Port Alberni, British Columbia, will be the featured location for the first season of Home Town Takeover Canada [1].
The selection brings significant publicity and infrastructure investment to the Vancouver Island community through a series of high-profile renovations. This partnership aims to accelerate the town's existing downtown revitalization efforts and attract new residents and tourists.
Bryan and Sarah Baeumler will lead the project, joined by original Home Town hosts Ben and Erin Napier [1]. The production focuses on community makeovers and the restoration of local landmarks to stimulate economic growth.
Officials said Port Alberni was selected because of its industrial history and natural surroundings [3]. The series will document the transformation of specific areas to highlight the town's potential as a destination [3].
Production is currently underway as of June 2026 [2]. The series is slated to premiere in the fall of 2026 [1].
The show intends to boost the community by combining professional design with local history [3]. By filming these renovations, HGTV provides the town with a platform to showcase its identity to a national audience [2].
“Port Alberni will be the featured location for the first season of Home Town Takeover Canada.”
The choice of Port Alberni suggests a strategic move by HGTV to leverage the 'industrial-chic' aesthetic and the growing interest in rural Canadian revitalization. By pairing the Baeumlers with the Napiers, the network is blending established brand loyalty with a new regional focus, potentially creating a blueprint for similar town-scale interventions across other Canadian provinces.
