Important dates
Submissions are reviewed in the spring and fall each year.
Overview
Housing providers can access funding through the Government of Alberta to create or maintain affordable housing units.
Unless otherwise noted, all programs are funded through capital investment. This means that government owns a portion of the project based on the amount of the investment relative to the total project cost.
The Alberta government uses the Alberta Government Strategic Plan (PDF, 483 KB) to plan and fund these projects.
The Capital Planning Framework helps with this planning process. It provides additional information including:
- the definition of capital planning
- descriptions of Alberta Seniors and Housing capital programs
- an explanation of how capital investments are prioritized
- an overview of the annual Capital Plan process including roles, authorities and timelines
Guidelines
All capital programs are designed to support the achievement of outcomes outlined in the Provincial Affordable Housing Strategy.
Four of these outcomes are key in guiding government capital investment decisions:
- Quality: The condition of government-owned and supported housing units meets or exceeds industry standards and reduces environmental impact.
- Sustainable: Capital investments, programming and financial decisions are planned and managed to meet present and future needs of the affordable housing system.
- Integrated: The affordable housing system is socially incorporated into communities, and integrates social, education, health and community-based supports.
- Adaptive: The affordable housing system is flexible, innovative and responsive in order to effectively meet the needs of Albertans
Family and community housing development and renewal program
The Family and Community Housing Development and Renewal Program facilitates major renovation, replacement and extension projects to government-owned and/or supported affordable family and community housing. These housing units are operated under the Alberta Housing Act or through long term operating agreements where tenant rent is set based on the tenant's income.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- housing management bodies
- housing management agencies
- non-profit housing organizations that have a long-term operating agreement with the Government of Alberta
How to apply
Step 1: Review the capital planning framework
Alberta Seniors and Housing Capital Planning Framework
Step 2: Review the program fact sheet
Family and community housing development and renewal fact sheet
Step 3: Fill out the submission form
Major capital project submission form (XLSX, 120 KB)
Step 4: Email submission
Email your submission to housingcapital@gov.ab.ca.
Seniors housing development and renewal program
The Seniors Housing Development and Renewal Program facilitates major renovation, replacement and redevelopment projects at government-owned and/or supported affordable independent and supportive seniors housing. These housing units are operated under the Alberta Housing Act or through long term operating agreements where tenant rent is set based on the tenant's income
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- housing management bodies
- housing management agencies
- non-profit housing organizations that have a long-term operating agreement with the Government of Alberta
How to apply
Step 1: Review the capital planning framework
Alberta Seniors and Housing Capital Planning Framework
Step 2: Review the program fact sheet
Seniors housing development and renewal fact sheet
Step 3: Fill out the submission form
Major capital project submission form (XLSX, 120 KB)
Step 4: Email submission
Email your submission to housingcapital@gov.ab.ca.
Affordable and specialized housing program
The Affordable and Specialized Housing Program creates new affordable housing projects that provide supportive social or health services for Albertans.
These projects focus on:
- reducing homelessness
- making housing available for Albertans with specialized needs
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- housing management bodies
- housing management agencies
- non-profit housing organizations that have a long-term operating agreement with the Government of Alberta
- community-based organizations
How to apply
Step 1: Review the capital planning framework
Alberta Seniors and Housing Capital Planning Framework
Step 2: Review the program fact sheet
Affordable and Specialized Housing Program fact sheet
Step 3: Fill out the submission form
Major capital project submission form (XLSX, 120 KB)
Step 4: Email submission
Email your submission to housingcapital@gov.ab.ca.
Affordable housing energy savings program
The Affordable Housing Energy Savings Program (AHESP) will help make Alberta's affordable housing units more environmentally and financially sustainable.
The program creates several opportunities:
- reduced GHG emissions and improved energy efficiency
- increased environmental and financial sustainability of affordable housing
- lower utility costs for affordable housing providers and tenants
- support implementation of the Government of Alberta's Climate Leadership Plan (CLP)
Eligibility
Housing providers operating provincially or municipally owned housing assets are eligible to apply.
Eligible retrofits include:
- replacing exterior windows and doors
- upgrading and/or installing attic, exterior wall and basement insulation
- replacing heating, cooling, water, and lighting systems
How to apply
Step 1: Review the capital planning framework
Alberta Seniors and Housing Capital Planning Framework
Step 2: Review the program guide and fact sheet
AHESP program guide
AHESP fact sheet
Step 3: Fill out an Expression of Interest (EOI)
AHESP EOI application spreadsheet (XLSX, 720 KB)
Step 4: Fill out the program application form
Capital funding submission form (PDF, 479 KB)
Step 5: Email submission
Email your submission to sh.ahesp@gov.ab.ca.
Indigenous housing capital program
The Indigenous Housing Capital Program (IHCP) will increase the supply of affordable housing units for Indigenous peoples in need through construction (including additions/extensions), purchase and repurpose. Units may be used for rental or lease-to-purchase.
Funding is available for the planning of new projects and/or the construction of planned projects.
Listening tour
Development of the IHCP was guided by feedback gathered from Indigenous and Indigenous-serving organizations during a 2017 province-wide listening tour.
During this tour, we heard:
- families are the demographic most in need of affordable rental housing
- 3 and more bedroom units are most needed
- housing needs to be in safe, secure neighbourhoods, close to supports like schools and transit
- culturally sensitive housing is required to accommodate multi-generational families, with communal spaces for meetings and ceremonies, such as smudging
- housing must be designed and delivered by Indigenous governments or organizations that are accountable to their communities and citizens
Read the full ‘What We Heard’ summary.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- Indigenous governments or organizations
- housing management bodies, municipalities, and not-for-profit organizations with formal partnerships with Indigenous governments or organizations
How to apply
Step 1: Review the capital planning framework
Alberta Seniors and Housing Capital Planning Framework
Step 2: Review the program guide and fact sheet
IHCP program guide
IHCP fact sheet
Step 3: Fill out the application and appendix
IHCP application for project planning (Word, 176 KB) or IHCP application for project construction (Word, 184 KB)
IHCP appendix A (Excel, 46 KB)
Step 4: Email submission
Email your submission to sh.ihcp@gov.ab.ca.
Capital maintenance and renewal program
The Capital Maintenance and Renewal Program facilitates major renovation, replacement and redevelopment projects at:
- government owned or supported affordable seniors housing
- family and community housing
- independent and supportive seniors housing operated under the Alberta Housing Act
- independent and supportive seniors housing operated through long term agreements where the resident's rent is set based on their income
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- housing management bodies
- non-profit housing organizations that have a long-term operating agreement with the Government of Alberta
To be considered under this program, individual project costs must exceed $5,000 and result in enhancements to the housing assets that:
- increase the previously assessed physical output or service capacity
- reduce associated operating costs
- extend the estimated useful life
- improve the physical condition and/or functionality of the facility
How to apply
Step 1: Review the capital planning framework
Alberta Seniors and Housing Capital Planning Framework
Step 2: Review the program fact sheet
Capital Maintenance and Renewal Program fact sheet
Step 3: Fill out the submission form
Major capital project submission form (XLSX, 120KB)
Step 4: Email submission
Email your submission to housingcapital@gov.ab.ca.