told Global News. 'There were trees and it was lush, there was privacy. You couldn't see the lake. It was kind of nice; now, everything is just burnt and you're seeing hills of granite that I never knew were there.' View image in full screen Dozens of properties on Wendigo Road were destroyed by wildfire. Josh Arason / Global News Burley's home was spared from the wildfire, but it came close. Story continues below advertisement 'I was told it was about another 20 minutes and our area would have been gone,' he said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy He says the loss of homes and cottages in the area has meant a tough and emotional time for many families. 'There's history with those cottages,' Burley said. 'Whether it's five years, one year, or, in most of the cases with those cottages, it's 40 years or longer. It's not about it being a recreational property. It's about people's stories, their lives.' Burley himself had a harrowing escape from the wildfire, quickly finding himself surrounded by flames on the only road out. He says that experience was like staring death in the face, and is something he never wants to go through again. View image in full screen Ron Burley nearly got lost in the flames while trying to escape the wildfire in Lac du Bonnet two weeks ago. Josh Arason / Global News 'I had to drive into a fire to get out of a fire,' he said. Story continues below advertisement 'It quickly became very clear we were sitting in a death trap. We were living in a death trap with only one way out.' Burley says he's now thinking of the thousands fleeing their homes in northern Manitoba, and has one message for them. 'I made the mistake of grabbing stuff thinking I had time and grabbing materialistic things. Well, it almost cost me my life,' Burley said. 'I hope they are not making those same decisions and that they're just getting out. 'It happens so fast. When they tell you to get out, you gotta go. You just gotta go.' View image in full screen Residents say much of Wendigo Road in Lac du Bonnet is now unrecognizable. Josh Arason / Global News Lorne Schinkel, the reeve of the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet, says insurance companies are on the ground in the area assessing the damage. Story continues below advertisement He also says while the wildfire is now under control, crews are still in the area as tinder dry conditions have allowed for some flareups. 'We know there's still approximately 20 fire attack personnel working on that fire, as well as helicopter buckets being applied to different hotspots,' Schinkel said. 'I am aware that there was a flareup the other night that resulted in the fire department being called out again, and this will continue for some period of time. So everyone has to be very vigilant in the community.' Schinkel is also urging people to heed fire bans in the area. 'At the end of the day, it's still a very dangerous situation out there.'
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
N.S. missing kids: Ground search to resume as 4-week disappearance mark hits
Searchers will be back in the woods around a rural Pictou County home this weekend in the search for two missing siblings who were last seen four weeks ago. Lilly and Jack Sullivan — aged six and four — were reported missing from their home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station, N.S., on May 2. In a Friday news release, RCMP said ground search efforts are planned for Saturday and will focus on areas around Gairloch Road, as well as the nearby pipeline trail, where a boot print was previously located. 'We continue to ask that the public avoid the search area to allow trained searchers to do their work,' RCMP said. 'Any future searches will be determined based on the course of the investigation.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The extensive search for the children has involved more than 160 searchers over multiple days — involving large-scale ground and air operations, as well as the use of an underwater recovery team. Story continues below advertisement The area around the children's home is heavily wooded, with terrain made difficult by damage from Hurricane Fiona. RCMP announced on May 7 that they were scaling back their efforts, saying there was little chance the children were alive. Additional searches since then have zoned in on specific areas. On Wednesday, police said they've confirmed the two children were seen in public with family members on the afternoon of May 1, based on video evidence and eyewitness accounts. 1:56 Missing N.S. children: RCMP narrow down timeline of disappearance RCMP said investigators have collected hours of video from the areas surrounding Lansdowne Station, and are still looking for more footage. They have also received more than 355 tips and interviewed in excess of 50 people. Police have maintained there is no evidence of abduction. Story continues below advertisement The children's stepfather, Daniel Martell, told Global News this week that he's taken a polygraph test and is focused entirely on finding Lilly and Jack. 'You don't have to trust my word, but I'm the only one doing media for Jack and Lilly — trying to keep this story alive and get them found,' he said.
Global News
a day ago
- Climate
- Global News
Premier to provide update on Manitoba wildfire situation
The Manitoba government is set to provide an update on the wildfire situation as fires continue to burn across the province. Premier Wab Kinew, who declared a state of emergency earlier this week, will speak to the media Friday at 2 p.m. local time from the Manitoba Legislative Building. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Global News will stream the press conference live on this page.
