Starting in 2006, the First Place program was established to develop and build up to 1,000 new townhomes on 20 surplus school sites, to help individuals and families who've never owned property in Alberta buy their first home.
As of Council approval on April 15, 2026, there are no remaining sites to be developed under the program. The final First Place program sites were developed in 2023.
Completed Developments
The First Place Program teamed up with banks and builders to develop vacant surplus school building sites into attractive town homes. The homes were sold at market price, with a 5-year deferral on the land portion of the mortgage, making them more accessible to first-time home buyers.
In 2006, the vacant school building site at 1404 105 Street in Bearspaw was declared surplus by local school boards and approved by City Council for development into town homes under the City’s First Place program.
Design Engagement
The community design engagement process provided an opportunity for the community league and Bearspaw community members to meet with the builder and discuss elements to help ensure the development was a good fit within the existing community – including orientation, building shape, roof design, site access, look and design details.
Meeting 3 - April 28, 2014 (14MB)
Meeting 2 - April 14, 2014 (12MB)
Meeting 1 - March 10, 2014 (11MB)
Belle Rive was completed in 2024. The site has 88 units built by Rohit Communities. Community stakeholders reported that the project is well integrated into the community.
2 vacant school building sites in Blue Quill on 112 Street, between Saddleback Road and 25 Avenue, have been declared surplus to school needs by local school boards. One site has been approved by City Council for seniors’ housing, and the other has been approved for development into town homes under the City’s First Place program.
Design Engagement
The design engagement process provided an opportunity for the Community league and Blue Quill community members to meet with the builder and discuss elements to help ensure the development was a good “fit” within the existing community – including orientation, massing and roof lines, access, vistas and design details.
Meeting 3 - April 6, 2016
Agenda
Meeting Minutes
Final Site Plan
Final Landscaping Plan
Entrance Feature
3D Views
Elevation
Meeting 2 - March 17, 2016
Meeting Minutes
Design Package
Site map with Sports Fields
Meeting 1 - February 24, 2016
The town homes have been developed on the 1.64 ha of land. The remaining 8.60 ha of open space surrounding the housing development is retained by the City and continues to serve sports, recreation and community uses as identified in the original neighbourhood structure plan.
All new home buyers will be required to be Homeowner Association members.
Design Engagement
The design engagement process started in December 2016 and is now complete.
What We Heard - February 2015
In 2006, City Council approved the building site at 300 Bulyea Road in Bulyea Heights for development under the First Place program. The other site in Bulyea Heights was designated for seniors housing.
City Council Public Hearing - April 18, 2016 (Item 3.6)
Ten community members were selected to work with the builder to help design the homes and ensuring they fit with the surrounding neighbourhood. This included input on design elements; building orientation, number of homes, massing and roof lines, site access, vistas, exterior home design details and landscaping.
Meeting Notes
Project Integration Meeting 5 - April 27, 2017
Meeting - April 18, 2017
Caernarvon had 2 surplus school sites, 1 approved by City Council for First Place housing, the other for seniors’ housing. Both sites are on 121 Street south of 153 Avenue.
The First Place show home was opened in 2014 after the public open house and the builder’s design engagement was complete.
The town homes have a federal EnerGuide rating averaging 84, just one step below the top category of energy-efficient housing. Annual energy costs for a typical 1,500 square feet house built in 2011 with an EnerGuide rating of 71 is about $1,500, compared to $900 for a home with a rating of 80.
Canon Ridge and Greenview were pilot sites developed for First Place housing. An independent consultant evaluated outcomes of the pilot in 2011.
Canon Ridge has 42 units built by Landmark Homes. The Greenview site has 43 units built by Rohit Communities. The builders were chosen for their expertise in consulting with the community on final design and "fit" of the developments.
Community stakeholders reported that the process was very successful and the projects were well integrated into their communities.
The Casselman site at 5103 149 Avenue was approved by City Council for First Place housing in 2006.
The show home opened in September 2014, after public engagement and the builder’s design engagement was complete. All First Place program homes in Casselman have been sold to first time buyers and the development is now complete.
Greenview and Canon Ridge were pilot sites for First Place housing. An independent consultant evaluated outcomes of the pilot in 2011.
The Greenview site has 43 units built by Rohit Communities. Canon Ridge has 42 units built by Landmark Homes. The 2 builders were chosen in part for their expertise in consulting with the community on final design and "fit" of the developments. Community stakeholders reported that the process was very successful and the projects were well integrated into their communities.
In 2006, the vacant school building site at 2137 Haddow Drive in Haddow was approved by City Council for development into town homes under the City’s First Place Program.
The town homes were developed on the 0.8 ha of land that was previously set aside for a school building. The remaining 6.43 ha of open space surrounding the housing development were retained by the City and continue to serve sports, recreation and community uses as identified in the original neighbourhood structure plan.
The second vacant school building site in Haddow was reviewed by the Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB) in December 2015 and was not declared surplus. This building site will be held for the EPSB until the next review of vacant building sites. If EPSB were to declare the site surplus at that time, it would be offered to the Francophone and Catholic school boards before being considered for other uses.
Design Engagement
What We Heard - February 2015
The community design engagement process provided an opportunity for the Community league and Haddow community members to meet with the builder and discuss elements to help ensure the development was a good “fit” within the existing community – including orientation, massing and rooflines, access, vistas and design details.
Meeting 4 - May 2015
Meeting Minutes
Final Aerial Photo Site Plan
Meeting 3 - April 2015
Meeting 2 - March 2015
Meeting Minutes
Aerial Photo of Site Plan
Meeting 1 - February 2015
In 2006, the vacant school building site in Kernohan at 311 Clareview Road was approved by City Council for development into town homes under the City’s First Place program.
The town homes were developed on the portion of land that was previously set aside for a school building. The remaining open space surrounding the housing development will be retained by the City and continue to serve sports, recreation and community uses as identified in the original neighbourhood structure plan.
Design Engagement
The community design engagement process provided an opportunity for the Community league and Kernohan community members to meet with the builder and discuss elements to help ensure the development was a good “fit” within the existing community – including orientation, massing and roof lines, access, vistas and design details.
The townhomes will be developed on the 1.4 ha of land. The remaining 11.46 ha of open space surrounding the housing development will be retained by the City and continue to serve sports, recreation and community uses as identified in the original neighbourhood structure plan.
Design Engagement
In 2006, City Council approved the building site at 3015 151 Avenue in Kirkness for development into town homes under the City’s First Place program.
The community design engagement process provided an opportunity for the Hairsine Community league and Kirkness community members to meet with the builder and discuss elements ensuring they fit with the existing communities. This included: orientation, massing and rooflines, access, vistas and design details.
Meeting 3 - July 2015
Meeting Minutes
Final Building Layouts
Final Elevation and Renderings
Home Pictures
Meeting 2 - June 2015
Meeting Minutes
Building Layouts
Landscape Concepts
Elevations and 3-D
Meeting 1 - June 2015
The town homes have been developed on part of land that was set aside for a school building. The remaining open space surrounding the housing development is retained by the City and continues to serve sports, recreation and community uses as identified in the original neighbourhood structure plan.
Design Engagement
In 2006, City Council approved the building site at 2845 43A Avenue on Larkspur for development into town homes under the City’s First Place program.
The community design engagement process provided an opportunity for the Community league and Kernohan community members to meet with the builder and discuss elements to help ensure the development was a good fit. Topics included orientation, massing and roof lines, access, vistas and design details.
The Tawa site at 140 Youville Drive was approved by City Council for First Place housing in 2006. The showhome opened in spring 2014 following a public open house and the builder’s design engagement process.
The design engagement process provided an opportunity for community volunteers to discuss design elements that helped ensure the development was a good "fit" within the existing community.
The townhomes have been developed on the 0.8 ha of land that was previously set aside for a Catholic elementary school building. The remaining 6.57 ha of open space surrounding the housing development is retained by the City and continues to serve sports, recreation and community uses as identified in the original neighbourhood structure plan.
Design Engagement
What We Heard - January 19, 2018
In 2006, the vacant school building site at 11341-12 Avenue in Twin Brooks was approved by City Council for development into townhomes under the City's First Place Program.
Seven community members were selected through an open application process held in December 2016 and worked with the builder to help design the new homes and ensure they are a good fit with the surrounding neighbourhood. This included providing input on design elements, such as building orientation, number of homes, massing and roof lines, site access, vistas, and exterior home design details and landscaping.
Meeting Notes
Meeting 4 - July 27, 2017
Meeting 3 - May 25, 2017
Meeting 2 - April 20, 2017
Meeting 1 - March 21, 2017
Success Stories
Completed projects across Edmonton have allowed many people to realize the dream of home ownership while integrating with communities that helped design the look and "fit" of the developments.
Why First Place Program
Alisha thought that it would be years before she could afford her own home.
But at 23 years old, her dreams are becoming reality. She’s graduated from the nursing program at Grant MacEwan University and put a deposit on a new town home in Bearspaw.
Alisha is a busy young woman who enjoys a number of interests. Travelling, camping, singing and enjoying live theatre are some ways she likes to spend her spare time.
New Beginnings
Now working as a Registered Nurse in pediatric surgery and medicine at the Stollery Children’s Hospital, Alisha is entering a new phase in her life. “I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I was eight years old,” she says. “It’s my passion to work alongside children and their families at such difficult times in their lives. Nursing is a very rewarding career.”
As her graduation drew closer, Alisha started to think about the next goal on her list—buying her own home.
“When I was on one of my clinical placements for school, which happened to be at the Grey Nuns Hospital, I noticed some townhouses being built just across the street.
“This got me thinking about homes and when I would eventually have one of my own. I saw that there was a show home open for the town houses, so I went in just out of curiosity.”
It was there that she heard about the First Place Program, and she went online to learn more.
Choice
Alisha purchased a lot with the Manchester 3 floor plan, which offers 1,362 square feet of space. It’s one of four available floor plans.
She’ll be living in a development built by Landmark Homes, a builder known for high-quality projects and “green” construction practices.
Bearspaw Crossing Homes feature energy-efficient appliances that are good for the environment and help reduce utility costs for homeowners.
Location
Although Alisha currently lives in southeast Edmonton with her mother and brother, the Bearspaw location appealed to her.
“The location of these homes is perfect as there are many important amenities close by, such as schools, banks, shopping, restaurants and transportation,” Alisha notes. “Because I work at the Stollery Children’s Hospital, I need an easy way to commute to and from work. The Century Park LRT will be just a few minutes’ drive from my new home, which is fantastic, especially with all the shift work I do as a nurse.”
The neighbourhood is four minutes from the Henday, and close to grocery stores, medical services, Southgate Centre and South Edmonton Common. If she doesn’t feel like cooking, there are several restaurants where she can pick up some dinner or spend time with her family and friends.
Alisha soon discovered other benefits to moving into an existing neighbourhood. She loves to read, and the Whitemud Crossing library is nearby. She likes walking, and she’ll be close to Blackmud Creek Ravine and several parks.
“The scenery where these homes are being built is beautiful, with the Bearspaw Lake very close by and a greenbelt with a baseball diamond just outside my front door! The neighbourhood seems to be quiet and the people seem to be really friendly.”
Independence
The City’s First Place program teams with banks and builders to develop attractive townhouses on undeveloped building sites in existing neighbourhoods.
First Place homes sell at market rates, but portions of the mortgage related to the land cost are deferred for five years, providing an attractive level of affordability. Owners cannot rent out the property for the period of the deferral, and the condo board ensures a high standard of exterior maintenance.
“The City of Edmonton and Landmark have made it easier for first time home buyers to qualify for a mortgage by deferring the cost of the land,” says Alisha. “Young adults like me who have only been in the ‘real world’ for under a year can have the opportunity to purchase their own home.”
“This home means independence and an exciting new milestone in my life,” says Alisha.
After an educational journey involving several countries and provinces in recent years, Janna Plewes was excited about making her home in one of Edmonton's First Place developments.
She's was one of the early buyers for First Place homes in the Caernarvon neighbourhood, where units were completed in November 2013.
"I came to Edmonton to work with the City in February 2012 and am very happy with my job," say the 30-something social worker. "I plan to be here for a while, and the opportunity to buy my first home was very appealing to me."
First Place homes sell at market rates, but portions of the mortgage related to the land cost are deferred for 5 years, providing an attractive level of affordability. Owners cannot rent out the property for the period of the deferral, and a condo board ensures exterior maintenance is top-notch.
"That was another bonus," says Janna. "The condo fees are less than half of what I saw in other developments."
She also likes the design of the project, built on a vacant school site declared surplus to school board needs. "I like how First Place homes improve community life in general, and especially neat to have community input into the design of the project. That's fantastic, and something the typical development doesn't involve."
Janna worked with the builder to choose interior colours and upgrades that would really make it her own home.
"You are really building your future and your life with a home like this," she says. "I have led a rather nomadic life while working across Canada and internationally and completing my Master's, it's a big deal to settle down for five years.
"But this program is set up for young professionals who want to settle in Edmonton, and it seems geared for me. It's a good fit for me and where I'm at in my life right now."
Janna will revert to the full mortgage obligation in 5 years, when she expects to have savings and an income situation that will help her manage the transition.
In the meantime she likes the comfort of a new-home warranty on the three bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home, the expectation of a nine-minute commute to downtown Edmonton, and the pleasure of being able to keep her kayak and bicycle with her, rather than parking them at friends' places.
More bonuses: Janna will qualify for financial incentives for her energy-efficient appliances, and she'll be living in a project built by Landmark Homes, a construction company with a "green" reputation for its constructed methods and materials.
What do you do?
I am a health safety coordinator with Epcor, and I am also an EMT with a private ambulance company.
What's your favorite thing about your new neighbourhood?
I like the neighbourhood because it is very central and close to many amenities; the hospital, the police station, the fire hall, grocery stores, malls and libraries. Plus it is close to my daughter's school and the new LRT system will be close by in about 5 years.
My favorite thing about my/our life?
I have a sense of independence and accomplishment from owning my first home! It feels like my daughter and I have really made it - that we are able to get our own house - it is a big sense of accomplishment for me.
What should people know about the first place program?
The First Place Program is for everyday people. It's not a certain clientele in the First Place program - it's every walk of life. I was living in my parent's house thinking about saving up the money and going to the traditional route of owning my own home and then I found this on the Internet.
It was karma; everything was lining up. Being able to have my own home - that just opens up so many more doors and possibilities of where I can go and what I can do.
What are the benefits of buying in a First Place Program neighbourhood?
You get a sense of belonging and a collective feeling that you are in a similar situation; you've all risen to the challenge and have the same sort of accomplishment in getting this home. It gives you a sense of camaraderie.