Danielle Smith’s dream: A post-uncertainty Alberta

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith recently discussed her government's decision to roll back certain Edmonton housing rules on a call-in radio show. According to Smith, the province reversed zoning bylaw changes made in 2024 because she believes Ottawa influenced the city's rules. The federal government had offered Edmonton millions in funding in exchange for the zoning changes, which made it easier to build multi-unit complexes in older neighbourhoods.

Smith described the federal government's funding as a "bribe" that disrupted the home building process in Edmonton. She stated that the city didn't consider the implications of the changes until construction began, with single-family homes being replaced by multi-family buildings. The province has given Edmonton three months to reverse the 2024 changes.

The changes in question were part of a Housing Accelerator Fund, which aimed to fast-track over 5,200 new housing units, as stated by the former prime minister Justin Trudeau's government in February 2024. Smith's government is defending its decision to roll back the Edmonton housing rules, with the Premier spending a significant amount of time on the radio show addressing the issue, as reported by Global News and Winnipeg Free Press.

Brief written by urgent.news from National Post, Global News, Winnipeg Free Press — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.