Shovels break ground at affordable housing development in Mill Woods

A rendering of Kiniski Gardens, an affordable housing development being built in southeast Edmonton. (Right at Home Housing Society)

Construction has begun at an affordable housing development in southeast Edmonton.

The Kiniski Gardens project is one of 11 surplus school sites that city council has designated for new affordable housing builds which will create more than 1,300 new homes and about 950 affordable units.

“Even though housing in Edmonton is relatively affordable – we are the most affordable of the major cities in Canada – it’s not affordable for everyone,” said Mayor Andrew Knack at a media event Thursday. “We have more than 46,000 households living in unsafe or overcrowded or unaffordable homes and simply cannot afford better options.”

The city’s affordable housing program requires that housing built under the program is rented 80 per cent or lower than the average market rental rate and is rented to low-income families and individuals.

“These homes are the foundation from which people can build a better future,” said Knack. “And when more people are safe, healthy, and able to maintain a good standard of living, everyone in Edmonton benefits.”

A $23.6-million townhouse community will be created on the surplus lands with 34 three-bedroom units and 34 one-bedroom options.

Kiniski Gardens is supported by Ottawa’s Housing Accelerator Fund which allows the city to direct nearly $100 million to the 11 surplus sites for land, servicing and construction costs.

“Edmonton is a national example of practical, results-driven housing solutions, and as of January of this year, 10 of Edmonton’s 13 housing initiatives had already been completed with work continuing on the remaining commitments,” said Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada.

“I think that’s really what happens when ambition is matched by action.”

Since 2019, 14 affordable housing projects have been completed as well as seven supportive housing projects. There are more than a dozen currently in development, including Kiniski Gardens.

More than $77 million in funding from the province and the federal government was recently announced for seven affordable and mixed-market housing developments on former surplus school sites, including $5 million for Kiniski Gardens.

All projects will offer affordable housing for a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of 40 years, the longest term the city can secure under the Municipal Government Act.

Construction of Kiniski Gardens is expected to wrap up mid-2028.