Outside theRivers District
Transit-oriented development is an approach to land-use planning that locates high-density, mixed-use development within walking distance of frequent transit services. A transit-oriented community (TOC) [link] typically incorporates a variety of land uses including residential, commercial/retail and vital amenities like childcare and community centres.
Transit-oriented development promotes the creation of complete, livable and sustainable communities by building more homes near transit and services.
In developing our strategic plan for 2025 to 2029, CMLC worked with our Board to consider the organization’s long-term vision and explore how we can continue to create value for our shareholder and for Calgary.
Crafted to ensure we identify and pursue opportunities that align with CMLC’s skill set and maximize the value we deliver to our shareholder and the city, the following planning principles have guided our efforts and analysis throughout this process:
1) Give priority to district and community-building work
2) Tackle the tough projects
3) Pursue projects that make the highest and best use of CMLC capacity by leveraging our skill set to deliver sustainable financial, social and environmental impacts
4) Ensure CMLC has the ability and accountability to influence and manage success
5) Pursue opportunities only after careful risk assessment including reputation, partnership viability, demonstrated track record of aligned values and project success criteria
6) Ensure the ability to pursue goals within our current funding model (Rivers District CRL) or a similar sustainable funding model.
Home is Here
The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy 2024–2030 is driven by the goal of increasing housing supply at a time of crucial need in Calgary. CMLC has the talent and the know-how to deliver strategic TOC development that creates value for our shareholder in each of the following four categories.
1 - Strategic oversight and partnership
CMLC will navigate the projects, establishing a successful outcome for each asset, securing funding to advance the work and leveraging established relationships with The City of Calgary and industry partners.
2 - Proven skill with complex projects
Developing land adjacent to active transit stations is a complex undertaking requiring keen attention to detail—precisely the type of work CMLC has built our reputation on. We will take a portfolio approach to TOC sites, allowing us to maximize financial return and optimize planning by skilfully balancing multiple projects. And we’ll work with our partners at The City to remove barriers to development and attract investment into these communities.
3 - Community Building
While the work will be sensitive and require extensive community consultation, we see an opportunity to curate and deliver inclusive spaces and placemaking opportunities that create intentional interactions.
4 - Alignment with City of Calgary goals
Our work in TOC development will align seamlessly with The City of Calgary’s housing strategy, whose hallmarks are urgency and volume; its transit-oriented development policy; and its aspirations for sustainable development.
The Opportunity
Through investment in meaningful infrastructure improvements and placemaking measures in established areas, TOD increases density and amenities around transit-oriented sites. This in turn generates market interest and attracts partnership and private investment while enhancing community character and identity. By expanding a community’s amenity and service offerings, creating a range of market and non-market housing opportunities, and improving mobility and access, TOC improves a community’s liveability and quality of life. This is also an opportunity for The City to leverage the capacity and capabilities of a trusted, wholly owned subsidiary to support its needs and remove the barriers currently limiting the attractiveness of these lands to private industry. We will remove barriers and work with public and private industry to develop these lands.
Approach + Progress
CMLC has been working with The City to examine the development potential for several sites along Calgary’s LRT Red Line. In fall 2024, CMLC worked with The City to develop a funding ask to support TOC development outside the Rivers District. In November, Council approved $20 million to initiate planning and analysis and to establish development priorities.
Strategic Land Opportunities
As we embark on our new strategic plan for 2025 to 2029—continuing to honour our commitments inside the Rivers District and expanding into new communities beyond its boundaries—we will ambitiously seek long-term opportunities that leverage our team’s capabilities to meet the needs of our shareholder and the city it serves. As always, we will seek to support The City in analyzing and assessing district-scale opportunities like West Village, and we will be a willing partner in realizing those opportunities in whatever way The City sees fit to use our city-building expertise and our placemaking talents.
Next Steps
In 2025, CMLC will initiate the early stages of planning and development for future TOC sites. This will include initial development analysis and planning for priority sites and associated public engagement in communities where development is being considered.