Nearly 2,000 affordable housing units renovated across Edmonton
A three-year, $34-million project has completed upgrades to 1,958 homes, adding 30 years to their lifespan and cutting emissions by 47 per cent.
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Edmonton has wrapped a three-year, $34-million renovation of nearly 2,000 affordable housing units across the city, bringing modern amenities and energy efficiency to homes built in the 1960s and 70s.
Cividia, an affordable housing management company, oversees 882 of the renovated homes across 11 separate sites. HomeEd, the city's non-profit housing corporation, completed work on 1,076 townhomes and apartments at 15 sites. Funding came from a $19.6 million federal contribution and $14 million from the city, approved in a 2023 agreement to repair social housing on city-owned land.
Upgrades included improved R20 insulation, triple-pane windows, accessibility improvements, moisture prevention work, and foundation repairs in some cases. The renovations are expected to extend building lifespans by another 30 years and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 47 per cent. Some sites also saw landscaping improvements and enhanced lighting as part of the city's crime reduction strategy.
Cividia holds rent at 30 per cent of tenant income with provincial operating grants. HomeEd sets rent at 80 per cent of market rate. Both serve low-income families, people with disabilities, people escaping domestic violence, and individuals rebuilding their lives. Despite the completion, demand far outpaces supply: Cividia's waitlist includes more than 10,000 families, with roughly 80 per cent at risk of homelessness.