Bob Hawkesworth challenged his opponents Wednesday to support Plan It, Calgary's blueprint for development over the next 60 years. (CBC)Calgary mayoral candidate Bob Hawkesworth is challenging his opponents to support a contentious blueprint on sustainable growth that city council passed last year.

Plan It, a long-term development policy to guide the city's growth over the next 60 years, is aimed at preventing urban sprawl by encouraging developers to build condos and townhouses near public transit stations, schools and retail businesses — rather than focusing on single-family homes.

Representatives from the housing industry argued that cutting the suburban house supply would drive up prices for consumers. A revised Plan It document was passed last fall after the developers won concessions, including a softened density target.

Hawkesworth said Wednesday he is asking two of the perceived front-runners in the mayor's race — Ric McIver and Barb Higgins — to show their support for Plan It.

"I am asking the other leading candidates to endorse Plan It — the city's vision for a sustainable development — and to support my initiative for redeveloping other neighbourhoods across Calgary as part of my Plan It - Plus Neighbourhoods and Transit initiative," said Hawkesworth.

"Plan It-Plus" is designed to promote sustainable development in older neighbourhoods, the long-time Ward 4 alderman said.

It would be supported by a new fund for local public infrastructure improvements such as traffic signals, sidewalks and parks, he added.

Other candidates on Plan It

If she is elected Barb Higgins says she will "work with businesses and developers to create smart, sustainable growth and communities as described in the Plan-It report," her campaign website says.

Ald. Ric McIver has been a critic of the Plan It initiative, writing in an opinion piece in the Calgary Sun last year, "this document proposes a social engineering experiment of breathtaking magnitude."

"What in the culture of western Canada indicates families with children are going to choose condos in urban 'activity centres' over single family homes with backyards?," he said.

McIver did, however, vote in favour of the compromise version of Plan It that council passed unanimously last September.

Mayoral candidate Naheed Nenshi denounced that outcome as a "last-minute backroom deal to gut Plan-It Calgary."

"Let's be clear, the vast majority of Calgarians pay significantly higher taxes to subsidize those buying new homes on the fringe," said Nenshi, who said as mayor he would work to create sustainable and walkable communities while revitalizing existing ones in the inner city.