First Place

About First Place

The First Place Home Ownership Program (formerly known as the First Time Home Buyer Program) is a City of Edmonton program that gives home buyers who have never before owned property in Alberta the opportunity to purchase their first home.
The First Place Home Ownership Program transforms undeveloped building sites into housing options for first-time homebuyers by offering deferred land payments and reduced CHMC insurance mortgage rates.

City Council approved 20 First Place program sites in 2006 as part of Edmonton’s long term multi-pronged housing strategy to help create a wider range of housing options to address our city’s growing needs. These sites are located in every quadrant of the City (see map) and will be developed on building sites declared surplus by local school boards.

The two communities of Canon Ridge and Greenview were selected in July 2008 to launch the first two sites of the program. Every First Place unit in those communities sold, demonstrating the need for such a program in Edmonton.

Please note: First Place program opportunities do not extend to all new condominium townhouse projects under construction in Edmonton, only to those on approved sites and with approved builders.

To learn more about the background of the First Place Program, visit the About Us section.

Current Initiatives

The City is continuing its phased implementation of the First Place program.

Development is currently underway in the the communities of Tawa, Casselman and Caernarvon by two builders:Rohit Communities (building in Tawa and Casselman), and Landmark Group of Builders (Caernarvon).

Show home construction has begun in Caernarvon and is expected to be complete by Fall 2013. Grading and servicing has also begun in Tawa, with construction expected to begin in Fall 2013.

The community design engagement process in Dechene is expected to commence in September 2013.
 
Anyone interested in purchasing a home in one of these three developments should:

• Determine the area of the city you’re interested in living in (North, South, etc)
• Determine which sites are being built in your preferred locations
• Review eligibility criteria to determine if you qualify 
• Make contact with the builder directly for more information – Rohit or Landmark – there is NO application process with the City of Edmonton

The City will continue work on reviewing and preparing all future First Place sites and will complete its community engagement process prior to any development on these sites.

Site development is contingent on market conditions and its timing is subject to change.

Do You Qualify?

Are you a first-time homebuyer in Alberta? See whether you are eligible for the First Place Program.

First Place Locations and Builders

The City has selected two builders to develop First Place projects on the 18 remaining First Place sites, each with different timelines for development. These builders were chosen through an RFP process.

Lender Contacts

Talk to a lending institution to answer financing questions such as whether you qualify for a mortgage.

Community Engagement

First Place is supported by a clear process to inform each community about the program and to engage community residents in the design of these new homes to ensure their “fit” within each community.

Any program-related enquiries may be emailed to: firstplace@edmonton.ca

Any enquiry about eligibility, availability of units, costs, amenities, should be directed to the builder for the community in which you are interested.

Those interested in participating in this program are encouraged to subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates as new milestones are reached.

For more information:

First Place Homes