Community Chest

Is Calgary's Housing Quality Taking a Hit? Local Tradespeople Weigh In

Calgary's red-hot housing market is experiencing a significant growing pain: a critical shortage of skilled construction workers. This deficit is raising eyebrows and concerns among Calgarians about the quality of new homes rapidly popping up across the city.

Despite Calgary leading the country in new home construction with record housing starts in both 2024 and 2025, a closer look reveals a troubling trend. Industry reports and online forums are rife with anecdotes of deficiencies in new builds. Issues like poor insulation, leaks, and substandard finishing are frequently cited by new homeowners, echoing concerns that have surfaced in consumer reports. This comes as thousands of vacant trades jobs go unfilled in Calgary's construction sector.

The rapid pace of development, coupled with surging material costs, is undeniably contributing to these challenges. This skilled labor crunch means builders are stretched thin, potentially compromising quality for speed. For a city where housing affordability and quality consistently rank as top civic priorities in citizen surveys, these concerns are hitting home.

Calgarians investing in new properties are right to expect high standards. As the city continues its impressive expansion, ensuring robust construction quality, even amidst a booming market and worker shortage, remains a top priority to protect homeowners' investments and maintain Calgary's reputation for well-built communities.

Five Days to Victory: What Ontario's Education Workers Teach Us About Standing Together

Alberta’s classrooms will see teachers return this week under a government mandate, but a powerful lesson from Ontario reminds Calgarians of the swift impact collective action can have. Just three years ago, in November 2022, Ontario’s government passed Bill 28, the Keeping Students in Class Act. This legislation

Ranchmen’s Club Waste Woes: A Shared Alley Dilemma

Hold onto your hats, Beltline residents – there's a sticky situation brewing right in our shared urban backyard. The historic Ranchmen’s Club at 710 13th Ave SW, a cornerstone of Calgary’s social scene since 1891, is facing a modern problem: their waste management is, frankly, a mess.

NDP Stands Tall in Legislature Marathon

In a legislative marathon that stretched from 1:30 p.m. on Monday, October 27, 2025, deep into the night, Alberta's NDP fiercely opposed Bill 2, the Back to School Act. This dramatic session, designed to force striking teachers back to work, has gripped Calgarians, underscoring the determination

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