Hotel amendments
Project summary
Why is the City proposing a policy change?
Calgary has invested in major projects in the Culture + Entertainment District (C+E), including the BMO Centre expansion and the new event centre. These investments help attract conventions, major events, and visitors to Calgary.
To support tourism growth and maximize the return of the investments made, more hotel rooms are needed near The C+E. Hotels can unlock opportunities for longer visits and help Calgary attract bigger events and conventions, which is important for supporting continued growth in the tourism sector and increasing visitor spending.
What policy change is being proposed?
Hotel developments often need more space because they can include extensive amenities, such as restaurants and shops, and significant service areas needed to support hotel operations.
To encourage new hotel development, Downtown Strategy (The City of Calgary) is exploring policy changes that would allow additional hotel floor area beyond what is currently permitted by policy. This policy change will apply in selected areas of Beltline for a limited period of time to enable additional hotel density in areas where higher-density and larger-scale buildings are already envisioned under existing Beltline policy. The scale of future hotel proposals would depend on the specifics proposed by each project, and all future hotel proposals will continue to be reviewed through the Development Permit process.
Why does this matter?
The proposed policy amendments aim to attract hotel investments by streamlining the development application approval process, while continuing to support high-quality and modern hotel development.
New hotel development supports local businesses, increase activity in the neighbourhood, attracts investment, strengthens non-residential tax base, and provides a broader range of businesses, services and amenities for Beltline residents, Calgarians and visitors.
Tell us what you think
Help shape the future of Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District. Share your thoughts on the proposed Beltline policy changes that support new hotel development in the Culture + Entertainment District.
Proposed amendments to support The C+E by enabling hotels
To support The Culture + Entertainment District and attract new hotel developments, Downtown Strategy (City of Calgary) is proposing amendments to the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP): Parts 1 & 2 and Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 Centre City Districts.
The proposed amendments are intended to:
- Recognize hotel as an important use in Beltline and a key component of The Culture + Entertainment District; and
- Reduce regulatory barriers that can affect the delivery of hotel projects.
The proposed amendments include:
Density exclusion
Density exclusion
Amendment 1. Temporary hotel floor density exclusion
This amendment proposes temporarily excluding a portion of hotel uses from floor area (density) calculations during the Development Permit process within a targeted Hotel Density Exclusion Policy Area. The policy area includes:
- Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan Part 1: Along the CP Railway to 12 Avenue, between 8 Street S.W. and 1 Street S.E. (See map 5); and
- Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan Part 2: Between 1 Street and Macleod Trail S.E., and between the CP Railway and 12 Avenue, west of 5 Street S.E. (See map 6).
This proposed density exclusion will remain in effect until December 31, 2031. The project team is currently exploring and is seeking feedback on the scope of eligible hotel uses and the extent of density exclusion, including an option with a cap on how much hotel density can be excluded in an application. This change is intended to catalyze new hotel developments near The C+E, where higher-density, larger-scale mixed-use buildings are already envisioned under the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan.
Map 5. Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan: Part 1 – Map 5: Density Areas (proposed hotel density exclusion)
Map 6. Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan: Part 2 – Map 6: Density Areas (proposed hotel density exclusion)
Building design relaxations
Building design relaxations
Amendment 2. Allowing the Development Authority to consider relaxations to building design rules, on an application-by-application basis
This amendment will allow the Development Authority to consider relaxations to certain building design rules in the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan where appropriate, on a case-by-case basis. The project team is currently exploring the scope of eligible building design rules.
This amendment will provide greater regulatory flexibility to address hotel brand requirements while continuing to support high-quality design outcomes.
What this means for hotel development applications
The proposed changes can reduce the approval timelines, project risks and soft costs associated with hotel projects during the Development Permit approval process, making projects more feasible.
Hotel density exclusion
Because a portion of hotel floor area will not count towards floor area (density) calculations, hotel developments within the Hotel Density Exclusion Policy Area (maps 5 and 6) may achieve additional density. The amount of density realized will depend on the specifics of each development application and the amount of hotel floor area proposed. In some instances, hotel developments may exceed the current maximum density identified in the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan.
To reduce major impacts associated with additional density, the proposed temporary hotel density exclusion targets areas identified in the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan Parts 1 and 2 where:
- Higher-density and larger-scale buildings are envisioned (i.e., areas with higher density maximums); and
- Hotel is supported as a use in mixed-use areas.
The floor area exemption only applies to uses important for hotel operation and does not exempt other non-hotel uses from floor area calculations, even if they are proposed in the same development. This means that non-hotel uses will continue to be subject to existing density policies and regulations.
Allowing the Development Authority to consider relaxations to building design rules
The proposed amendment will provide the Development Authority with the ability to consider relaxations to certain building design rules, where appropriate, to better accommodate hotel brands’ and operators’ requirements.
All hotel development applications will continue to be evaluated through the standard Development Permit process.
Next steps
The City is informing community groups and industry members and collecting feedback about the proposed amendments. A summary of the targeted outreach will be included in the reports to Committee and Council later this year.
The project team will review the internal and external feedback from community groups and industry members and will work towards preparing a final version of these draft amendments to be presented to Infrastructure and Planning Committee on November 4, 2026 for recommendation to Council for a Public Hearing in December 2026.
Please submit your feedback to downtownstrategy@calgary.ca.
Timeline
Frequenty asked questions
Terminology
- Floor area ratio: Floor Area Ratio (FAR) shows how much building space there is compared to the land size. You calculate FAR by dividing the building's total floor area by the lot size.
- Maximum density: Maximum density is the maximum floor area ratio a development can achieve currently without a land use amendment. The density maximums of each parcel within Beltline are outlined in the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) Part 1 and Part 2 (Refer to Chapter 5 of the Beltline ARP Part 1 and Section 3.4 of the Beltline ARP Part 2).
- The Culture + Entertainment District: The Culture + Entertainment District (C+E) covers 286 acres of land in Calgary’s downtown eastside of east Victoria Park. It is envisioned as a vibrant, high-density, mixed-use community with a focus on entertainment. For details, please visit Calgary's New City Neighbourhood | Culture + Entertainment District
Why are these amendments being proposed?
The proposed amendments are intended to make it easier to develop hotels near the BMO Centre and the Culture + Entertainment District. Tourism Calgary has identified a need for 3,000 additional hotel rooms near the BMO Centre to compete at the level of other major convention cities. By reducing regulatory barriers, the proposed changes will help support additional hotel development near The Culture + Entertainment District and maximize the economic benefits of Calgary’s recent investments in major event and convention infrastructure.
How does density exclusion work?
Under the proposed amendments, eligible floor area used for hotel operations will not be included in the floor area ratio (FAR) / density calculations during the Development Permit application process within the Hotel Density Exclusion Policy Area.
Density exclusion is an existing tool in the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan: Part 1. Currently, floor area associated with three-bedroom residential units is partially excluded from floor area calculations to encourage a greater variety of housing options within the neighbourhood. The proposed hotel density exclusion will apply a similar approach to support hotel developments in strategic locations.
What portions of a hotel will be excluded from floor area calculations? Will ancillary uses also be exempt?
The project team is currently evaluating which hotel components can be eligible for the density exclusion. As hotels are considered critical supporting infrastructure for the Culture + Entertainment District, the focus is on hotel spaces that are important for hotel operations.
Potential eligible hotel components being explored include:
- Guest rooms;
- Hotel circulation areas (e.g., hallways and lobbies);
- Hotel amenities (e.g., fitness and wellness facilities, restaurants and retail);
- Conference and meeting facilities; and
- Back-of-house spaces.
The proposed density exclusion is intended to support hotel operations and will not apply to non-hotel uses within a mixed-use development. The project team is currently seeking feedback to help refine the scope of eligible hotel components.
Can hotel developments propose density above the maximum density in the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan? How will the maximum density be applied?
The density proposed for a hotel development will be evaluated through the individual Development Permit application process. Under the proposed amendments, eligible hotel floor area will be excluded from floor area calculations, which may allow some hotel developments to achieve additional density than the current maximum density identified in the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan without requiring a land use amendment application.
As a result, some hotel developments may propose densities that exceed the density maximums identified in the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan. This flexibility is intended to help accommodate the unique operational, design, and amenity requirements of hotels and hotel brands, while reducing some of the costs, risks, and time associated with the regulatory process.
For mixed-use developments, only eligible hotel floor area will be excluded from floor area calculations. All non-hotel uses will continue to be subject to existing density policies.
The project team is continuing to evaluate how the density exclusion should be applied, including whether a ceiling for exclusion may be appropriate. The project team is seeking feedback on the proposed approach, including the scope and application of the density exclusion.
Does the density exclusion or relaxation of building massing and separation rules automatically approve a hotel development application?
No. Hotel developments will continue to be reviewed through the Development Permit process and evaluated against applicable planning policies, Land Use Bylaw regulations, and other technical requirements. The proposed amendments do not guarantee approval of a Development Permit application.
Will hotel density be exempt outside of the Hotel Density Exclusion Policy Area?
No. The proposed hotel density exclusion will only apply to new hotel developments within the Hotel Density Exclusion Policy Area. The targeted approach is intended to encourage hotel developments in strategic locations.
The proposed boundary focuses on areas:
- Where hotels are already supported as a use under the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan;
- Where higher-intensity, higher-density mixed-use developments are already envisioned by the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan; and
- Near The Culture + Entertainment District to help support convention-, event- and visitor-related demand.
The project team is also engaging with Stampede and Calgary Municipal Land Corporation and is seeking feedback to explore if there is an opportunity to include additional strategic hotel sites within the Culture + Entertainment District and Stampede Park. These sites and areas can be included within the Hotel Density Exclusion Policy Area boundary, as appropriate.
Is there an expiry date for the proposed hotel density exclusion?
Yes, the proposed hotel density exclusion will remain in effect until December 31, 2031. This allows the project team to pilot and evaluate the effectiveness of the amendments in supporting new hotel developments near The C+E. The temporary nature is also intended to accelerate and catalyze new hotel developments during a period of significant investments and growth in The Culture + Entertainment District, including the BMO Centre expansion and Scotia Place. Additional hotel rooms are identified as an important component of supporting future convention, event and visitor demand.