Homeland Housing has received funds from the provincial government to build affordable housing in St. Albert, finally making way for progress to be made on 22 St. Thomas Street, although work still needs to be done to increase St. Albert's affordable housing crop.
On July 11, the Government of Alberta announced $14.5 million would be made available to Homeland Housing through the Provincial Affordable Housing Partnership program. The program is a cost share agreement between the provincial and federal government — through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) Affordable Housing Fund.
With the funding, 22 St. Thomas Street can finally move ahead. Envisioned as a 118-unit commercial and residential development, St. Albert city council first directed administration to sell the city-owned land to Homeland Housing in 2021. The land transfer took place in 2022.
St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron was excited that the project could finally move ahead, which she's said was been one of council's top strategic priorities in 2025.
CEO of Homeland Housing Raymond Cormie said the 118-unit development will be a mixed-use, near-market apartment building. 32 per cent of the suites will offer rent below 60 per cent of the market rent, 23 per cent will offer rent below 80 per cent of the market, and 45 per cent will be at 90 per cent of the market rent.
"We've worked really hard over the last two and a half years to secure this funding, and we are happy about with this is that it's going to bring much-needed affordable housing to St. Albert for those that need affordable housing the most," Cormie said.
Heron said that the project would also contribute to their goal of revitalizing St. Albert's downtown.
"Our downtown needs a little bit of population and residential life that will keep the businesses open past 5:00 at night and have more traffic to support the businesses. And it's close to transit so it checks every box that you need in an affordable housing development," Heron said.
Cormie was unable to give a timeline for when shovels would be in the ground for the project, but said that Homeland Housing is currently finalizing its agreements with the provincial and federal governments.
Although 22 St. Thomas Street makes progress in providing affordable housing for St. Albertans, Cormie said there is work that needs to continue. He estimated that St. Albert was probably short more than 2000 affordable housing units.
"First of all, affordable housing is about partnership and all levels of government and housing management bodies, not for profits, and even private developers, to come together in partnership. Because I don't think it's any one entity that can solve the housing affordability issues," he said.
Heron said that, as well as 22 St. Thomas Street, the city is exploring a youth transitional housing facility and working with Habitat for Humanity.
"It's not easy and we need to do more. And some of that is showing up as rentals, which allows people to at least have a roof over their heads," she said. "There's a lot going on, and a lot of what St. Albert is doing is at the low end of market affordability. It's really Homeland Housing, the Affordable Housing Society and the province that will be stepping up with that subsidized housing. 22 St. Thomas Street was our big effort."
