Need For Housing In Rural Alberta |
We need your help to plan for the future. Please join in on the discussion, make sure your voice is heard, and help define the need for affordable housing in your community.
Please note that survey results will be available in January on our website at www.ardn.ca
Please note that survey results will be available in January on our website at www.ardn.ca
Background:
Due to a lack of resources and capacity, several rural communities across Alberta are missing an integral part of the housing continuum. Rural Alberta has a critical shortage of affordable housing options, but this issue has not received the same level of attention as it has in urban centres. Without the correct housing options, communities cannot attract new residents, especially for lower paying retail and tourism jobs. Without these types of workers, rural communities can quickly stagnate, unable to grow and prosper.
In 2015, after being contacted by more than 40 rural communities regarding their need for affordable housing, ARDN created the Sustainable Housing Initiative (SHI) to help communities find and implement innovative solutions for creating sustainably built, affordable housing for rural-based, marginalized Albertans.
What is the definition of affordable housing?
In Canada, housing is considered affordable if housing costs account for less than 30 per cent of before-tax household income. The term "affordable housing" is often used interchangeably with "social housing"; however, social housing is just one category of affordable housing and usually refers to rental housing subsidized by the government. Affordable housing is a much broader term and includes housing provided by the private, public and not-for-profit sectors as well as all forms of housing tenure (ie. rental, ownership and cooperative ownership). It also includes temporary as well as permanent housing. In other words, the term "affordable housing" can refer to any part of the housing continuum from temporary emergency shelters through transition housing, supportive housing, subsidized housing, market rental housing or market homeownership. (Source: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/afhoce/afhoce_021.cfm)
Due to a lack of resources and capacity, several rural communities across Alberta are missing an integral part of the housing continuum. Rural Alberta has a critical shortage of affordable housing options, but this issue has not received the same level of attention as it has in urban centres. Without the correct housing options, communities cannot attract new residents, especially for lower paying retail and tourism jobs. Without these types of workers, rural communities can quickly stagnate, unable to grow and prosper.
In 2015, after being contacted by more than 40 rural communities regarding their need for affordable housing, ARDN created the Sustainable Housing Initiative (SHI) to help communities find and implement innovative solutions for creating sustainably built, affordable housing for rural-based, marginalized Albertans.
What is the definition of affordable housing?
In Canada, housing is considered affordable if housing costs account for less than 30 per cent of before-tax household income. The term "affordable housing" is often used interchangeably with "social housing"; however, social housing is just one category of affordable housing and usually refers to rental housing subsidized by the government. Affordable housing is a much broader term and includes housing provided by the private, public and not-for-profit sectors as well as all forms of housing tenure (ie. rental, ownership and cooperative ownership). It also includes temporary as well as permanent housing. In other words, the term "affordable housing" can refer to any part of the housing continuum from temporary emergency shelters through transition housing, supportive housing, subsidized housing, market rental housing or market homeownership. (Source: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/afhoce/afhoce_021.cfm)