Energy Labs North Insights https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/ Data-driven insights on housing, climate, crime, infrastructure, and energy across BC and Canada. Built from open government data. en-ca © 2026 Energy Labs North contact@energylabsnorth.com Canada's Broadband Desert: The Communities That Still Can't Access Basic Internet Speeds https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-broadband-desert/ CRTC data shows that 50/10 Mbps service, Canada's basic broadband standard, remains unavailable in thousands of communities. The map of the gap is not what most Canadians would expect. Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-broadband-desert/ Energy Labs North Infrastructure Atlantic Canada's Rent Crisis: Why Halifax and Moncton Are Outpacing the Headlines https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/atlantic-canada-rent/ CMHC data shows Atlantic Canada's rental markets have tightened faster than any region in the country over the past four years. The causes are specific, and the communities most affected aren't always the ones making national news. Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/atlantic-canada-rent/ Energy Labs North Housing The Mid-Size City Crime Surprise: Communities That Outperform and Underperform Their Reputations https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-crime-mid-size-cities/ The StatCan Crime Severity Index for mid-size Canadian cities produces a ranked list that upends assumptions on both ends. Some cities with tough reputations are quieter than you'd expect. Others are the opposite. Mon, 01 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-crime-mid-size-cities/ Energy Labs North Safety The Remote Work Reshuffling: Where It's Moved People and What It's Done to Local Housing Markets https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-remote-work-reshuffling/ Journey to Work data from the 2021 Census captures a moment of maximum remote work adoption. The geographic redistribution it reveals, and its pressure on communities that weren't ready for it, is still playing out. Sun, 31 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-remote-work-reshuffling/ Energy Labs North Demographics Alberta's Cheap Housing Myth: What the Data Actually Shows About Calgary and Edmonton https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/alberta-housing-affordability/ Alberta's reputation for affordable housing is real on average, but neighbourhood data tells a more complicated story, with pockets of rent stress that rival some Ontario cities. Sat, 30 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/alberta-housing-affordability/ Energy Labs North Housing Where New Canadians Are Settling: Immigration Is Reshaping Canada's Small Cities https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-immigration-small-cities/ Canada's immigration boom is no longer concentrated in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. StatCan data shows a decisive shift toward mid-size cities and communities that would have seemed unlikely destinations a decade ago. Fri, 29 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-immigration-small-cities/ Energy Labs North Demographics Rent Stress Across Canada: Which Neighbourhoods Are Spending the Most of Their Income on Housing https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-rent-stress-map/ CMHC rental data combined with StatCan income figures tells a story that national housing coverage misses: the worst rent-to-income ratios aren't always where you'd expect them. Thu, 28 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-rent-stress-map/ Energy Labs North Housing Canada's Quietest Places: A National Look at Low-Crime Communities and What They Have in Common https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-quietest-places/ The StatCan Crime Severity Index produces a national ranked list that goes far beyond province lines. The communities at the bottom, the safest in Canada, share a set of characteristics that don't always match expectations. Thu, 21 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/canada-quietest-places/ Energy Labs North Safety BC's Electrification Gap: The Communities That Need It Most Are Least Ready https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/bc-electrification-gap/ Our new Electrification Readiness Index reveals a striking divide across British Columbia's 183 communities. The places with the most to gain from electrification are, by almost every infrastructure measure, the least prepared for it. Wed, 13 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700 https://energylabsnorth.com/blog/bc-electrification-gap/ Energy Labs North Energy