CALGARY SECONDARY SUITES

Calgary has one of the toughest rental vacancy rates on the continents (1.4%). Secondary Suites (in home or above garage apartments) are touted as a way to provide more housing and to help homeowners with heft mortgages. Yet, neighbours often appeal these suites. Journalism students at MRU looked at four years of appeals at Calgary's planning authority and analyzed the data. We provide information on every property under appeal including photographs. We found a series of unclear and often arbitrary decisions. Sometimes, rules are adhered to. Sometimes there are relaxations. The city has now quadrupled the fee to launch an appeal.