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02/24/2025

Toronto couple charged after defrauding hundreds of Canadians out of millions of dollars: police
Police say the pair posed as bank, government or police employees to trick victims

A Toronto couple is facing charges after allegedly defrauding hundreds of Canadians out of millions of dollars.

The RCMP alleged in a news release on Thursday that the pair used technology to hide their phone number in order to pose as bank, government or police employees and trick people into handing over money.

Police said the suspects, who are 29 and 31, used a spoofing website to make phone calls while displaying a false caller ID.

The RCMP alleged that the two people were among the "most active" subscribers to iSpoof.cc, a website that was used by subscribers around the world to make unauthorized phone calls while displaying a caller ID falsely indicating that they were legitimate callers. The website had as many as 38,000 subscribers.

"This particular technology allowed criminals to purchase a subscription in order to use the service to impersonate trusted corporations," RCMP said in the release.

RCMP said they searched the couple's home and seized a "trove" of items, including electronic devices.

Police said at least 570 people were defrauded, though that number may increase after the devices seized in the search are analyzed.

According to the RCMP, the couple allegedly used a variety of different spoofing, phishing and smishing schemes to target their victims.

The pair have been charged with fraud, unauthorized use of a computer, laundering the proceeds of crime, unauthorized possession of credit card data and possessing the proceeds of crime.

The accused were arrested on Wednesday and remanded to Maplehurst Correctional Complex and Vanier Centre for Women and will appear remotely in a Toronto courtroom on Feb. 21.

Spoofing allegedly used on a 'global scale,' RCMP says
Insp. Lina Dabit, the officer in charge of the Cybercrime Investigative Team Toronto for Ontario RCMP, said at a news conference on Thursday that RCMP officers arrested the two after receiving information from the London Metropolitan Police in the U.K. as part of Operation Elaborate, an investigation involving several police forces.

Operation Elaborate was led by the London Metropolitan Police with the help of Dutch National Police and Europol.

The RCMP alleges that the two were using spoofing technology "on a global scale," Dabit said.

"Evidence indicates that the scale of their operation was enormous," Dabit said at a news conference on Thursday. "We allege that these individuals are responsible for millions of dollars lost to victims across Canada."

"Further, we suspect that nearly every bank in Canada has been a victim of these suspects as well as many of their clients."

Dabit said cybercriminals use spoofing to mislead victims to convince them that they are speaking with someone they can trust.

"This will often lead to victims letting their guard down and divulging sensitive information."

Last year, Canadians lost $638 million to fraud, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

"These losses have had and continue to have devastating impacts on Canadian families who may end losing a lifetime of savings," Dabit said.
------------------------------------
With files from CBC News

02/24/2025

Google says it's taking action on Canadian parks categorized as state parks in its listings
Issue pre-dates 51st state rhetoric but is getting fresh attention with concerns over sovereignty

The waterfalls of Short Hills Provincial Park in Ontario. The marine beauty of Juan de Fuca Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. The hoodoos and rock carvings of Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park in southern Alberta.

These are just some of the dozens of Canadian vistas that, until now, have been categorized by Google and other online services as "state park."

But the company says this will change after hearing from hundreds of Canadian users over the weekend.

"We're actively working to update labels for parks in Canada to avoid confusion," a spokesperson told CBC News in an email.

Though the state park classification pre-dates the current political climate, many users of Google Maps took notice of the small print amid ongoing rhetoric from U.S. president Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said he wants to force Canada to become the 51st state. Many are also making note of the cartographic changes Trump has already launched to listings in other parts of the world, such as changing the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, a move Google and other services have complied with for U.S.-based users.

In recent days several posts highlighting the issue were posted in popular Canadian forums on Reddit and on Google's support forum, a post asking for it to be fixed is listed as trending.

"I was shocked and actually quite insulted," said Kiki Grabowski, a Campbell River, B.C., resident who noticed the change and filed a complaint after seeing a post about it on Facebook.

"I find it really concerning."

B.C.'s environment minister, Tamara Davidson, also said her team had reached out to Google to request that "provincial park" be added as a unique label.

"We understand the concerns this has raised in the context of recent events — and let's be clear, we will never be the 51st state," she said in an email.

The email from Google confirmed the categorization is not new.

"We have not made any recent changes to the way we label parks in Canada," the statement says. "The vast majority of these parks have had their existing labels for several years."

'Cartographic bias'
Reuben Rose-Redwood, a geography professor at the University of Victoria, said this appears to be a case of "cartographic bias," not a deliberate misrepresentation of Canadian sovereignty.

"Google is using the term 'state park' as a catch-all category to refer to parks at either the state or provincial level in contrast to national parks," he said in an email. "While this may indicate a cartographic bias toward U.S. terminology, it most certainly pre-dates the current bluster about Canada becoming the 51st State."

'Gulf of America' shift won't be the first time Google Maps has changed names depending on your location
When Google Maps gets it wrong, who's to blame? And how do you get it fixed?
He said it appears Google is simply using state park as a generic term to categorize the locations, similar to the way the service lists barber shop or sushi restaurant.

"I'd be cautious not to read too much conspiratorial intent into this particular cartographic categorization," he said.

Other locations worldwide are also listed as state parks including Ischigualasto Provincial Park in Argentina and Russia's Smolenskoye Poozerye National Park.

Meanwhile, Canadian national parks such as Jasper and Banff are listed as exactly that — national parks — while other provincial parks are listed, simply, as "park."

And at least one Canadian park seems to be the exception that proves the rule: Rochon Sands Provincial Park in Alberta, a lakeside campground between Calgary and Edmonton, is categorized as a provincial park.

Suggested edits
Google users are able to suggest edits to both search listings and maps which are then reviewed by the service.

Provincial park is not currently a category available to suggest for the edit, but some parks have seen their categorization change. Over the course of the weekend one park being monitored by CBC News — Crooked River Provincial Park in B.C. — had its listing switched several times between state park and park.

And in online forums, Canadian users are submitting bulk requests to have areas listed as state park to park, with some showing dozens of pending requests in their queue.

One user, though, points out the categorization may not be incorrect if the term state is simply referring to "a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government," which, they write, could apply to provinces and even countries.

Other mapping services
Provincial park is a category for Google's major mapping competitor: Apple Maps, which comes pre-loaded on iPhones and is available as an online service. A search shows several of the parks listed as state parks by Google are provincial parks on Apple Maps, though others are listed as park, beach or campground. The service also allows users to suggest provincial park as a category using its "report an issue" feature.

Reporter banned from Oval Office event over editorial decision not to use 'Gulf of America,' AP says
Bing, powered by Microsoft, does not list provincial park as a suggested category and also lists several Canadian parks including Writing-On-Stone, Juan de Fuca and Short Hills as state parks, as well. It does the same for provincial parks in Argentina.

The travel site TripAdvisor also categorizes some Canadian parks, including Writing On Stone and B.C.'s Alice Lake as state parks.

CBC News has reached out to Microsoft and TripAdvisor for comment.

What's in a name?
Grabowski said the fact the categorizations are long-standing did not giver her reassurance and she hoped change would come soon.

"Those parks belong to Canada, they are not state parks," she said. "With everything going on it is quite concerning."

Rose-Redwood, the geography professor, said the expansionist language coming from the White House has made people more attuned to the way major online services list geographic spaces. Though he cautioned against being too concerned about what looks to be long-standing listings online, he also pointed to the Gulf of America controversy and a move from congressional Republicans to rename Greenland "Red, White and Blueland" as examples of the sort of thing that could signal a threat to the sovereignty of other countries.

"For instance, if the U.S. Congress were to pass a law renaming Canada as the U.S. State of Canada or some other such absurdity, would Google follow suit and update Google Maps accordingly for U.S. map users like they've already done for the so-called Gulf of America?" he asked.

"These types of renaming efforts signal to the world that the current U.S. administration is seeking to flex its muscles to seem strong, similar to the way a pufferfish inflates its body to appear large," he wrote.

"In fact the cartographic arrogance behind these moves makes Trump and his cartographic supplicants ... seem petty and small."

02/24/2025

New public housing units in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T. expected to welcome tenants next month
One of the duplexes includes two-bedroom units for seniors from the community

The long public housing waiting list in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T. is expected to get a little shorter next month, as multiple units will soon welcome tenants.

The community has three new buildings, with each designed to accomodate a different group in need of housing. One duplex, which includes two bachelor units, is for single people. Another duplex with two two-bedroom units is for seniors. A third building with two multi-bedroom units will be for families.

CBC News joined for a tour of the three new buildings.

Monfwi MLA Jane Weyallon Armstrong said she's happy to see the units so close to welcoming tenants, but more are needed.

"Right now, we're in crisis, we need more houses, not just in Behchokǫ̀, but in Whatì, Gamètì and Wekweètì as well," she said.

A house pictured on a winter day.
A public housing building in Behchokǫ̀ pictured in February 2025. (Luke Carrol/CBC)
The units will go to those at the top of the public housing waiting list, a list that is determined through a point-based system.

"People who apply, it depends on what situation they are in," said Lillian Erasmus, the housing manager for Behchokǫ̀ Ko Gha K'aodee, the local public housing authority.

She said the community's waiting list, which includes somewhere around 160 to 180 people — or 135 families, according to the N.W.T. housing minister — has been growing in recent years.

Two woman in a room stare ahead.
Lillian Erasmus, right, housing manager for Behchokǫ̀ Ko Gha K'aodee, and Charlene Erasmus, secretary for Behchokǫ̀ Ko Gha K'aodee. (Luke Carroll/CBC)
"Young adults are getting of age, so they want to move out of their families house," Erasmus said.

Seniors gave feedback on design
For the seniors' units, Bronwyn Rorke, Housing NWT's manager of capital planning and design, said seniors were engaged to provide feedback that could be incorporated in the design of the building.

"Making sure that the kitchens were large, making sure that there's storage space because seniors kind of struggle to do constant kind of shopping," she said.

These units were also designed with enough space to accommodate ramps in case the tenant is in need of a wheelchair.

A microwave.
A new public housing unit in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T. on Feb. 21, 2025. The unit is designed for elders and has the appliances, like the microwave, low down so it is more easily accessible if the tenant is in a wheelchair. (Luke Carroll/CBC)
Territorial Housing Minister Lucy Kuptana says the seniors and the bachelor units were a collaboration between Housing NWT and the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation.

"Anytime there's development in the region, we reach out and see if there's any opportunities to partner and look at development opportunities within the community," she said.

Kuptana says she knows the community needs more houses, but that she is happy to see the progress.

She also credited Weyallon Armstrong for her dedication to bring more housing to her constituents.

"She advocates and she really pushes housing hard," Kuptana said.

The modular units arrived by road in late July and were assembled throughout the fall. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Feb. 21, and both Kuptana and the Erasmus say they expect the units to house tenants in about the next month.

A woman standing before a home on a winter day smiles.
Jane Weyallon Armstrong, MLA for Monfwi, is pictured outside a public housing unit in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T. in February 2025. Weyallon Armstrong says the units are great, but that her region needs more housing as the situation is a "crisis." (Luke Carroll/CBC)

02/24/2025

Woman charged with attempted murder after child, 6, stabbed
Elliott Chorny, 19, was scheduled to appear in Halifax provincial court Monday

Halifax Regional Police say a 19-year-old woman is facing charges including attempted murder after a six-year-old child was stabbed multiple times.

In a news release, police said the child was found suffering from stab wounds in the 1900 block of Barrington Street in Halifax at around 1:20 p.m. AT Sunday. The child was taken by ambulance to the IWK Health Centre with what police said were life-threatening injuries.

The child was still in hospital as of Monday.

The accused, Elliott Chorny, was scheduled to appear in Halifax provincial court Monday morning to face charges of attempted murder and possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace.

Investigators said it's not believed that the victim and Chorny are known to each other.

Police are asking anyone who may have video of the area around the time of the incident to contact them directly.

On Sunday evening, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston expressed his condolences on X.

"I struggle to fully express my outrage and sadness at learning about this attack on an innocent child in Halifax," he said.

02/24/2025

Montreal's Metro struggles to cope with growing homelessness crisis
Transit agency complains of serving as 'last-resort shelter' as data shows sharp increase in incidents

As the evening cold set in, Lindy Trapper and three friends spread a blanket on a platform overlooking the tracks at Villa-Maria Metro, in Montreal's west end.

Soon after, two intervention workers told them to leave. They were escorted up to the subway entrance, but without any clear options, stayed inside.

"I hang around in the Metro until it closes, and then I have to look for somewhere to sleep," said Trapper, a Cree man from Mistissini, Que.

When the Metro does close, Trapper said he often spends the night in a storefront entrance, where he can escape the worst of the wind. In the morning, he returns to the Metro.

Similar situations are unfolding across the subway system, where people without a place to stay seek reprieve from the cold and snow.

Reports of disturbances in the Metro system, drug usage and concerns from riders about their safety have all surged since the pandemic.

'Fall through the cracks'
During a round of consultations on homelessness last week, Société de transport de Montréal (STM) chair Éric Caldwell expressed alarm over the growing problems in the Metro, saying it has become the "overflow unit for the most vulnerable people who fall through the cracks of the social safety net."

At the same time, he said, the sense of security among public transit users is in sharp decline, making for an "untenable" situation. In a January survey, nearly half of riders said they felt unsafe.

"It can't continue like this," Caldwell told the city's homelessness consultations. "We need to stop considering the Metro as a last-resort shelter."

Overdoses in the Metro are also up, more than doubling from 22 in 2023 to 47 in 2024. There were 12 in the first month of January.

"We want to maintain an environment of respect, and it's really hard because sometimes we are close to losing control between the different types of clients between drug users and homeless people," Jocelyn Latulippe, the STM's director of security, told CBC News recently.

"We need to have more support."

Last year, STM workers removed more than 12,000 people from the Metro at the end of the night. Latulippe said they try to find those people a shelter, but there isn't always space.

WATCH | Montreal shelters face even greater demands:

After back-to-back storms, Montreal shelters face even greater demands

3 days ago
Duration1:47
More people experiencing homelessness are seeking help during this frigid, snow-filled stretch. But shelters are struggling with staffing shortages.

Montreal, like many other Canadian cities, has seen a dramatic rise in homelessness since the pandemic. Between 2018 and 2022, the number of people experiencing homelessness across the province doubled to roughly 10,000.

Homeless shelters are regularly stretched to capacity, leading to more encampments and, particularly in the bitter winter months, more people inside the Metro.

"The people that are there are not there because they want to be," James Hughes, head of the Old Brewery Mission, the city's largest shelter, said in an interview. "They are there trying to survive."

needle in metro
Reports of drug use in the Metro have climbed in recent years. Overdoses in the Metro are also up, more than doubling from 22 in 2023 to 47 in 2024. There were 12 in the first month of January. (Bernard Leduc/Radio-Canada)
Root causes
The Montreal consultations, which resume this week, are mandated to explore questions of cohabitation, such as how shelters and resources for homeless people can be integrated into neighbourhoods.

Advocates argue that focus misses the point, and the root causes of homelessness must be addressed.

"What needs to be done is the government needs to put its big boy pants on and start investing in social housing, and community housing, and start offering solutions that aren't temporary solutions," said Nicholas Harvest, an intervention worker with a Pointe-Saint-Charles housing rights group, who was at the hearings last week.

A Montreal shelter is giving people a room of their own: 'It's just a sense of dignity'
At the National Assembly, the Coalition Avenir Québec government has come under criticism.

Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, a Québec Solidaire MNA and critic on homelessness issues, called out the ruling party for "refusing to recognize the extent of the crisis."

Cliche-Rivard tabled a motion saying it "is unacceptable that the CAQ refuses to assume its responsibilities and refuses to open emergency shelters."

WATCH: STM says it's intervening in 70 cases a day:

‘Problematic behaviour’ rising sharply on Montreal Metro, new figures reveal

17 days ago
Duration2:40
As the city grapples with growing homelessness and drug use issues, Montreal’s transit authority says it’s intervening in more than 70 cases every day on average of what it calls problematic behaviour or incivility, while overdose incidents are doubling every year.
In a statement, the office of Quebec's social services minister said the facts reported by the STM "show that the issue of cohabitation is the main source of concern for many Montrealers."

It said the city will get more than $23 million from a deal with the federal government to address homelessness over the next two years.

Hughes, for his part, struck an optimistic tone and urged Montrealers to be understanding, saying additional resources and projects were on the way to help.

"Let's just hang in there," he said.

02/24/2025

First Nation says McEwen Mining breached agreement, owes almost $1M in unpaid shares
Apitipi Anicinapek Nation is taking the matter before an Ontario court

The Apitipi Anicinapek Nation (AAN) has launched a lawsuit against McEwen Mining Inc., alleging breach of contract and environmental damage.

The lawsuit centres around an Impact Benefit Agreement (IBA) signed in 2011 between AAN and Brigus, the then-owner of the Black Fox Mining Complex near Matheson, Ont.

IBAs are agreements between resource extraction companies and Indigenous communities intended to mitigate the impacts of development on traditional territories and ways of life.

In this case, the IBA promised AAN financial compensation in the tune of 25,000 shares of the mining company annually.

Will the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund have impact? The miners behind 3 northern projects hope so
AAN's director of negotiations, Lance Black, says it was the first IBA ever signed by the First Nation, and it brought good things to the community.

"We benefited a lot from the construction… Over the years we've had many of our members work there. We've had different contracts thanks to the project," he said.

"We are not against mining development. It's helped advance our community and supported different programs."

Black says McEwen Mining has not paid the shares as detailed in the IBA since it took over the project back in 2017. It also says the previous owner of the mine failed to make those payments.

In a press release, the mining company says it does not believe its shares and the shares of the mining company that initially signed the IBA are "interchangeable on a 1-to-1 basis" and that this "[complicates] the conversation."

"We are not responsible for shares that were not delivered by [the previous owner], among other things," they write.

First Nation is suing for $100M in damages
The Black Fox Mining Complex changed hands several times over the past 15 years, from Brigus to the now-defunct Primero to McEwen Mining. Both Brigus and Primero have since dissolved.

The First Nation says that, in 2022, it noticed it hadn't been receiving the money promised in the IBA for some time. It calculated there's $1M worth of unpaid shares, some of it dating back to the years Primero was operating the mine.

It says meetings to resolve this issue with McEwen mining were unsuccessful.

As for the company, it says it was not notified of any outstanding liability in the IBA when it took over the project in 2017 and therefore cannot be held responsible.

Canada's first Indigenous-owned mining royalty company is eyeing northern Ontario
This means AAN effectively has no means of recovering the payments promised in the IBA.

"It's really hard to wrap my head around this," said Black. "How can the company not honour the longstanding agreement with the nearby First Nation?"

Black says the community relies on these revenues to pay for day-to-day operations like band office expenses, social housing and public works.

The First Nation says McEwen Mining tried to resolve the share dispute by offering 15,000 shares of its stock to cover the period between 2018 and 2023.

It deems that offer is too low to cover what was initially promised in the IBA.

Company says it remains open to "constructive dialogue"
McEwen Mining denies the allegations that it has let waste materials seep into a nearby creek, as alleged it the lawsuit.

It has declined multiple interview requests from CBC.

The company says that both before and during this dispute it has worked with AAN to respect the terms of the IBA, including "providing $20M in direct and indirect benefits since 2017," without specifying what these "indirect benefits" are and how much they account for.

It says it has paid the salary of an AAN representive to have a presence on the ground during operations but that this person has not visited the project in over a year.

"Given there seem to be significant misunderstandings about environmental matters and transparency, we believe it would be highly beneficial to have an AAN representative present at Fox on a daily basis," it writes.

The company recently boosted mining exploration in the area in a bid to extend the mining life at the Fox Complex.

02/24/2025

Mining industry, business groups in NWO call for better support for mining from next provincial government
More power generation, meaningful consultations with First Nations needed if projects are to move forward

Kris Ketonen · CBC News · Posted: Feb 24, 2025 4:00 AM CST | Last Updated: 4 hours ago
Queen's Park winter drone images taken Jan 28, 2025
A photo of Queen's Park in Toronto. Business and First Nations groups in northwestern Ontario say they'd like to see whichever party forms the next provincial government to offer more support to the region's mining industry. (Ken Townsend/CBC)

Whichever party is elected as the next government of Ontario needs to show better support for northwestern Ontario's mining industry if some of the region's major developments are to move forward, industry and First Nations groups say.

"We need Queens Park to actually recognize us more," said Garry Clark, executive director of the Ontario Prospectors Association. "We need more money put into exploration to move things forward."

The provincial election takes place Thursday. While much of the focus has been on the Ring of Fire, there are many other mining projects in the region that are moving forward, said Iain Angus, co-chair of the Northwest Energy Task Force.

"There's 41 major projects working their way through, with 37 of them advanced to the point where they're saying they can be operational by 2033," Angus said. "That's not too far away."

More power needed for growing northwestern Ontario mining sector: task force
The task force recently released a report showing an additional 250 megawatts of power will be needed if those 37 mining projects do reach the operational stage.

"It takes seven years to build a transmission line," Angus said. "And while a lot of these mining projects are close to the existing grid, a number of them are not."

Jason Rasevych, president of the Anishinawbe Business Professional Association, said the province needs to ensure it meets its duty to consult First Nations, as well.

"We've seen there's been some communities that have been able to progress on their exploration agreements with some of the companies related to employment and having community based discussions on some of the exploration activities," he said. "But we still see there's challenges from the existing mining regime that's here in Ontario around meeting the bare minimum of duty to consult."

Aroland First Nation signs agreement with provincial government to develop road infrastructure
"In Ontario there's been a number of injunctions due to the Crown failing and its obligations to properly consult with communities," Rasevych said. "And this shows we need to evolve the mining regime to one of a consent-based approach, somewhat similar to what we're seeing in British Columbia."

Rasevych said he'd also like to see the next provincial government fund some of the development work, up-front, for mining companies to work in partnership with First Nations who are the rights holders in an area.

Terms set for Ring of Fire impact assessment
Angus said, meanwhile, power needs to be a priority.

"We've identified a number of areas where new transmission lines are required if those mines are to be powered up with electricity, as opposed to natural gas or diesel," he said. "That needs to be accelerated because quite frankly, without the power, the mines may not happen."

Clark added that more investment from Queen's Park will be required.

New research explores impact of Ring of Fire mining on First Nations in northern Ontario

In the Ring of Fire, he said, things are moving about as fast as they can, given the need for exploration, roads, and power.

"We need more money put into exploration to move things forward, to get it to the point where we do need electric power at these sites," he said. "That's how they were found, is with exploration dollars."

02/24/2025

'Record-setting' boom in development driven by new zoning rules and new LRT
50% more residential development and building permits in 2024 over previous year

Construction of new residential and commercial spaces is booming in Edmonton, influenced by new relaxed zoning rules as well as a longer-term trend of neighbourhoods being reshaped by the city's expanding LRT.

In a recent year-in-review report, the City of Edmonton's development services department called 2024 a "record-setting year for growth."

The city awarded 50 per cent more residential development and building permits than it did in 2023, with the overall value of construction permits at $4.2 billion, a 31 per cent growth from the year before.

"I'm not shocked," Coun. Andrew Knack said about the numbers. "Thinking about the growth that we've been seeing, it's just continuing to explode in our city."

The councillor for Ward Nakota Isga said 2023 and '24 saw an influx of people moving to Edmonton from other parts of Canada, and the development boom reflects that.

"You really started to see people in other parts of the country realize just how much more affordable almost all of Alberta is — but when it comes to a major city, how much more affordable Edmonton in particular is."

Edmonton's new zoning bylaw went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, allowing more diverse and dense types of housing in all parts of the city. In residential zones, the new bylaw allows eight or more housing units to be built on a single lot.

Almost 16,000 net new dwelling units were approved in 2024, of which more than 6,000 were classed as row houses, backyard housing or secondary suites.

New year, new zoning: Edmonton's urban planning overhaul will come into effect Monday
Edmonton approves more than half of permits needed to meet 2026 housing target, city says
According to David Cooper, a transportation planner and consultant with Leading Mobility, Edmonton has — and is — building a significant amount of LRT, which is driving development.

"Rapid transit projects do sometimes spur changes in the urban form to build more housing," said Cooper, who is the lead author on a national report called Housing is on the Line. It makes recommendations on how transit can help Canada's housing issues.

Edmonton now has three LRT lines: the Capital Line, Metro Line and Valley Line Southeast. The Valley Line West is under construction and the Capital Line extension has been approved. The city also plans to extend the Metro line to the northwest of Castle Downs.

Downtown Edmonton sits in the backdrop of a new LRT bridge that crosses an icy North Saskatchewan River.
The Valley Line Southeast LRT is the newest line in Edmonton with the west leg now under construction. (David Bajer/CBC)
In Edmonton, Cooper said transit-oriented developments — or TODs — are evident in areas along the Valley Line Southeast LRT, like Bonnie Doon, Strathearn, Holyrood and Mill Woods Town Centre.

"There's areas that will see development happen over time. We've had TODs occur in Edmonton that are multi-phase: Century Park still getting built out."

With growth comes a wealth of new amenities, he added.

"Stadium Station's a great example of that," Cooper said, referring to the LRT station near Commonwealth Stadium. "You got a reconstructed station, you got a number of different housing units, you got new commercial services that didn't exist before, you have a renovated recreation centre."

'Downtown coming to the neighbourhood'
Many people across the city aren't happy about the changing landscape.

Jaclyn Moravec and her husband, Dallas Moravec, have lived in a single-family home in the Woodvale community of Mill Woods for nine years.

"We looked for a lot because [Dallas] had some friends grow up here and he just thought it was a little gem in Edmonton," Moravec said in an interview earlier this month.

Now, a developer has applied to build a 10-unit apartment complex on the lot next door.

Moravec said the three-storey building will block views, sunlight and take away their privacy. She's also worried about how the increased population will impact existing sewer and water issues.

One of the Valley Line South LRT stations, which went into operation in late 2023, is located a few blocks away. She said that has added to congestion in the neighbourhood.

"This is our home and now we have downtown coming to the neighbourhood," Moravec said.

The Woodvale community was developed in the 1970s and early '80s as a mix of single-detached homes, row housing and walk-up apartments, according to the city. Moravec said she recognizes the need for diverse housing types but said other neighbourhoods might be more suitable for high-density developments.

Moravec started a petition to stop the development; as of Friday, more than 300 people had signed it.

Cooper said these developments can be difficult for neighbours.

"That will always be a tension. That's not unique to Edmonton. That's really a national tension if you look at it, when we look at the integration of transit and housing."

Generational lifestyle shift
Niraj Nath, president and founder of NDura Developments, focuses on building multi-family infill housing in Edmonton's west end.

Business is up 300 per cent this year, he said. In 2024, he built 10 units of row housing. This year he's building 30 units within eight-plexes.

He credits the city's revised zoning bylaw as the impetus for more permits but also points out 70 per cent of his projects are within a kilometre of the Valley Line West LRT.

"I think there's a lot of long term generational benefits to the LRT," he said. "We're the generation that has to make that change but I think it's really been a catalyst for a lot of the development that we're seeing in the neighbourhoods we're developing in."

Latest leg of Edmonton's Valley Line West LRT construction to bring more major road closures
Valley Line West LRT construction plagues Stony Plain Road businesses
Nath, who grew up in the west end, said the changes in housing type around transportation routes is part of a growing city.

When he started 10 years ago, people in traditional single-family home neighbourhoods questioned the style and density of skinny home infill and townhouses. He says people eventually came around.

"I've had some of these neighbours become friends," Nath said. "It's a cool little ecosystem and community."

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