Alberta

Canada's Tar Sands Endanger National Security

A new report from three Canadian think tanks points out that Canada is not only without a national energy policy, it is risking its own social, environmental, and energy security to mine and sell tar sands oil to the United States at rock-bottom prices.

April 14, 2006 - The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives; The Parkland Institute; The Polaris Institute

Oil Sands, Agriculture Depleting Alberta's Water Supply

Comprehensive watershed planning is needed to prevent a water crisis in Alberta, which a new study shows is facing significant reductions in water supply due to climate change and tar sands development.

April 8, 2006 - The Globe and Mail

Calgary, 'City on Steroids'

Surging oil wealth, a huge provincial surplus, and a booming real estate market make Calgary the new "centre of the universe" in Canada.

March 29, 2006 - Maclean's

'Can Ugly Be Outlawed?'

In Calgary, the Planning Commission wants to ban stucco, but a condo developer objects.

March 28, 2006 - Calgary Sun

Housing And Social Services -- A 'Nightmare' For Some Immigrants

Downtown locations for many of the social service and training opportunities immigrants need may no longer make sense in rapidly-growing cities such as Calgary.

March 16, 2006 - The Globe and Mail

Impacts of Northern Megaprojects Swamp Alberta's Housing Industry

While housing demand in the rest of Canada cools, Alberta homebuilders can't keep up with demand, and are literally turning homebuyers away because of shortages of materials and labour.

January 13, 2006 - The Globe and Mail

Univ. of Calgary's Community Bicycle Program

The University of Calgary’s Transportation Action Group uses abandoned bikes for a free campus-wide community bicycle program.

October 22, 2005 - Pinkbike

The Environmental Cost of Alberta's Oil Boom

Extracting the hundreds of billions of barrels of recoverable oil trapped in the sands of northern Alberta will have a huge environmental price tag.

October 20, 2005 - The Boston Globe

Oil from Ancient Peat Beds Could Fuel the Future

A geologist's controversial theory that the oil in Alberta's tar sands flowed from coal fields based on ancient peat, could mean that there are vast supplies of oil waiting to be discovered, not just in Alberta but all over the world.

October 5, 2005 - The Globe and Mail

The Despoiling of Alberta

Famous for its oil wealth and the "prosperity cheques" being handed out to every resident, the Canadian Province of Alberta is actually a classic example of rapacious growth, dangerously poor planning and poor performance on social development indicators.

September 28, 2005 - The Globe and Mail

How Best To Encourage Good Design?

The Edmonton city council struggles with how to turn design guidelines into attractive buildings.

February 16, 2004 - Edmonton Journal

Generating Power From Water

Scientists discover a new, clean way to generate power from water.

October 25, 2003 - The Independent

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.