Port Alberni lands leading role in reality show Home Town Takeover Canada

June 09 2026

By Austin Kelly Alberni Valley News

Port Alberni will be the star of the first season of Home Town Takeover Canada, a reality show that revitalizes cities.

Residents were asked to come down to Harbour Quay Tuesday morning for what the city called a final push to convince HGTV to bring the show to Port Alberni. People were surprised to see hosts of Canadian version, Bryan and Sarah Baeumler joined by the American hosts, Ben and Erin Napier at the quay.

The hosts made the surprise announcement that Port Alberni has been selected for the first season of the Canadian version of the show, prompting cheers from the crowd.

Home Town Takeover will revitalize businesses, homes and public spaces in the city. Mayor Sharie Minions saying it will be an incredible benefit to Port Alberni.

“This is an opportunity to bring HGTV designers and developers into the community and redesign some of our community spaces, businesses and residential homes,” she said. “But well beyond that…this is an opportunity to tell Port Alberni’s story on a national stage. Port Alberni has an incredible story to tell, we have incredible people here.”

When asked why she thinks they chose Port Alberni, Minions jokingly said “why wouldn’t they?” before explaining how hard the city and community have worked to put their best foot forward in the application process.

“We don’t only have natural beauty, and we of course have that in spades,” she said. “But we have stories to tell and I think that’s maybe the most important piece. We’ve been through a lot of hardship and we have, every single time, banded together and come out stronger. And I think that is what makes Port Alberni so authentically unique.”

While Minions didn’t say what spaces will be renovated, she did say filming starts this week.