Blackfalds supports affordable housing group’s funding push

Blackfalds town council is offering its support for a local non-profit group that is trying to line up funding for an affordable housing study.

Alberta Prairies Life Enrichment Training Studio Ltd. (APLETS) is applying for a Sustainable Affordable Housing Grant through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).

APLETS says the grant provides the funding to complete the assessments needed before constructing a sustainable affordable housing project and helps to provide a stronger application for other necessary funding.

If all the necessary funding can be lined up, APLETS plans to build several townhouses in Blackfalds and lease them to individuals and families who are struggling to make ends meet due to rising living costs. Units would be leased at 60 to 90 per cent of market value.

Blackfalds Mayor Jamie Hoover said affordable housing is needed in the community.

“(Any) opportunity that we have to obtain more affordable housing is highly desirable for the community. There’s a huge shortage across the country of affordable housing.”

Hoover, who sits on the Lacombe Foundation, said seeking out grant funding is a challenging process.

“We hear a lot of announcements from our federal government and more recently heard announcements from the provincial government that there’s money available.

“However, navigating through that process is not as simple as it might appear on the surface. There’s a lot of steps and a lot of things to satisfy.

“From my perspective, I’m highly supportive of this,” said Hoover, shortly before council unanimously voted to provide a letter of support.

APLETS said the study grant will be matched by the non-profit and will take about six months to complete. If all goes well, it is hoped other grants can be lined up in the next 12 to 16 months.

A $4-billion Housing Accelerator Fund was first promised in the 2021 federal election and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau officially launched the fund in March of this year.

Through the Housing Accelerator Fund, the government is targeting the creation of 100,000 net new housing units across Canada by incentivizing municipalities to cut red tape by updating their zoning and permit systems to allow for speedier construction of residential properties.