Seniors and Housing Minister Josephine Pon (Government of Alberta)

By Justin Goulet

New tool announced to improve access to affordable housing for Albertans

Aug 10, 2021 | 11:10 AM

EDMONTON, AB – The province has announced a new tool to help Albertans find and apply for affordable housing.

Minister of Seniors and Housing Josephine Pon says that’s an avenue that many people struggle with across the province, and the provincial government is working hard to address those struggling to find homes.

The province has developed an online tool, ‘Find Housing’, that allows Albertans to be connected with housing agencies and find what options could be a good fit for them and their family.

Pon said that, “searching and applying for housing support can be a difficult task, which is why Alberta’s government made it a priority to streamline this process.”

“Thanks to input from tenants living in affordable housing and the agency staff who support them, the new Find Housing online tool is an easy, effective way for Albertans to access the housing they need.”

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The tool can be accessed online here. Some of the questions asked will cover topics like household income, citizenship status, preferred locations for housing and the number of family members the applicant has.

Once all questions are answered, applicants can contact the operators of the housing options they have been recommended.

Margot Hagarty, the executive director of the Leduc Regional Housing Foundation, said “the affordable housing industry can be challenging to navigate due to the variety of housing solutions that are available.”

“What is exciting about the Find Housing online tool is that it will assist individuals to find the appropriate housing type within the community of their choice.”

The province notes that as housing for Albertans with low income is in high demand, there may be a delay in finding a residence. The survey takes roughly five minutes to complete.

The tool can also be used by family members, non-profits and social service agencies to help others access housing information and affordable housing solutions.

The development of the online tool comes following the release of the Affordable Housing Review Panel’s final report, which offered 19 recommendations to address housing issues, which the province has accepted.

The province noted that more than 110,000 Albertans, nearly 2.5 per cent, live in more than 57,000 government-subsidized housing units. As of today, over 24,000 eligible households are on waitlists for affordable housing programs, a figure that has doubled in a decade.