Latest news with #JasonNixon
Global News
4 days ago
- Health
- Global News
New seniors community coming to Beverly Heights neighbourhood
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook Hundreds of long-term care beds are coming to the northeast part of Edmonton. Construction has officially kicked off for the new Beverly Heights Senior Community. It will offer 264 resident rooms, including 194 long-term care beds and 70 non-funded beds. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Assisted Living and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon says Alberta gains around 4,000 seniors per month, so more spaces are needed and quickly. Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, Minister Nixon, Ward Metis councillor Ashley Salvador and Park Place Seniors Living put shovels in the ground. Watch the video above for more.
CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Alberta gov't fell short of its affordable housing goal last year: annual report
The provincial government completed fewer new or refurbished affordable housing units last year than the previous three years, according to figures in the Seniors, Community and Social Services Ministry's annual report. Provincial funding contributed to the creation of 388 new units in fiscal 2024, while another 410 households received rent supplements — payments that help people pay rent in market-housing units, the annual report says. But the combined number of 798 units and subsidies fell short of the ministry's target of 1,500 for the year, the report says "The provincial government has been failing at creating more affordable housing, particularly for low-income people," said Carolyn Whitzman, a senior housing researcher at the University of Toronto's School of Cities. Last year, the Alberta government created 641 affordable housing units — through new builds and refurbishments — and allocated 1,661 rent supplements. In the 2021 Stronger Foundations report, the province's 10-year strategy for affordable housing, the government set a goal to expand the capacity of its affordable housing system, so it could support 25,000 more households by 2032. That figure combines new builds, renovations to existing units and rent subsidies. During a media availability Friday, Assisted Living and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon told reporters that the provincial government is on track to reach its goal. He said providing rent supplements for existing market housing is part of the plan. "Rent supplement units are new units," Nixon said. "Taking a unit on, that would be in the open market, and creating a rent supplement for that unit creates an affordable unit that would not have been affordable before this." The annual report said an additional 1,626 units were under construction as of March 31. On Friday, Nixon and Eleanor Olszewski, the federal minister of emergency management and community resilience and MP for Edmonton Centre, announced that the federal and provincial governments will spend $203 million combined to build 2,300 affordable housing units across Alberta. The provincial government has spent $386 million through its Affordable Housing Partnership Program since 2022, and plans to spend another $655 million over the next three years. Provinces could do better Whitzman, the U of T researcher, sees problems with Alberta's use of subsidies to help make market housing more affordable. The payments, she said, don't always make up the difference between the rent charged for a unit and what a lower-income tenant can afford. Rent subsidies also keep tenants in the private market, which may not provide the same kind of rent stability as a unit in a community-housing or non-market unit., she said. Nixon rejects calls for Alberta to implement rent control while the province builds out its affordable housing supply. He argues rent caps provide a disincentive to developers who build new apartment and homes. Whitzman said that isn't the case in jurisdictions like Quebec, which has rent control. No provincial government is doing a great job building affordable housing, Whitzman said, but Alberta is failing on several fronts. She said Alberta has a growing rate of evictions, and that the government needs to improve benefits so people can afford to live. The Alberta government can also change the building code and provide guidance to municipalities on how they can change zoning bylaws to allow more apartment buildings, she said. Calgary, and particularly Edmonton, are doing well with zoning changes, but only because they did so on their own, Whitzman added. Opposition NDP housing critic Janis Irwin, the MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, said she isn't surprised the government fell short of its affordable-housing goals. Nixon often cites increases in market housing starts as proof Alberta is building more housing, which in turn will make more apartments available as tenants move into new homes. But Irwin argues the UCP government needs to spend more on new non-market housing, and reiterated a call to institute a rent cap. She said Nixon could spend more on new affordable housing builds, noting the government ended the 2024-25 year with a $8.2 billion surplus. "They could be using that money to invest in new affordable housing. They could be upgrading the affordable housing that we know is in disrepair," Irwin said.
CTV News
11-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Ottawa and Alberta pen affordable housing deal, Calgary getting lion's share
The Alberta legislature can be seen in Edmonton, Alberta. (CTV News Edmonton) Ottawa and Alberta are teaming up on more than $200 million in affordable housing -- and Calgary is getting more than half. The housing was announced on Friday as part of the Affordable Housing Partnership Program, with the federal government matching Alberta's contribution dollar for dollar. 'In Canada, responsibility for housing is a shared responsibility between all levels of government, so it really requires great cooperation and coordination,' said Edmonton MP and Prairies Economic Development Minister Eleanor Olszewski. 'This is one area where we continue to see pretty significant partnership between the province of Alberta and the federal government,' said Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services Jason Nixon. Nixon said the province aims to add 82,000 units of affordable housing in Alberta by 2031, including rent supported units alongside new builds. 'Taking a unit on that it would be in the open market and creating a rent supplement for that unit creates an affordable unit that would not have been affordable before,' Nixon explained. 'From the perspective of the department, new and rent supplements are the same thing.' The announced funding will go to 25 new projects to create more than 2,300 new affordable housing units – defined as costing no more than 30 per cent of household income – across the province, including housing aimed at young adults, students and people facing homelessness. Calgary will get the majority of the funding, with more than $117.1 million going to nine organizations. Five Edmonton organizations will receive more than $41.4 million and projects throughout the rest of Alberta will get $44.6 million. No timeline was given on when the announced units would be completed or how many of them would be new builds versus rent supported units. According to the Seniors, Community and Social Services 2024-25 annual report, the province completed 388 new units and added 410 rent supplements last year. Since 2021, the report shows a total of 3,300 affordable units have been created and another 3,500 affordable units created through rent support. CTV News Edmonton has reached out to the province for more information on how it plans to add 82,000 affordable units by 2031.
Calgary Herald
11-07-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
$203M in funding announced for affordable Alberta housing
The Alberta and federal governments announced Friday they were together spending $203 million to fund 25 projects and add 2,300 more units of housing. Article content The outlay is from the Affordable Housing Partnership Program, a 10-year program between the two governments that sees them split costs equally. Article content Article content 'This is one area where we continue to see pretty significant partnership between the province of Alberta and the federal government and a strong dedication by both governments to continue to invest in housing to make sure that Canada can continue to move forward, particularly in places like Alberta, where we see unprecedented growth,' said Assisted Living and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon in announcing the spending. Article content Article content Edmonton-Centre MP and Prairies Economic Development Minister Eleanor Olszewski said the joint spending will help address the housing crisis. Article content Article content 'It shows you that when governments choose to lead and to work together, we can do really big things,' she said. Article content More than $41 million of the money announced Friday is slated to be distributed across five Edmonton-area developments. Article content Nearly half of that, or $20 million, is going Civida to build mixed-use, mixed-income affordable housing. Article content The Brentwood Family Housing Society is slated to receive $6.69 million to build affordable housing for families, with a 12621665 Canada Association also to get $6 million for the same cause. Article content The Mustard Seed Foundation is set to receive $4.67 million to build supportive housing. Article content And, $4.05 million is to be devoted for Williams Hall at the former downtown YMCA site to build mixed-use affordable housing with a focus on supporting young adults, students, and individuals facing rental barriers. Article content Article content 'We knew that the spirit of this new vision would involve focusing on young adult Albertans and providing them a space where they can start their adult lives on the right foot,' said Ivan Beljan, whose company is leading the development of the Williams Hall site. Article content Friday's announcement sets aside just over $117 million for nine grant recipients in Calgary. Article content A further $44.6 million is also set aside for seven other recipients across Alberta, including projects in St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Banff, Jasper, Okotoks, Strathmore, and Canmore. Article content Separate land transfers in Olds and Fort Saskatchewan were also announced to aid in construction of affordable housing. Article content
Edmonton Journal
11-07-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
$203M in funding announced for affordable Alberta housing
The Alberta and federal governments announced Friday they were together spending $203 million to fund 25 projects and add 2,300 more units of housing. Article content The outlay is from the Affordable Housing Partnership Program, a 10-year program between the two governments that sees them split costs equally. Article content Article content 'This is one area where we continue to see pretty significant partnership between the province of Alberta and the federal government and a strong dedication by both governments to continue to invest in housing to make sure that Canada can continue to move forward, particularly in places like Alberta, where we see unprecedented growth,' said Assisted Living and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon in announcing the spending. Article content Article content Article content Edmonton-Centre MP and Prairies Economic Development Minister Eleanor Olszewski said the joint spending will help address the housing crisis. Article content Article content 'It shows you that when governments choose to lead and to work together, we can do really big things,' she said. Article content More than $41 million of the money announced Friday is slated to be distributed across five Edmonton-area developments. Article content The Brentwood Family Housing Society is slated to receive $6.69 million to build affordable housing for families, with a 12621665 Canada Association also to get $6 million for the same cause. Article content The Mustard Seed Foundation is set to receive $4.67 million to build supportive housing. Article content And, $4.05 million is to be devoted for Williams Hall at the former downtown YMCA site to build mixed-use affordable housing with a focus on supporting young adults, students, and individuals facing rental barriers. Article content Article content Article content 'We knew that the spirit of this new vision would involve focusing on young adult Albertans and providing them a space where they can start their adult lives on the right foot,' said Ivan Beljan, whose company is leading the development of the Williams Hall site. Article content Friday's announcement sets aside just over $117 million for nine grant recipients in Calgary. Article content A further $44.6 million is also set aside for seven other recipients across Alberta, including projects in St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Banff, Jasper, Okotoks, Strathmore, and Canmore. Article content Separate land transfers in Olds and Fort Saskatchewan were also announced to aid in construction of affordable housing. Article content Article content
