• P.E.I.'s program to protect farmland from development a 'mirage,' report says

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-10-16 21:00:00.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Agriculture, Environment, Governance, Housing]

  A review by commissioner Rory Francis of the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission revealed that Prince Edward Island's Land Identification Program, established in 1995 under the Lands Protection Act, fails to provide permanent farmland protection because non-development agreements automatically expire after 10 years. Between 2016 and July 2026, 61,500 hectares (152,000 acres) were protected and are set to expire by 2036, adding to the 121,400 hectares (300,000 acres) that lost protection under a 2015 retroactive policy change. According to Statistics Canada, Prince Edward Island lost 12 percent of its farmland between 2016 and 2021 at an average rate of 39 acres per day, while the provincial government has repeatedly delayed implementing a comprehensive province-wide land use plan recommended since the 1973 Royal Commission on Land Ownership and Land Use.

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• Mattamy Homes taps into sunny Alberta's solar energy

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-10-16 15:00:03.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Housing, Energy, Environment, Climate]

  Mattamy Homes has integrated standard solar panel systems into more than 1,000 new single-family, duplex, and rear-lane townhomes across Alberta since June 2024, in partnership with trade partners SkyFire Energy and Zeno Renewables. The initiative has saved homeowners an estimated $460,000 annually in energy costs and reduced carbon emissions by approximately 3,200 tonnes per year. Standard offerings include an eight-panel system per home along with triple-pane windows, improved air tightness, and EnerGuide labelling. Additionally, Mattamy Homes has acquired 153 acres in southeast Calgary for the Belvedere community and partnered with Truman for a 253-acre master-planned community in Chestermere, expected to deliver roughly 1,900 homes with construction starting in summer 2028.

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• Jasper wildfire recovery: the complex rebuild happening above and below the town's streets two years on from disaster

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-10-14 17:30:21.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Infrastructure, Housing, Emergency, Environment]

  Two years following the July 2024 wildfires, the Municipality of Jasper continues its infrastructure and housing recovery efforts, spearheaded by Director of Recovery Douglas Olthof. The federal and Alberta governments announced $7.9 million on September 1 to recommission a wastewater lagoon, addressing storage capacity and flood risks. Recovery initiatives include property-specific soil testing supported by Parks Canada and the Canadian Red Cross, municipal neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood upgrades to curb stops and shut-off valves, and the addition of 45 new housing units through a newly approved apartment building. Concurrently, the municipality has launched a public Town Plan survey via engagejasper.ca, active until October 25, to replace the 2011 Jasper Community Sustainability Plan and guide future development.

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• Ottawa to provide $2B in rebates for homeowners who install heat pumps

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-08 15:57:40.0
  Tags: [National, Energy, Environment, Housing, Affordability]

  The federal government, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, is launching a $2-billion rebate program to help an estimated 820,000 homeowners across Canada install new heat pumps or replace existing heating systems over the next eight years. Officials state that the program will save participating homeowners an average of $1,400 annually on heating bills while lowering emissions. Additionally, Ottawa is partnering with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to offer low-interest financing enabling apartment building owners to retrofit more than 280,000 homes over the same eight-year period.

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• Community Infrastructure Strengthened Through Investment in Wastewater Infrastructure in Nain

  Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
  Date: 2026-10-01 15:00:37.0
  Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Municipal, Infrastructure, Housing, Environment, Indigenous]

  The governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, alongside the Inuit Community Government of Nain, have announced a combined investment of approximately $3.9 million to upgrade the sanitary sewer system in Nain. Funded through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund—which allocates $123.1 million to Newfoundland and Labrador—the project involves replacing damaged sewer mains and manholes, installing inflow protectors, and completing surface grading. These upgrades are designed to reduce sewer backup risks, protect local marine ecosystems, improve climate resilience, and support future population growth and housing development in the community.

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• Councillor wants to bill developers for felled trees in new neighbourhoods

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-09-07 20:11:02.0
  Tags: [Municipal, Housing, Environment, Climate, Infrastructure]

  Edmonton City Councillor Michael Janz (Ward papastew) has put forward a municipal motion to charge developers a per-tree fee for clear-cutting forests and wetlands during the construction of new greenfield neighbourhoods. The policy aims to internalize the true environmental cost of urban sprawl, noting that a single mature tree absorbs roughly 21 kilograms of CO2 annually while offsetting the climate risks currently offloaded onto taxpayers. This motion coincides with a separate proposal by Mayor Andrew Knack regarding permit requirements for tree removal during infill developments, supported by committee findings that urban redevelopment generates 30 to 50 percent fewer emissions than outward expansion.

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