Welcome to the Planning and Development Department. Our Department is comprised of two divisions:
- Planning and Environment
- Lands and Building Services
A range of services are offered including land administration, development permits and building permits.
Our current initiatives are presented below.
Community Plan Comprehensive Update |
| The City of Yellowknife's Community Plan is a long-term policy document guiding the city's growth and development. It establishes a direction for the future, ensuring land use, infrastructure, housing, and services evolve to meet community needs. As a decision-making roadmap, it shapes a sustainable and prosperous Yellowknife.
From January 2025, the City of Yellowknife is conducting a comprehensive update of this plan. Through series of public engagements, including information and public input sessions, surveys, and discussions, community feedback will be collected to ensure the plan aligns with Yellowknife’s current needs while preparing for long-term growth and development. For more information on this initiative, and how to get involved, visit the Community Plan Comprehensive Update page. |
Zoning By-law Amendment - RI and RI-1 Zone |
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The Planning and Development Department has developed a Zoning By-law amendment that facilitates residential intensification in an effort to increase housing options that meets the need of our growing community. The amendment includes two new residential zones, RI (Residential Intensification) and RI-1, and some associated changes to Zoning By-law No. 5045. The new zones will be for properties that are ideal for new or infill residential development. This amendment will not rezone an entire established neighbourhood for re-development. No property will be re-zoned under the scope of this amendment. The Zoning By-law Amendment webpage provides more details about the RI Zone and RI-1 Zone planning initiative. The City has concluded the public consultation process for this initiative. Thank you all for taking the time to provide us with feedback. *UPDATE* - The City has adopted this new Zoning By-law amendment (By-law No. 5095) on October 28, 2024.
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New Area Development Plan (Kam Lake) |
| The City of Yellowknife is proposing to create a new Area Development Plan (ADP) for the area West of Enterprise Drive, and is looking for resident feedback. The plan area is bounded by Enterprise Drive to the northeast, Grace Lake Boulevard to the south, and Commissioner’s Land (part of the Interim land Withdrawal) to the west.
What is an Area Development Plan (ADP)?The Area Development Plan (ADP) will provide a vision for future development of 68.1 hectares (168.3 acres) of land. The ADP is a long-term planning policy document that sets out a vision for a community and puts in place policies and guidelines that work towards achieving that vision. Area Development Plans provide more detail than the Community Plan on the development of specific areas. They illustrate and provide policies regarding subdivision, land uses, densities, essential services and facilities, road layouts and circulation, pedestrian movements, the phasing of development, as well as other elements as identified by the City. Area Development Plans are required to follow the objectives and policies set out in the corresponding land use designation(s) in which it exists. The 2020 Community Plan identifies that the Subject Lands could accommodate light industrial and commercial development. Area Development Plan Timeline
Latest Updates on the New Area Development Plan (Kam Lake)?To keep residents and stakeholders informed, we’ll regularly post updates regarding the progress of the Plan. See below for the latest announcements and important project developments.
Current Status:
How to Participate in the Process?We want to hear your views, suggestions and priorities to ensure that future growth in the area West of Enterprise Drive meets our community's needs now and in the future. We want to reach as many Stakeholders as possible for this important conversation. There will be multiple opportunities to get involved. The first phase of consultation was stakeholder survey on PlaceSpeak. The survey was open until June 17, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. Please check back on this page for future opportunities. Stay Informed: Subscribe to this Page for Updates on the Proposed Area Development PlanWe value your interest in the proposed Area Development Plan currently under review. To ensure you stay informed with the latest updates, announcements, and opportunities for public input, we invite you to subscribe to this page. By subscribing, you'll receive notifications on changes to the website including:
Press the yellow link on the right side of this page to subscribe!
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Development Incentives |
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Since August 2022, the City of Yellowknife has been undertaking a comprehensive review of all development incentives offered by the City, leading public engagement and stakeholder sessions, as well as determining best municipal practices regarding funding and implementation. On December 9, 2024, the City of Yellowknife adopted Development Incentives By-law No. 5097, which has established new development incentives. The City’s new development incentives seek to encourage development of residential, commercial and mixed-use projects that support housing, affordability, accessibility, and downtown revitalization, all of which fall under City Council’s Strategic Directions for ‘Housing for All’, ‘Livable Community’, ‘Growth Readiness’, ‘Resilient Future’, and ‘Robust Economy’. Under this new By-law, property owners have access to various grants and tax abatements that support their proposed development. These incentives apply to several zones within the City and for various types of developments. In order to ensure that property owners are maximizing the value, incentives are stackable and can be grouped together. Note that funding is limited, multi-year, and will be available on a first-come first-served basis. Applicants are encouraged to schedule a Pre-Development Consultation meeting with the Planning & Development Department and submit their applications promptly. The Development Incentives webpage offers detailed information on the various incentive categories, their eligibility criteria, the application process, and a comprehensive FAQ section. For a user-friendly overview, please refer to the Development Incentives Guide. |
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/REV5-Timeline.jpg "Area Development Plan Timeline")
Intensification First: Building Better Neighbourhoods |
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The City of Yellowknife’s ‘Intensification First’ strategy is a forward-thinking approach to urban development, aimed at creating more housing opportunities, increasing commercial space, and fostering vibrant, active neighborhoods for generations to come. This strategy optimizes the use of vacant and underutilized land by leveraging existing infrastructure - such as roads, sidewalks, and utilities - to support more efficient development. With only 1% of land readily available for new development, the Intensification First approach tackles city’s key housing challenges, including affordability, while maximizing the efficiency of the city's infrastructure.
Residential intensification is one of the key solutions to address Yellowknife’s housing challenges while supporting economic growth and revitalizing neighborhoods. The city is introducing multiple initiatives to put this strategy into action. Click ‘Intensification First’ to learn more about this strategy. |
We Would Like to Hear From You
Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and learn more about our current initiatives. Please get in touch with us to learn more about the Department. We welcome feedback and suggestions.
To contact the Director of Planning and Development, please submit your inquiry to our Feedback form.