Bronconnier floats idea of legalizing basement suites

Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier, who is campaigning for re-election, promised a new program to helplegalize the city'ssecondary suites during an announcement Tuesday of new money for low-cost housing.

Bronconnier said the province has agreed to spend $160 million over the next three years to buy more affordable housing in Calgary, rather than have the city building new units on land it owns. That also prevents the conversion ofmore rental apartments into condo units.

The money is part of the infrastructure funding the provincial government announced earlier this month.

"Trading cash for keys makes much more sense, rather than the city trying to take a site and then go through the whole exercise of getting an architect and a builder and putting all this together," Bronconnier said.

Bronconnier campaigning for re-election

In a speech to developers, the two-term Calgary mayor unveiledthe plan to cut the red tape and offer cash incentives to legalize the city's 50,000 illegal secondary suites.

Those suites currently have to go through a long, burdensome process to see if they meet city building codes or run into any objections by neighbours.

Bronconnier, who is running for re-election on Oct. 15, proposed city funding of up to $25,000 to owners who convert part of their homes into secondary suites and agree to rent them out for the next 20 years.

Mayoral candidate Alnoor Kassam slammed the idea in a news release. "Bronconnier does nothing for six years and now during an election campaign, he tries to disguise his continued refusal to legalize secondary suites as a policy change," Kassam's release said.

Secondary suites perceived as problems

A housing developer who listened to Bronconnier's speech said the biggest resistance to secondary suites comes from homeowners in well-established communities.

David Poppitt, planning director with WestCreek Developments, said city hall will have to fight the perception that secondary suites lead to noisy tenants and parking problems in neighbourhoods.

Poppitt believes the city should focus on housing initiatives close to Calgary's downtown.

"It is very important that affordable housing be created in those communities because the infrastructure is all in place, it's paid for and it's there," he said.