In the areas surrounding Alberta’s most populous cities, the market for
acreages and countryside estates is booming. In the last decade, land
values in many areas have doubled or tripled as urbanites seek a piece
of country paradise to call their own. For Alberta’s farmers and
ranchers, the lucrative real estate market is a mixed blessing. For
those who want to get out of agriculture, selling farmland to
speculators and developers can mean huge returns. But for those who
want to stay on the farm, the urban invasion represents a clash of
values, added pressure on municipal services and a loss of valuable
agricultural land.
In this special report, Calgary-based reporter Barbara Duckworth looks
at the repercussions of urban sprawl in Alberta’s Highway 2 corridor
and discovers what can happen when city and country collide.
