HEDGE DEBATE
Bowness/ Montgomery Feature
Avoiding overabundant foliage in the yard DONNA BALZER A11
Community pride in the northwest
A8 – A9 FREE july 3 to july 9 2015 issue 05-25 editorial 403-781-1324 advertising 403-263-4940 crebnow@creb.ca
real estate news from industry experts
KELSEY HIPKIN
reeporter/photographer
H
opping in the shower or flushing the toilet is going to take its toll on Calgarians’ wallets in coming
years. Calgary’s current model for development levies is set to recover 50 per cent of the cost of water drained from
your tap or toilet. Storm water is 100 per cent covered by developers. Yet that’s not sustainable for utilities coming to the city down the line – in the form of a $14-million shortfall for new water and sewage infrastructure this year. “When growth happens, it creates a lot of additional costs to the municipality. You need a lot of infrastructure to support new communities,” said Kathy Dietrich manager of growth management with the City of Calgary. “There’s always a concern if the charges that we put on the cost of a new development will just end up raising the cost of the homes. But the infrastructure that’s needed to serve communities is needed regardless. So you can pay for it through a number of
MLS® TOTAL SALES* MAY ‘13 – MAY ‘15
2190 1782
1779
1957
2145
2146
2263
2328
2664
2539
2481
1217
MAY13 JUN13 JUL13 AUG13 SEP13 OCT13 NOV13 DEC13 JAN14 FEB14 MAR14 APR14 MAY14 JUN14 JUL14 AUG14 SEP14 OCT14 NOV14 DEC14 JAN15 FEB15 MAR15 APR15 MAY15
880
1082
1172
1439
1724
tion levies, so developers did. And the City came back at the last negotiation in 2011 and said, ‘Oops we have a problem, we need you guys to start paying half of the water now and 100 per cent of the storm.’ So we did.” With growth comes increased cost, and Huntingford said he doesn’t think people appreciate the “meteoric” growth Calgary has seen in the last three years. From 2012 to 2014, Calgary’s population increased by more than 67,000 residents to a total population of 1,195,194. “I don’t think people appreciate the enormous pressure that was put on the system from the City’s point of view, but also from the industry’s point of view trying to continue to build at a furious pace to deal with all these peo-
*All statistics based on monthly data compiled by CREB® via MLS® activity. Includes detached, attached and apartment.
POPULAR CAPITOL HILL
EXECUTIVE BUNGALOW
CAMBRIAN HEIGHTS
Unbeatable Value!!
Gorgeous Park-like Lot
A Must to See!!
Beautifully upgraded infill across from Confederation Park. Walk to downtown! $645,000 MLS®C4017674
Custom built, immaculate bungalow on a quiet cul-de-sac in Shawnee Estates. $719,900 MLS®C4013045
Beautiful family home in a great location! Stunning renovation - no stone left unturned! $749,900 MLS®C4012911
$105.94 $32.64
2017
2018
Calgary’s rapid growth of late will result in increased fees for residents. Build Calgary, a collaboration of the City and stakeholders, is heading up new off-site levy bylaw negotiations for new development.
ple,” said Huntingford. As a result, Calgarians will see an increase in their annual fees and taxes. This year, residents will spend about $83 on water/wastewater, a number that is expected to grow to more than $105 by 2018.
LEVIES A3
AREA SUPPORTS CONTENTS NEWS BRIEFS PROVINCE FIVE THINGS CONCERNING EVENT LISTING AFFORDABLE POP THE QUESTION HOUSING Climate change
1850
1948
1918
2190
2265
2305
2535
2945
CITY OF CALGARY
different tools. One of them is off-site levies.” In 2011, an Off-Site Levy Bylaw took effect until a new bylaw would be prepared for the end of this year. That bylaw set out the 50 per cent agreement, aiding the growth of new communities in Calgary, yet adding a new cost to builders. “Developers were told back in the ’90s, ‘You don’t have to pay for water, we’ll take care of it because we’ll get it through increases in utility rates, so the utilities will go up to cover the cost of putting the pipes in the ground and paying for the water’”, said Guy Huntingford, CEO of Urban Development Institute (UDI). “As a result, we wanted developers to pay a great deal more for transporta-
2016
$27.72
$23.40
$83.40
$90.32
Water/wastewater
2015 A look at Calgary’s development and off-site levies
$97.82
Drainage
$19.92
THE COST OF GROWTH
Projected annual increases in fees/taxes
................................
A3
...................................
A4
..............................
A6
.......................
A6
Mary Moran, CED President
CREB® STAFF
T
he Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) is applauding the Alberta government’s announcement it will not introduce rent controls, but instead look to increase the number of affordable rentals in the province.
INDUSTRY A3
MUNICIPAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7 Secondary suites
MORTGAGE RATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7 HOW TO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A10 Enjoy your own backyard
MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1 OPEN HOUSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B23 @crebnow
/crebnow
crebnow.com
info@thehomehunters.com
www . thehomehunters . com sutton group canwest
Call Steve, Grant or Randy if you are considering buying or selling a home, or if you have any questions about the current real estate market!
403-460-2211