Leading Alberta's Built Environment to a High-Performance Future

Calgary Herald, Hiren Mansukhani- August 23, 2023

The soaring demand has led the University of Calgary to end its housing guarantee for second-year students.

About a week ago, Saman was browsing through rental listings in Calgary when the thought sank in — he was going to be homeless. Saman, a student of cellular, molecular and microbial biology at the University of Calgary entering his second year, realized shared rentals in the $600 range, which were common in the city’s housing market not too long ago, had suddenly vanished. Now the same kind of spaces were costing him more than $900, a price point out of his reach — assuming they hadn’t already been taken by other prospects. Those he could barely pay for demanded a three-month rental deposit.

Forbes, Laura Begley Bloom, Senior Contributor - July 21, 2023

Looking for the best cities to live in the world, as well as the best places to live in the U.S.? Every year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranks the best places to live in the Global Liveability Index 2023.

This year, the Index covers 172 cities, with rankings based on a number of categories, including stability, healthcare, culture, education and infrastructure.

The Winners: The Best Cities to Live in the World

For the second year in a row, Vienna, Austria, has been named the best city to live in the world. The authors of the report called Vienna out for its “unsurpassed combination of stability, good infrastructure, strong education and healthcare services, and plenty of culture and entertainment.” The rest of the top 10 included three Canadian cities (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto), two Swiss cities (Zurich, Geneva) and one Japanese city (Osaka).

STOREYS Real Estate News- July 19, 2023

Investment in building construction declined across Canada in May as funding for residential projects fizzled in the face of high interest rates.

According to new data from Statistics Canada, investment in overall building construction fell 1.2% to $19.9B in May, marking the third straight month of decline and the first time investment has dropped below $20B since January 2022. Continuing along a downward trajectory that began in February, investment in residential construction fell 1.7% month over month to $14B in May. On a seasonally adjusted basis, investment in single family home construction dropped 2.9% to $7.4B, while investment in multi-unit construction dipped 0.3% to $6.7B. The dwindling investment in residential construction follows a decline in home sales over the course of 2022. Spurred by rising interest rates, falling sales are now weighing on new construction activity.

 DCN-JOC News Services- July 18, 2023

The Government of Alberta has announced a combined investment of $2.57 million to renovate the Badlands Amphitheatre, the largest outdoor stage in Canada.

The province is investing $1.95 million into the renovations in addition to $625,000 from Travel Alberta, reads a news release. The first phase of the project will consist of replacing 1,400 seats in the lower amphitheatre. Phase two will replace 1,100 seats in the upper theatre and see the construction of a new grandstand with shade cover and washrooms. The Canadian Badlands Passion Play Society has also nearly completed the construction of a new 8,000-square-foot Badlands Arts Centre and Studio.

City News, Bianca Millions- June 29, 2023

Alberta’s population is on track for the fastest growth the province has seen since 1914. Statistics Canada released the first quarter 2023 population statistics, reporting approximately 51,000 people moved to Alberta between January and March of 2023. A third of those coming from other Canadian provinces.

“The most expensive cities, Vancouver, Toronto, I know Vancouver’s hitting record rates for rents. So a lot of people are getting priced out of those big cities, and are looking for more affordability, so they may be migrating to cities like Calgary and Edmonton because they’re a little bit more affordable,” said Crystal Chen, a spokesperson with Zumper. Rental prices for a one bedroom apartment in Edmonton have increased 13 per cent since last year. In Calgary, the same apartment has increased 32 per cent.

DCN-JOC News Services- April 27, 2023

The forecast for Alberta’s construction sector is split over the next four years with non-residential continuing to chug along on the strength of multiple large public and private projects but the residential sector expected to suffer setbacks as demand for new housing declines.

Meanwhile, in Canada’s three territories, workforce conditions could change in the medium term as final investment decisions are made on major mining projects. The development of the mining sector in Canada’s territories will require key construction trades and occupations that are common to engineering and industrial work, and which are in high demand in other industries and provinces. The demand for these construction trades has grown dramatically and steadily for at least a decade. The analysis is contained in BuildForce Canada’s 2023–2032 Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward report for the province released April 27.