Saskatoon City Council has voted in favour of rezoning the areas close to the planned Bus Rapid Transit system in established neighbourhoods.

Administration says the goal of this is to incentivize infill housing development by simplifying the process of creating new housing within the Corridor Growth Area. Administration will now lead a rezoning application on behalf of individual landowners who have expressed interest in rezoning their property to Corridor Station Mixed Use.

Rezoning property to a Corridor Station Mixed Use would facilitate three- to six-storey mixed-use developments along major transportation corridors near transit station locations in the Corridor Growth Area.

Approving this initiative was one step of five that need to be implemented in order to receive $41 million in funding through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund, something that City Council is divided on.

Councilor Randy Donauer says he voted against the program when it was first presented to City Council in 2019, and his opinion hasn’t changed.

“If the federal government has money for homelessness and affordable housing, they should distribute it. It’s regrettable that the federal government is holding us hostage or bullying municipalities by having federal funding tied to these zoning changes.”

Those who voted in favour of partial rezoning to allow for increased housing also admitted that the process was rushed, and engagement was poor.

Councilor Cynthia Block says, “Despite the restrictions and the horrible time frame, I think we have a responsibility to move this forward.”

Councilor Mairen Loewen added that the plan is not perfect, and there are things she would like to do differently, however the principles are aligned with the values and approach that City Council has already endorsed, so she supports it.

Council voted 7-4 in favour of the motion, with councilors Jeffries, Dubois, Hill and Donauer opposing.

Next, City Council will decide whether or not to permit four dwelling units on a site in residential zoning districts and four storey multiple-unit development within 800 metres of a planned bus rapid transit station, a topic that nearly 60 citizens spoke on at yesterday’s public hearing.