News Release
More homes, clear rules, stronger accountability
Alberta’s government is introducing legislation to build homes faster, strengthen essential services and hold local decision-making to clear, accountable standards.
Alberta’s government is introducing Bill 28, the Municipal Affairs and Housing Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, a comprehensive package to get homes built faster, hold local officials accountable, keep property taxes fair and protect kids from explicit materials in public libraries.
“Municipal governments shape everyday life in Alberta, from the water you drink and the roads you drive to the safe, clean streets where your kids play. But most people never see the systems working behind the scenes to make it all happen. This legislation updates those systems so communities can grow, councils can lead with clarity and Albertans can trust how their local decisions are made.”
Dan Williams, Minister of Municipal Affairs
Supporting growth, housing and choice in education
Changes would streamline approvals for low-risk projects, introduce automated permitting known as “Automatic Yes”, improve approval timeline transparency, clarify off-site levy rules and enable community design codes to speed up developments that meet local standards.
“Bill 28 is paving the way for more efficient homebuilding across our province by streamlining approvals, automating permits and improving transparency. Clear rules help build vibrant communities and a more affordable future for every Albertan.”
Scott Fash, CEO of BILD Alberta
The legislation also gives charter schools the same access to municipal reserve lands as other publicly funded schools. This includes exemption from off-site levies, creating a more balanced framework that supports greater access to education choice.
Additional updates would also support the long-term sustainability of seniors’ lodge housing and clarify how provincially approved aggregate developments interact with municipal land-use decisions.
“Alberta is leading the country on housing, and Bill 28 will help keep us there – cutting red tape, speeding up approvals, and clearing the way to get shovels in the ground and roofs over Albertans’ heads.”
Jason Nixon, Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services
Promoting fair and predictable property taxation
Bill 28 also proposes changes to strengthen fairness and consistency in property taxation by prohibiting vacancy-style taxes that penalize homeowners based on how often they use their own property. This ensures similar homes are taxed consistently regardless of use.
The changes would modernize assessment rules for industrial properties such as pipelines, wells and railways to better reflect current technology and construction practices. The changes would clarify assessable costs, enhance reporting requirements and standardize approaches, improving consistency and reducing disputes.
Strengthening governance and accountability
To strengthen trust in local decision-making, Bill 28 introduces a province-wide councillor accountability framework with clear, enforceable standards of conduct, independent third-party investigations for serious misconduct and a formal appeals process. Matters involving pecuniary interest would continue to go through the courts.
“The Mid-sized Towns Mayors Caucus welcomes and supports the introduction of independent investigators as part of the proposed code of conduct legislation for municipal leaders.”
Richard Warnock, chair, Mid-Sized Towns Mayors Caucus
The legislation would also update the municipal viability review process by making community votes non-binding plebiscites. This maintains community input while allowing the province to consider long-term sustainability and regional impacts.
Improving municipal transparency
Bill 28 increases transparency for councils and residents by requiring municipalities to publicly disclose salaries above a specified threshold and ensuring councillors receive timely access to information. This includes reporting when administrative powers are used outside existing approvals. Updates would also allow municipalities to show federal policing costs as a separate line on property tax notices, giving residents clearer insight into major cost drivers for smaller communities.
The legislation would also reduce unnecessary red tape for Business Improvement Areas by providing greater flexibility in board appointments, notifications and budget adjustments while maintaining accountability to the businesses that fund and rely on them.
In addition, Bill 28 provides authority for cabinet to make regulations to guide governance frameworks for municipal public utilities, supporting responsible management, transparency and long-term sustainability in the delivery of essential services such as water and wastewater systems.
Protecting public institutions and essential services
Bill 28 amends the Libraries Act and Libraries Regulation to allow the minister to initiate reviews or respond to complaints related to public libraries. This provides a clear and consistent process to address concerns and support accountability across Alberta’s library system. The proposed changes would also allow the minister to issue guidance and non-binding guidelines to support public library governance.
These provisions establish a foundation to support age-appropriate access to public library materials that include explicit visual content, with additional details to be developed through upcoming regulation. These changes will be implemented through future regulations and protect children by restricting access to sexually explicit visual materials in public libraries to individuals 16 and older. Minors 15 and under will not be permitted to access materials without parental consent.
Pinoy Edmonton News 