Alberta
Addressing affordable homebuilding hurdles
A new Construction Codes Working Group will explore changes to construction codes to help address housing affordability.
As Alberta’s population continues to grow, so does the need for more housing options. That’s why the province has been working to reduce barriers and empower its housing partners to get more shovels in the ground, and get more houses built for Alberta families.
Alberta’s government continues to look at all options to build more homes. To further this work, a Construction Codes Working Group has been created to explore how Alberta’s construction codes can be improved to speed up development while still maintaining the required high quality and safety standards. The working group includes members from government, municipalities and the development community.
“We are leaving no stone unturned in our approach to increase housing options for Albertans. We have already collaborated to streamline some permitting processes, and by continuing to work together we will remove barriers standing in the way of housing options.”
“Albertans need more housing options as the population grows and it’s why we’ve been working to reduce barriers to housing construction. This working group is just another way that our government is working with housing partners and municipalities to accelerate homebuilding across the province.”
Using the expertise and experience of municipal and industry professionals, the Construction Codes Working Group will explore construction code amendments to accelerate the homebuilding process across the province and harness regulatory, municipal and industry expertise to tackle housing development complexities. Examples of code changes the working group may consider include those for secondary suites and single-stair apartments to make housing easier to build.
The Construction Codes Working Group will include representatives from Alberta’s government, the cities of Calgary and Edmonton, the Safety Codes Council, and the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) Alberta. The Safety Codes Council will ensure safety codes officers are trained on any new codes, inspections or approval processes. BILD Alberta will give insight into market conditions and development challenges.
“In the face of unprecedented population growth, we need an ‘all hands-on deck’ approach to build more homes and meet the growing demand. The Construction Codes Working Group unites experts to streamline construction processes while maintaining top safety standards. I look forward to the insights and recommendations from this working group and am confident a collaborative approach will help deliver more housing options for Calgarians.”
“The City of Edmonton is proud to be a member of the new Construction Codes Working Group. As Edmonton continues to experience unprecedented growth and an increased demand for housing, we are eager to explore new and innovative ways to streamline the development process to ensure every Edmontonian has a home.”
On May 1, Alberta formally updated its provincial building and fire codes to align with national codes and allow for improved energy efficiency in housing and small buildings, while still emphasizing consumer affordability. The Construction Codes Working Group will build on this work to address additional pressures and development challenges found in Alberta’s housing market.
“As a member of the Construction Codes Working Group, BILD Alberta is proud to support the development of solutions that balance building code requirements with housing affordability. By collaborating with key stakeholders, we aim to identify innovative, practical changes that prioritize safety, efficiency and accessibility while addressing the pressing housing needs of Albertans.”
Quick facts
- The 2023 Alberta editions of the building and fire codes and the 2020 National Energy Code for Buildings came into force on May 1, 2024.
- The creation of the Construction Codes Working Group supports the goals of Alberta’s Housing Action Plan by looking at ways to cut red tape that are creating delays in affordable construction.
- The 2024 Accessibility Design Guide that was recently released includes detailed information and context to help the public and construction industry understand and apply the provincial building code’s accessibility requirements.
Related information
From CPAC on YouTube
In a virtual news conference, Danielle Smith, the premier of Alberta, discusses her meetings with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in West Palm Beach, Florida. Smith met with Trump to discuss the incoming president’s repeated threats to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico.
Alberta
Judge reverses suspension against Alberta police officer for speaking at Freedom Convoy rally
From LifeSiteNews
The suspension without pay for Staff Sergeant Richard Abbott of the Edmonton Police Service was out of line and not at all ‘justifiable,’ Justice James Nelson of Alberta Court of King’s Bench ruled.
A policeman from Alberta won a decisive court victory after a judge overturned a ruling against him by his superiors that suspended him without pay because he spoke at a Freedom Convoy rally in 2022.
Justice James Nelson of Alberta Court of King’s Bench recently ruled that the punishment for Staff Sergeant Richard Abbott of the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) was out of line and not at all “justifiable.”
“While taking into account the higher standards placed by law on a police officer that can limit the officer’s freedom of expression compared to the freedom enjoyed by other citizens, we are left in my view with factual distinctions that could be drawn from the evidence,” Nelson wrote in his ruling.
The judge also noted that the “facts and evidence” in the case were not clear in justifying the suspension.
Abbott was a 26-year police veteran with a clean record and “no prior disciplinary misconduct.”
His suspension came in 2022 after he gave a videotaped speech at a local Freedom Convoy rally, of which many were being held at the time in solidarity with the truckers who descended upon Ottawa in protest of COVID dictates of all kinds.
Abbott opposed COVID jab mandates and was sympathetic to the peaceful Freedom Convoy movement.
Judge Nelson agreed with Abbott’s statements and overturned his suspension.
The now former EPS Chief Dale McFee cited Abbott with breach of Police Service Regulations, saying his actions for speaking in favor of the protests were “conduct of engaging in the political activity of the Freedom Convoy, which “interferes with and adversely influence decisions you are required to make in the performance of your duties.”
McFee claimed that Abbott’s actions undermined the EPS as well as his “colleagues” to ensure “proportionate and correct decisions are being made when dealing with protesters so our community is safe and secure.”
“Your actions also created a conflict of interest by using your status as a police officer in an attempt to further the cause of the Freedom Convoy. By publicly supporting a cause where the activities of this group involve illegal activities, this undermines public confidence that police will behave impartially,” McFee wrote.
The reality is the EPS had mistakenly claimed Abbott had attended a large border protest in Coutts, Alberta.
In court, Abbott was successful in arguing that the videotape of him was from a protest nowhere near Coutts and was instead in Milk River and that he never spoke in favor of the border blockade protests.
In early 2022, thousands of Canadians from coast to coast came to Ottawa to demand an end to COVID mandates in all forms. Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, Trudeau’s government invoked the Emergencies Act (EA) on February 14. Trudeau revoked the order on February 23.
The EA controversially allowed the government to freeze the bank accounts of protesters, conscript tow truck drivers, and arrest people for participating in assemblies the government deemed illegal.
Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, the main leaders of the Freedom Convoy, as reported by LifeSiteNews, will receive their verdict on March 12.
They both face a possible 10-year prison sentence. LifeSiteNews has reported extensively on their trial.
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