Calgary's Municipal Development Plan (MDP)
Calgary’s Municipal Development Plan (MDP)
First adopted in 2009, the MDP is Calgary's long-term plan for growth. It is required by provincial legislation. It was updated incrementally overtime and now includes:
- Volume 1: Municipal Development Plan
- Volume 2: Community Guidebooks
- Volume 3: Calgary Transportation Plan
The MDP and CTP shaped how Calgary has grown over the last 15 years. They served the city well but significant population growth and outdated policy has led to the development of the Calgary Plan which is proposed to replace the current plans. The Calgary Plan will be presented to Council in 2027.
Common questions about the MDP
Why does Calgary need a MDP?
The MDP helps guide decisions about how Calgary grows. It supports decisions about:
- where new growth happens
- how communities are planned and built
- how roads, transit and infrastructure support a growing city
Under Alberta legislation, all municipalities in Alberta are required to have a municipal development plan. The MDP provides a framework for decisions about land use, development, investment, transportation and infrastructure.
Like any long-term plan, it needs to be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changing needs and priorities.
Why is a new plan needed now?
Calgary's current MDP and CTP were first approved in 2009. Although they were updated in 2020 (adopted by Council in early 2021), they have not had a full review in more than 15 years. Since then, Calgary has grown quickly. Between 2021 and 2025, about 300,000 new residents moved to the city. This growth was unanticipated by the current MDP and CTP, and has increased demand for housing, transportation, infrastructure and services.
The current plans were not designed for today's rate of growth. They are also spread across three volumes of documents, which can make them harder to use and apply consistently.
The proposed Calgary Plan brings land use and transportation policies together in one document that is proposed to replace the current volumes of the MDP.
The draft Calgary Plan is designed to be easier to understand, use and update as Calgary continues to grow and change.
Why not just update the existing MDP?
Council can continue to make changes to the MDP. However, many updates over the years have made the current documents complex and more difficult to apply consistently.
The Calgary Plan takes a different approach. Instead of updating multiple plans, it brings land use and transportation policies together in one document.
By bringing policies together, the Calgary Plan:
Better connects housing, land use and transportation planning.
Reduces duplication and overlap.
Supports access to parks, natural areas and recreation opportunities.
Makes policies easier to understand and use.
Improves clarity and consistency.
Better aligns decisions about growth, infrastructure and transportation.
The Calgary Plan also reflects community feedback, current growth trends and work completed through the City Building Program. It provides an updated foundation that can continue to evolve through future Council direction and public input.
Monitoring progress
The MDP and CTP set long-term goals to help guide Calgary's growth. To support a consistent understanding and application of the plans, a Guide to the Municipal Development Plan and the Calgary Transportation Plan is available. Progress is measured using 14 core indicators which have been reported on regularly.
The indicators are reviewed from time to time to make sure they continue to measure progress and support city-building goals. In 2022, Administration was directed to review the indicators as part of the Calgary Plan work. That work will be presented to Council in 2027.
View past MDP and CTP monitoring reports
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Short version
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Full background document