Summary:
- Edmonton city council will consider a proposed downtown student housing incentive program on August 13, offering grants up to $30,000 per new student unit funded by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund to stimulate development of approximately 500 units by November 2026.
- The program targets downtown revitalization and student housing shortages, focusing on areas near Norquest College and MacEwan University, which together bring about 30,000 students daily to the core, addressing a critical gap identified in Edmonton’s 2023 housing needs assessment.
- Stakeholders including BILD Edmonton Metro, the University of Alberta Student Union, and MacEwan University emphasize the program’s potential to ease student housing insecurity amid rising enrollment and rental costs, while encouraging diverse housing models tailored to student needs.
Original article:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/housing-challenges-students-incentive-program-1.7599360
