To nearly 230 industry members and municipal representatives, The Honourable Dan Williams, Minister of Municipal Affairs, delivered a clear message: “We’re open for growth.”
The remarks came during BILD Edmonton Metro’s “A Meeting with the Minister Luncheon,” held following the organization’s Annual General Meeting. A common theme emerged throughout both events — growth and housing development are only possible through strong partnerships between industry, municipalities, and the province.
Outgoing BILD Edmonton Metro Chair Katrina Rowe, President of Cantiro Communities, emphasized that every new neighbourhood, infill project, and industrial or commercial development reflects collaboration between the private sector, elected officials, and municipal administrations.
“While many regions continue to struggle with housing supply and affordability, our region has demonstrated what is possible when industry and government work together,” said Rowe. “That kind of growth does not happen by accident — it happens because of the work of our industry: developers, builders, renovators, trade contractors, consultants, suppliers, and more — all working together to deliver homes for the thousands of people choosing to move to our region.”
Minister Williams echoed that sentiment, noting that “the land development and homebuilding industry quite literally builds the communities and municipalities in our province.”
To support continued growth, he said governments must focus on streamlining policy, reducing red tape, and creating more standardized approval processes and timelines.
“It’s very hard to love your province or your country if you don’t love the street that you’re on,” he said. “The work you do every day impacts Canadians.”
During a fireside chat with BILD Alberta‘s CEO Scott Fash, the Minister also spoke to the broader importance of housing affordability and maintaining Alberta’s economic advantage. He noted that Alberta currently has the lowest offsite levies in the country and expressed a desire to keep it that way, warning that increased costs ultimately affect housing affordability and development viability.
“How we shape our communities ultimately shapes us,” the Minister added.
Williams highlighted BILD Alberta’s advocacy work around the “Automatic Yes” initiative, which encourages municipalities to automate and expedite approvals for low-risk development applications. He pointed to the City of Edmonton’s progress in automatically approving permits for single-family homes in greenfield areas and for deck permits as examples of how municipalities can improve efficiency.
“This Automatic Yes program will help other municipalities catch up,” he said. “Right now, it’s single-family housing and decks, but we can scale up to duplexes and rowhouses.”
When discussing design permitting and zoning reform, the Minister emphasized that the approach would remain voluntary for municipalities, while encouraging participation through reduced regulatory barriers — including eliminating the need for certain non-statutory studies and streamlining unnecessary red tape — all while maintaining a strong commitment to quality urban design.
“We can build beautifully, build effectively, and build affordably,” he said.
The conversation also turned to infrastructure funding challenges. Williams acknowledged the growing difficulty municipalities face in funding critical infrastructure and highlighted the importance of exploring alternative financing models in partnership with industry.
“We’re exploring alternative financing models to help address and fund critical infrastructure gaps,” he said. “Relying solely on property tax increases creates a lose-lose situation for both municipalities and residents. Other jurisdictions are finding innovative ways to unlock capital and accelerate infrastructure investment — and if we don’t adapt, we risk falling behind.”
Thanks to our sponsors for their support – Presenting Sponsor, Select Engineering Consultants, Host Bar Sponsor, Qualico, Lunch Sponsor, Hi Signs, Dessert Sponsor, Singh Builders, Water Sponsor, EPCOR, Support Sponsor, ATCO Energy Systems, and Creative Sponsor, MLZ Creative.