Garneau community taking steps to protect heritage while meeting Edmonton’s density targets
Posted April 14, 2026 8:52 am.
Residents of Edmonton’s Garneau neighbourhood are pushing back against infill plans they feel don’t preserve the community’s historic character and charm.
The City of Edmonton has identified Garneau, one of the oldest communities in the city, as a key area for density and infill – close to the University of Alberta.
“We want densification but we want densification that also preserves some heritage homes, that also preserves options for families, for students who want to live in community,” said Jessica Wegmann-Sanchez, who grew up in Garneau.
Wegmann-Sanchez lives with her husband and two kids in a house that was built in 1929. She feels the area is already quite dense, with so many new developments focusing on one-bedroom apartments, reducing housing diversity in the process.
“When you look at the vacancies, there are so many one-bedroom suites that are vacant, and yet if you want to look for a house or something with three or more bedrooms or two or more bathrooms, it’s almost impossible to find in Garneau,” Wegmann-Sanchez explained.
Currently there are limits on what can be built within a specific four-block zone designated as Garneau’s heritage area. The community league wants that zone to double in size, stressing it’s not trying to stop infill, but instead wants to allow it in a way that preserves unique features through more restrictive zoning regulations.
“We have 20 per cent to 30 per cent of the land base that still looks and feels like it did in the 1930s,” said Steph Neufeld, president of the Garneau Community League. “We can grow and change and add density in that area and outside those areas and still get that cool bohemian feel, that historic charm that makes Garneau Garneau.”
Garneau’s community-led proposal wants stricter rules around design, including the need for high quality building materials; to require developers to preserve trees; and to limit lodging houses and micro suites.
In a statement to CityNews, the City of Edmonton said anyone can submit an application to request a change to their zoning.
“Administration will review these applications for alignment with City Council approved policies, planning principles as well as technical and legal aspects and provide a recommendation for City Council who is the final decision maker. This same right is available to the Garneau Community League,” the statement reads.
The community league says it understands the neighbourhood has been identified as a priority for growth. It simply wants more planning around how it’s done.
“So we’re actually fully in support of city plans, fully in support of those density targets, it’s about where in their neighbourhood is the best fit for that density,” Neufeld said. “That sort of blanket zoning approach is ‘we’ll let the market decide,’ and what we’re saying is ‘well we’ll let the community decide.’”
