Renovation blitz finishes on 1,958 city-owned affordable homes
Mayor Andrew Knack and federal Minister Responsible for Prairies Economic Development Eleanor Olszewski joined officials with Cividia and HomeEd on June 25, 2026, to mark the completion of a three-year, $34-million renovation project that upgraded nearly 2,000 affordable homes across Edmonton. The project covered 1,958 units, including 882 deep-subsidy townhomes and apartments managed by Cividia and 1,076 units overseen by HomeEd, the city’s non-profit housing corporation.
“We have a lot of housing that was built pre-1990s that never really felt like it had a plan,” said Knack, expressing hope that this marks the start of many more renewal projects. “We still need a lot more total units of housing, but there’s a lot of great housing that still exists.”
Scope of upgrades and energy savings
The renovations targeted buildings constructed in the 1960s and 1970s. Upgrades included improved R20 insulation, triple-pane windows, accessibility modifications, moisture prevention measures, and foundation work in some cases. The improvements are expected to extend the buildings’ lifespan by 30 years and reduce their greenhouse gas footprint by 47 percent. In select locations, landscaping changes—such as removing fences and improving lighting—were incorporated as part of the city’s broader crime reduction strategy.
Funding came from a $19.6 million federal contribution and $14 million from the city, stemming from a 2023 agreement to repair social housing on city-owned land.
Impact on tenants and affordability
Cividia holds rent at 30 percent of tenant income, supported by a provincial operating grant, while HomeEd caps rent at 80 percent of market rate. The units serve low-income families, people with disabilities, those escaping domestic violence, and individuals re-establishing themselves. Cividia CEO Bree Claude noted the challenge of conducting repairs while tenants remained in their homes: “Because the demand for affordable housing is so significant it was really important we conducted these repairs while our tenants lived in the homes. It was not an easy feat to be able to manage all of the renovations — our tenants were very patient.”
Despite the completion of this project, Edmonton continues to face a housing crisis. Cividia oversees about 5,400 homes but maintains a waitlist of over 10,000 families, with roughly 80 percent of those waiting considered at risk of falling through the cracks. Knack emphasized the broader need: “One in eight people that own a home, one in four renters, and one in three Indigenous renters are facing core housing needs — so it’s important to keep what we already have and upkeep it. But we still have a lot of need for additional units of affordable housing.”
