Alberta Says It May Legislate to Protect Jurisdiction as Ottawa Approaches Municipalities on Housing

Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser has said Ottawa intends to intervene in the short-term rentals space, an area that falls under the scope of municipalities.

Sean Fraser, the federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities, speaks to reporters during the Liberal Cabinet retreat in Charlottetown, on Aug. 21, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese

The federal government is getting increasingly involved with municipalities as it seeks to boost housing supply, prompting Alberta to mull tabling legislation to uphold and protect its jurisdictional power.

Alberta’s Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver said in a Nov. 20 statement that he is “concerned about the repeated public comments” from federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser “indicating they will continue to deal directly with municipalities.”