Shifting priorities from front-line triage to long-term care has helped the Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre reduce its chronically homeless population by 22 per cent over the last year.

The centre, also known as the DI, has helped find homes for 326 clients in the last 12 months using a housing-focused strategy — that’s more people housed in one year than in the entire history of the shelter. With space to temporarily shelter some 750 homeless or at-risk Calgarians, the DI has long been touted as North America’s largest homeless shelter.

Evan Siddall says the aim is to raise $100 million more for housing — quickly and likely from private sources — because the tens of billions pledged by federal and provincial governments over the next decade or so isn’t enough to make housing affordable for everyone in the country.

Dr. Louis Francescutti says he often has people coming off the street fabricating complaints just because they need a warm place to rest.

Francescutti has an intriguing plan to fix this, one starting to gain momentum with everyday Edmonton residents who are pitching in and promising to help. He explains the plan this way: for every other type of illness, doctors have a place to send patients they admit. Hospitals have maternity wards, intensive care units, mental health, paediatrics or burn units. Why not route patients to a virtual intensive care unit for those suffering from homelessness?

The strategy supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, especially the reduction of chronic homelessness nationally by 50% by 2027–28. The Government of Canada is reinforcing its existing community-based approach by delivering funding directly to municipalities and local service providers. The federal government will also expand the program’s reach to up to six new communities through an open and transparent process which is currently underway.

$24 million for 52 supportive living and 40 new and renovated seniors’ lodge spaces in Spirit River. The funding will come from Alberta Health and Alberta Seniors’ and Housing.

A needs assessment from five local municipalities stated that the Central Peace required more lodge and supportive living spaces. The municipalities include the Town of Spirit River, the Municipal District of Spirit River, Saddle Hills County, the Village of Rycroft and Birch Hills County.

Mayor Don Iveson is calling on the provincial and federal governments to provide $1.127 billion for affordable housing in Edmonton over the next five years.

Affordable housing reduces the strain on the health care, social services and justice systems, he said. “Just think of the money we will all save on health care and policing when someone is properly housed and supported,” Iveson said. “Think of the opportunities for work and education that happen when someone is warm and stable.”

There are “shovel-ready” projects that would provide 5,000 new affordable units in Edmonton as soon as the money is in place from the federal and provincial governments, he said. Those units would include 3,654 apartments, 920 permanent supportive housing suites, 180 secondary suites and 233 seniors’ apartments, a city news release said. City council has already approved $140 million to support these developments, it said.

The province is investing $6 million toward an affordable housing project in Fort Saskatchewan. The new development is expected to provide around 83 one- and two-bedroom units for families and seniors with low income.

The four-storey apartment building will be built on land donated by the City of Fort Saskatchewan, located adjacent to the new Dr. Turner Lodge. It will ensure people living on low income, in or near Fort Saskatchewan, can stay in their community.

A new affordable housing facility opened in southwest Calgary on Tuesday.

Wildwood’s three-storey stacked townhomes at 4012 Bow Trail S.W. feature high-efficiency windows, water heaters and Energy Star label appliances for sustainability’s sake. All but one of its 48 units have already been filled. The Alberta government provided a $10.9-million grant for the project’s construction, which started in May 2017 and concluded in October 2018.

A decision from the city’s arm’s-length subdivision and development appeal board gives the not-for-profit agency the right to rebuild a structure with cots for 400 men at the 100 Street and 105A Avenue site. But officials still need to raise $5.5 million more in private donations, plus convince government officials a matching $8-million investment is worthwhile.

Canmore residents had their say at the public hearing for Peaks Landing District Bylaw 2018-14 at the Council chambers on January 29, after Council received a new application in January to rezone the area and allow development, and approved the first reading. Roughly 100 people attended the three-hour hearing. The majority in attendance were opposed to the proposed development.

Most concerns raised included flooding risk, an increase in traffic, endangering the wildlife corridors, increased human-wildlife encounters and creating an unsightly development view from Quarry Lake. The proposed application states development would be divided into three sites: “Site one would allow for up to 14 townhouse units and the applicant has a signed agreement with Canmore Community Housing Corporation (CCHC) that seven of these be Perpetually Affordable Housing (PAH) with the other seven being a form of “market affordable” housing.