A pair of housing advocacy initiatives are moving forward to the next stage after receiving support from Coalhurst Town Council at the latest council meeting.
On Tuesday, council voted in favour of a resolution being presented to Alberta Municipalities in the fall regarding Enhancing Housing Opportunities and Affordability Across Canada. According to town officials, housing development opportunities have become a challenge for municipalities, as the need for affordable and diverse housing grows.
According to a statement from officials, “This resolution will allow Alberta Municipalities to be proactive in their advocacy approach to meeting housing needs in the province, to reduce barriers and costs to municipalities and enhance safety codes and protection for homebuyers.”
The second initiative is in support of the Village of Stirling’s resolution for senior housing to be brought forward to Alberta Municipalities in the fall. According to the resolution, there is a lack of appropriate housing for seniors in small municipalities and rural communities, leading to older adults being displaced from their community and losing access to support networks.
“This advocacy is intended to help enable residents to age in their communities, through assisting municipalities in providing seniors with housing opportunities such as lodges,” the statement reads.
In the resolution, Alberta Municipalities is being called to advocate to the Government of Alberta to engage stakeholders in reviewing the Affordable Housing Partnership Program and ensure it supports communities of all sizes.
