New policy could mean changes to remediation and disclosure

The Alberta government has accepted 37 recommendations which could mean large scale changes to the way the province deals with grow-ops.

The recommendations, which are the result of a consultation with key stakeholders from the housing industry as well as an expert panel that included members of the Calgary Police Service and Alberta Health Services address concerns about the health, safety and remediation of former marijuana grow-operations.

Good news continues in Calgary's million-dollar plus market

The weather wasn't the only thing heating up in April as Calgary's luxury market saw the third highest number of transactions ever recorded in the city in a single month.

From April 1 to April 30, 79 homes priced $1 million or up were sold in Calgary, falling just short of the all time
record of 83 set in May 2013. The second highest number of sales occurred in May 2012 when 80 million dollar-
plus homes changed hands.

New listings up; Calgarians making the choice to buy in tight rental market

Not even a snowy spring kept sales and listings this April from increasing over last years' numbers.

CREB®'s monthly stats reported new residential listings for April at 3,754 units, an eight per cent increase compared to the same time last year.

"[Buying] made the most sense," said Sarah Hammond, a previous homeowner who purchased a home in the
southeast with her boyfriend, a firsttime buyer. "I already owned a condo so was not interested in trying to fight
the rental market to pay. Basically mortgage payments are the same or less than rental fees right now."

On May 6, Calgary City Council approved priorities directing administration to build 2015-2018 business plans and budgets including a 4.7 per cent tax hike.

The priorities encompass five key themes: A prosperous city, a city of inspiring neighbourhoods, a city that moves, a healthy and green city and a well-run city.

For those affected by, or interested in learn more about flooding, the City is hosting two sessions to provide information on what people can do about flood potential this year.

Staff from departments such as the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, Calgary Fire Department, Development and Building Approvals, Water Service and Water Resources, Finance and Supply, Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Flood Recovery Operations centre will be at the sessions to answer questions.

Calgary has enough serviced and zoned land to accommodate an expected 114,000 people in the next five years.

In a new growth forecast and according to land supply numbers released by the City, there is enough serviced land with approved zoning for 18,846 single-family homes and 26,793 multi-family units.

It's Women Build Week.

For the sixth year, women are coming together to build six homes in the Calgary community of Redstone for the Habitat for Humanity event.

The event, which will see 200 women constructing the homes, is an international movement bringing women together to change the lives of families in their communities.