The Westbrook Communities Local Area Plan was recommended for Council approval by the Infrastructure and Planning Committee on December 8, 2022 in a 10-1 vote. A recording of Committee, presentation and attachments can be viewed online.
 
The Westbrook Communities Local Area Plan will be brought forward to a Public Hearing of Council on January 17, 2023. Anyone who is interested can participate in the Public Hearing of Council by submitting comments in writing, registering to speak or watching in-person or online.
 
For more information visit Calgary.ca/Westbrook/Realize

The much anticipated Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) will launch in January 2023, offering homeowners financing for clean energy and renewable energy home improvement projects. CEIP offers homeowners:

• Financing for up to 100% of project costs
• Competitive interest rates
• Long repayment terms (up to 20 years)
• The option to repay in full at any time without penalty
   

Become a CEIP qualified contractor

• Insulation
• Plumbing and water heating
• Ground source heat pumps
• Air source heat pumps
• EnerGuide home evaluation

Learn how CEIP can benefit your projects and your customers at Calgary.ca/CEIP.

Submit a nomination this month for the 29^th Annual Calgary Awards

In 1994, The City of Calgary established The Calgary Awards to celebrate and recognize outstanding achievements and contributions made by Calgarians. Each year, individuals, corporations, community groups, and organizations are nominated in five major award categories, for a total of 13 awards.

The 13 categories include the Heritage Award for preservation of Calgary's built and non-built heritage, including archaeology, education, and advocacy; and the Environmental Achievement Award, which recognizes leadership, innovation, and action in environmental stewardship.

Details and nomination forms for the 13 Awards can be found online at calgary.ca/calgaryawards

Incredible happens when we celebrate outstanding individuals and organizations making Calgary a great city.

The Planning Services Centre returned to the third floor of the Municipal Building (800 Macleod Trail S.E.) on Jan. 9.

Thank you for your patience throughout the temporary third-floor closure while we repaired damages from an early August break-in.

Private home-based child care providers can now apply for their new business licence online with a myID account. Council approved the new licence requirements in September 2022 to ensure minimum standards are in place to protect the health and safety of our youngest and most vulnerable Calgarians. The regulation took effect January 1, 2023.
 
Licence fees are waived until March 16, and include the cost of a police check and vulnerable sector search. After that, a licence will cost $172 plus $65 for the first adult police check and $55 for each additional adult and/or employee in the home. The fee relief period coincides with a 2.5 month grace period for operators to secure their licence.
 
Learn more about the new licensing requirements at calgary.ca/dayhome, and/or watch a pre-recorded webinar on licensing your home-based child care business.

Planning Matters advertisements and all relevant information can now be found online at calgary.ca/planningmatters. 

We have also introduced a new push-feature where you can subscribe to all planning-related news. Go to calgary.ca/planningmatters to subscribe. 

The Secondary Suites Amnesty Program was introduced four years ago to protect owners and renters from unsafe conditions that resulted in loss of life. Since the program started, more than 8,000 suites have been added to The City’s suite registry. 

Here are five reasons to legalize secondary suites before the program ends on December 31, 2023. 

1. A legal suite is a safe suite
Pulling the right permits and meeting the necessary safety code requirements ensures that properties are safe for others to live in. It protects both the owner and renter and ensures affordable housing choices are safe for renters in Calgary.

2. Take advantage of meeting basic code requirements
Suite owners must provide all bedrooms with a window exit, interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, a protected exit route from the basement to outside, drywall barriers between suites and drywall barriers in the mechanical room to meet the safety code requirements.  

3. Save money
While permit fees for building, electrical and plumbing permits still apply, suite owners can take advantage of cost-savings of up to $700 for their development permit and secondary suite registration fee.

4. Legalizing a secondary suite has never been easier
Suite owners can familiarize themselves with the permit requirements, use the Existing Secondary Suite Permit Checklist to find out if their suite meets criteria, confirm which permits they need to apply for, apply for their permits and book inspections, all through calgary.ca.

5. Renters know their suite is safe
The City of Calgary’s Secondary Suites Registry is an online, searchable map that shows every legal and safe suite in Calgary.

Tip for renters: Check before you rent. Enter the property address at secondarysuites.calgary.ca ensure your prospective rental is registered.

For more information about legalizing an existing suite or developing a new secondary suite visit calgary.ca/suites or contact the Planning Services Centre during regular hours.