Alberta
Housing, Infrastructure Can't Keep Up With Alberta's Oil Economy
Alberta's surging oil economy is growing so quickly that service industries can't compete, budgets for infrastructure projects can't keep up with rising labour and material costs, and oil companies are building their own housing projects.
Sprawling Calgary Faces Increased Pollution, Car Dependence
With a footprint as big as New York City but with a tenth of the population, and with no natural limits on growth, Calgary struggles to rein in suburban sprawl.
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.
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.
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.
'Can Ugly Be Outlawed?'
In Calgary, the Planning Commission wants to ban stucco, but a condo developer objects.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How Best To Encourage Good Design?
The Edmonton city council struggles with how to turn design guidelines into attractive buildings.
Generating Power From Water
Scientists discover a new, clean way to generate power from water.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
