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Investors in limbo as Edmonton mayor cautions premier's infill edict will cost jobs
Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-23 20:31:11.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Housing, Economy, Governance]Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Don Williams issued an order in council requiring the cities of Edmonton and Calgary to roll back their zoning and land-use bylaws. Under the provincial directive, Edmonton has three months from Oct. 22 to revert its zoning to residential small scale matching pre-2024 standards and 18 months to draft a new zoning bylaw meeting ministerial expectations, while Calgary must reinstate its low-density residential districts within three months and write a new land-use bylaw by Sept. 1. Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack cautioned that the sudden directive will harm affordability, stall active developments, and impact construction sector jobs. Industry representatives, such as Synergy Capital group manager Akith Dissanayake, noted that numerous clients who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the city permitting process now face severe uncertainty and sunk costs.
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Price spread between new and resale condos reveals market strength
Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-22 14:16:43.0
Tags: [Alberta, Housing, Affordability, Economy]A report by Real Property Solutions (RPS) indicates that the price spread between new and resale condominium units in Alberta widened from $84,000 in 2023 to $136,000 in 2025, reflecting market strength compared to tightening spreads in British Columbia and Ontario. According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. statistics up to August 31, new condo development accounts for only 10 per cent of housing starts in Edmonton, while freehold ownership represents 47 per cent and rentals represent 43 per cent. Realtors Association of Edmonton statistics for September showed apartment resales down over eight per cent year over year, with an average condo price gaining 0.6 per cent to nearly $209,000, maintaining a buyer's market.
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Saskatchewan Builds on Construction Momentum
Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-10-22 03:45:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Economy, Housing, Infrastructure, Industry]Latest Statistics Canada data reveals that building construction investment in Saskatchewan increased by 17.3 per cent in August 2026 compared to August 2025, reaching a total value of $621 million. Specifically, the city of Regina recorded a 54.7 per cent surge, hitting $161 million. This growth builds on Saskatchewan's 2025 real GDP reaching an all-time high of $85.4 billion (a 2.2 per cent increase) and private capital investment rising 12 per cent to $13.6 billion, bolstered by the province's Securing the Next Decade of Growth: Saskatchewan's Investment Attraction Strategy.
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Health care, affordability and the economy are the priorities in N.B. throne speech
Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-20 16:31:56.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Healthcare, Affordability, Economy, Housing, Governance]The New Brunswick government's throne speech, read by Lt.-Gov. Louise Imbeault in Fredericton, outlines priorities centered on health care, affordability, and economic growth for the coming year. Premier Susan Holt's government announced that the opening of 30 new collaborative care clinics is ahead of schedule for completion by the end of 2027, alongside plans to name a mental health advocate and launch a health and long-term care workforce strategy. Additionally, the province is creating a trade diversification plan to target high-potential export markets outside the United States and is committing increased funding toward new housing infrastructure.
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Western defence hub marshals housing plans in Edmonton
Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-16 14:07:07.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Housing, Infrastructure, Defence, Economy]Edmonton is preparing for a major housing and economic surge driven by federal military spending increases toward a NATO five per cent benchmark, positioning CFB Edmonton as Canada's primary manoeuvre division. The expansion will bring an estimated 5,000 troops and their families to the region, complementing over 1,000 new military housing units and projects like a $22.5 million net-zero-emissions-ready apartment development at CFB Edmonton. Local homebuilders and developers are gearing up for increased housing demand beginning in late 2027, supported by municipal infrastructure planning in areas like Marquis and Quarry South, as well as St. Albert receiving $28 million from the federal Build Communities Strong Fund for regional servicing.
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40 homes a year, 40 full-time staff, Arviat housing factory opens to fanfare
Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-16 10:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Indigenous, Infrastructure, Labour, Economy]Sakku Innovative Building Solutions—the development arm of the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA)—has officially opened Nunavut's first Inuit-owned modular housing factory in Arviat, following a 40 per cent cost increase to a total project price tag of $70 million. Operating year-round, the facility is designed to produce 40 homes annually specifically for northern climates, beginning with an initial project of nine three-bedroom homes for Arviat by spring. The factory currently employs 15 full-time staff, 14 of whom are Inuit, and will scale up to 40 full-time employees while providing local training in carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work to address severe territorial housing shortages and overcrowding.
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Strong Uptick in Provincial Building Permits
Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-10-14 22:00:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Economy, Housing, Infrastructure, Industry]Statistics Canada reported that building permits in Saskatchewan increased by 32.5 per cent year-over-year between August 2025 and August 2026, ranking second among Canadian provinces. Month-over-month, building permits rose by 15.9 per cent from July 2026 to August 2026. Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding attributed this growth to increased private and public investment, supported by the province's Investment Attraction Strategy. Additionally, Statistics Canada figures indicate Saskatchewan's 2025 real GDP reached a record $85.4 billion, up 2.2 per cent, while private capital investment grew 12 per cent to $13.6 billion in 2025.
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Ottawa considering ‘options’ as foreign home buyer ban nears end: minister
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-07 20:34:15.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Economy, Finance]Federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced that the Liberal government is considering options regarding the future of the ban on foreign ownership of Canadian residential property. The restriction, originally enacted in 2022 to cool housing markets for Canadian buyers and previously extended in 2024, is scheduled to sunset in January 2027. The government's decision on whether to extend, modify, or allow the ban to expire will be evaluated based on housing stock availability and market evolution ahead of the upcoming federal budget.
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Candidates for Yellowknife city council discuss how to get more housing
Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-07 12:41:21.0
Tags: [Municipal, Housing, Infrastructure, Economy, Indigenous]Ahead of the October 19 municipal election, 20 of the 21 candidates running for Yellowknife city council participated in a forum discussing housing development strategies, downtown revitalization, and infrastructure upgrades. Incumbent Rob Warburton criticized the city's zoning and permitting process for causing significant delays in residential construction, while candidate Rylund Johnson highlighted that federal funding programs like Reaching Home and Street Outreach are set to expire in 2028 under the Carney government. Candidates also debated smart growth alternatives to developing residential green spaces, including edge-of-town expansion modeled after Niven Lake, and the prioritization of replacing aging city water and infrastructure based on a first-in, first-out replacement principle.
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Conservative critic says government must hit lower immigration target in next levels plan
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-30 21:38:59.0
Tags: [National, Immigration, Housing, Labour, Economy]Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner stated that Canada must further reduce its immigration targets, criticizing Prime Minister Mark Carney for floating the possibility of future population increases during a New York Times interview. The federal government's previous budget implemented hard caps, including a 43 per cent reduction in temporary residents for the year, and set a permanent resident target of 380,000 per year from 2026 to 2028. Statistics Canada reported that Canada's population growth slowed to half a percentage point between July 2025 and July 2026, driven by an estimated decrease of roughly 154,000 temporary residents over the same period.
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Edmonton's housing affordability predicted to remain solid
Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-24 16:55:23.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Housing, Affordability, Economy, Infrastructure]According to the Fall 2026 Housing Supply Report released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC), Edmonton's housing affordability is predicted to return to 2019 levels within 10 years, moving from an average price-to-income ratio of 30 per cent down to 25 per cent. The CMHC report highlights that Edmonton has no measurable housing supply gap, driven by a sustained average annual start pace of 15,000 units, well-supported by recent high construction levels including a record-setting 21,337 starts in 2025. Realtors Association of Edmonton statistics note that Edmonton's average home prices have increased by more than 20 per cent over the past five years, while the city continues to experience strong economic growth of about six per cent annually.
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Maximum rent increase for P.E.I. tenants set at 2.1% for 2027
Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-23 23:30:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Housing, Affordability, Economy]The Prince Edward Island Director of Residential Tenancy has set the maximum allowable annual rent increase at 2.1 percent, effective January 1, 2027. The decision followed a review of 85 submissions from landlords and tenants, balancing tenants' cost-of-living concerns against landlords' rising operational expenses, maintenance costs, property taxes, and interest rates. Under provincial law limiting maximum increases to three percent, landlords may apply to the P.E.I. Rental Office for an additional increase of up to three percent above the baseline cap, permitting a maximum possible increase of 5.1 percent in 2027. Landlords are restricted to raising rent once every 12 months and must provide tenants with three months' notice.
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P.E.I. government moves to break up IRAC into two new regulatory bodies
Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-21 17:05:04.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Governance, Energy, Housing, Economy]The Prince Edward Island government announced it will dismantle the 35-year-old Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) and replace it with two specialized regulatory bodies overseeing energy and utilities, and land use and appeals, respectively. Prompted by an interim independent review conducted by Rory Francis, the reform will establish a standalone Residential Tenancy Office reporting to the Minister of Housing and Communities, introduce a merit-based public appointment process for commissioners, mandate external reviews every six years, and create a public electricity consumer advocate. Legislation to enact these changes will be brought forward in the fall legislative session, with public feedback open until October 2, 2026, and the commissioner's final report due November 1, 2026.
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Nation Leading Growth in Housing Construction Continues in Saskatchewan
Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-09-16 23:30:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Housing, Economy, Infrastructure, Industry]According to data released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Saskatchewan's housing starts grew by 65.5 per cent in August 2026 compared to August 2025, ranking first among Canadian provinces for year-over-year growth. Multi-unit housing starts experienced a 116.7 per cent increase over the same period, while the province maintained a top-two national ranking for housing start growth for three consecutive months. The growth is supported by broader economic momentum, including a 2025 real GDP high of $85.4 billion (a 2.2 per cent increase) and private capital investment rising by 12 per cent to $13.6 billion, driven by the province's Securing the Next Decade of Growth: Saskatchewan's Investment Attraction Strategy.
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'A lot more change': Downtown Edmonton flush with fresh retail vacancies
Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-11 18:34:09.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Housing, Economy, Infrastructure]A commercial real estate report by CBRE highlights shifting retail vacancies and revitalization efforts in Downtown Edmonton, driven by multi-million-dollar projects like the National Bank Centre renovation. Concurrently, Edmonton developer Westrich Pacific plans to convert stagnant retail space at the former Hudson's Bay store in City Centre Mall into approximately 1,500 residential units alongside a luxury rooftop Nordic spa. Meanwhile, suburban retail markets in Edmonton are thriving with low vacancy rates supported by heavy population growth.
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Edmonton celebrates 10 years of Rogers Place
Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-10 21:34:06.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Infrastructure, Housing, Economy]Edmonton city councillors Mike Elliott, Reed Clarke, and Anne Stevenson proclaimed September 10, 2026, as Rogers Place Day to mark the 10-year anniversary of the downtown arena's opening. Developed via public and private negotiations involving the Katz Group and OEG Sports and Evolving Entertainment (OEGSE), the venue and surrounding Ice District have spurred $2 billion in private investment and generated over 10,000 jobs. Moving forward, OEGSE announced planning for Phase 2 of the Ice District, which intends to deliver 3,000 units of housing and a new public event park to help address ongoing downtown core revitalization challenges.
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Minister’s statement on September 2026 rental report
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-09 20:03:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Housing, Affordability, Economy]According to a Rentals.ca report cited by the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, average asking rents in British Columbia decreased by 4.7% overall year over year, marking 26 consecutive months of rent declines. Specific municipal purpose-built rental decreases included Abbotsford at -10.5%, Coquitlam at -6.8%, Richmond at -6.2%, and Kelowna at -5.2%, while Vancouver purpose-built rents dropped 19% from their July 2023 peak. Minister Christine Boyle attributed the downward trend to provincial housing policies such as the speculation and vacancy tax and rent-increase caps linked to inflation, which was set at 2.2% for 2027. Recent housing developments highlighted by the ministry include 20 on-reserve rental homes for Lake Babine Nation in Tachet and Wit'At, nearly 120 rental homes planned for Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, 20 complex care housing units at 1102 Glenfair Dr. in Kamloops, and 50 units of recovery-oriented housing at 250 Bryden St. in Nanaimo.
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Strengthening value-added wood manufacturing on Vancouver Island
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-09 17:30:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Economy, Industry, Resources, Housing, Trade]The Government of B.C. has committed up to $2 million through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund to support an expansion project by Ron Anderson & Sons Ltd. in Chemainus. The investment helps the wood-product manufacturer upgrade equipment, diversify its product line to include prefabricated floors, roof panels, and stairs, and create 35 new jobs by the time construction is completed in February 2027. This initiative forms part of the broader provincial Look West strategy and $153 million in total commitments across more than 150 manufacturing projects designed to boost regional supply chains and counteract U.S. tariffs.
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Saskatchewan Adds 2,600 Jobs in August
Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-09-04 22:15:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Economy, Labour, Industry, Housing, Infrastructure]In August 2026, Saskatchewan's economy added 2,600 jobs while the national average lost nearly 42,000 jobs, bringing the province's unemployment rate to 6.0 per cent under Immigration and Career Training Minister Eric Schmalz. Private sector growth drove 18,200 new jobs year-over-year (a 4.9 per cent increase), led by gains in construction (up 6,100 jobs or 12.2 per cent), manufacturing (up 4,900 jobs or 18.3 per cent), and finance, insurance, real estate and leasing (up 3,500 jobs or 11.8 per cent). Urban employment also rose year-over-year in Saskatoon by 1,300 jobs (0.6 per cent) and Regina by 5,000 jobs (3.3 per cent), supported by provincial initiatives including Building the Workforce for a Growing Economy: The Saskatchewan Labour Market Strategy and Securing the Next Decade of Growth: Saskatchewan's Investment Attraction Strategy.
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