For Residents

City Involvement in Affordable Housing

The City of Edmonton has a strong history of supporting affordable housing provision and development.

The importance of affordable housing

Housing provides stability, both economically and socially, and is integral to human well-being. Affordable, safe and suitable housing for individuals and families is integral to supporting the lives of all Edmontonians.

Edmonton has one of the fastest growing economies in Canada. It is largely dependent on the broader Alberta economy, and is subject to "peaks and valleys" of growth and prosperity.

Edmonton is also home to many newcomers who were drawn here from other parts of the province, the country, and the world. Language and culture can be barriers to gainful employment and to finding safe, suitable and affordable housing.

For many Edmontonians, our prosperous economy has meant greater job prospects and higher wages. For others, it has resulted in an increasing inability to find affordable housing due to higher rents and lower vacancy rates.

Early years

Dating back to the 1960s, the City of Edmonton supported the establishment of the Greater Edmonton Foundation (GEF) to operate subsidized senior citizen lodges. The City also became a direct developer of over 1,000 units of family-oriented public housing from 1969 to 1974 through its Edmonton Community Housing Organization.

In the 1970s, the City partnered with the Government of Alberta to increase the supply of affordable housing through annexation and land banking in the Mill Woods area—a truly innovative and successful initiative.

HomeEd

The City of Edmonton Non-Profit Housing Corporation (HomeEd) was created in 1977 and provides affordable rental units in apartments and townhouses throughout Edmonton. These units include accessible units for persons with disabilities or reduced mobility.

The City of Edmonton manages the provision of property management services for over 700 rental units, serving people with low and moderate incomes in need of affordable housing. Please refer to the HomeEd FAQ for more information.

Cornerstones Program for Affordable Housing

The Cornerstones program was developed in 2005 and has been implemented since 2006. The overall objective of the program was to:

increase the number of long-term affordable housing units through grant funding for specific projects; and
advocate for increases in income supports and support services funding for lower income Edmontonians in need of housing.

The program was developed in response to an identified need to address housing concerns in Edmonton, as outlined in Building Together: The City of Edmonton Low-Income and Special Needs Strategy 2001-2011. It was endorsed by City Council through sixteen motions.

The City was given a mandate to collaborate with governments, the private sector and the community to provide an additional 2,500 units of long-term housing between 2006-2010. To date, the Cornerstones program has planned funding commitments which will help create over 3,000 housing units.

Recently, the City has made changes to the Cornerstones program to better serve applicants and communities, and to ensure its continued success in funding affordable housing projects throughout the city.

Changes and additions have been made to processes, business rules and business tools. Application processes have become clearer and simpler through important changes to forms and applicant guides.

The City is improving the accountability and transparency of its internal processes. Land use and permitting issues will be identified more clearly in the application process, and there will be increased emphasis on community involvement as well as post-completion monitoring and inspections.

The City also works with a number of partners to support and advocate for affordable housing initiatives in Edmonton.