Sixteen families will get new digs come August, as the first-ever Calgary Housing-developed affordable housing project celebrated its grand opening.

The ribbon was cut on the 16-unit building in along 20 Avenue NW in Mount Pleasant, a location adjacent to a courtyard and dog park (St. Joseph Park) that will be home for up to 45 people.

Calgary Housing interim president and CEO Bo Jiang said that their belief that everyone deserves a place to hang their hat was realized with the new affordable homes.

“This is the first completed housing development led by Calgary Housing, on behalf of the City of Calgary,” he said.  

“We’re proud of all the hard work that went into getting these homes open after starting construction a little over a year ago.”

The buildings have a range of one- to three-bedroom units, with four of the units accessibly built. Rents will range from around $700 per month in Calgary Housing’s deeply affordable segment, up to near market for other units.

The development boasts a 45-kilowatt solar production facility, and also heat pumps for the units.

“The thought process behind it really is trying to figure out ways, innovative ways, creative ways, as well as industry-standard ways to be able to reduce the operating costs for the building,” Jiang said.

“With the electricity being generated on site and offsetting some of the cost to us, we’re able to lower the operating costs. Lower operating costs for us means lower rents for the residents.”

Right now, Calgary Housing has 880 units under active development, with thousands more in the pipeline, Jiang said. Still, he said the most recent data shows one in five Calgary households requires affordable housing.

“With half of Calgary’s neighbourhoods still lacking non-market housing options, the need is growing,” he said.

“Projects like Mount Pleasant are how we close that gap one development at a time, and one community at a time.”

Housing market is increasingly out of reach for average Calgarians: CHO Hendry

Calgary’s Chief Housing Officer Reid Hendry said there’s no questioning the demand for affordable housing in Calgary. Not only non-market homes, but also an increase in overall supply to meet the needs of citizens today.

He said Jiang’s data – the most recent available – was actually from a 2023 housing needs assessment, based on 2021 federal census data. Hendry noted that they are eagerly awaiting 2026 federal census data.

“What I can tell you, since 2021, rents and prices have gone up by over 40 per cent, and at the same time, incomes in Calgary have only gone up 12 per cent. So, when we talk about affordability, the market is running away from an everyday average Calgarian,” Hendry said.

 “We need any and all tools to create more housing, to create more affordable housing, but also just to create more overall supply that can meet the needs of Calgarians today, and the Calgarians that we want to attract to come here tomorrow.”

The Mount Pleasant project was a partnership between all three levels of government and one that hit close to home for both MP Corey Hogan and Ward 7 Coun. Myke Atkinson, both of whom live nearby.

“This project shows that affordable housing can fit everywhere,” Atkinson said.  

“It’s contextually sensitive to the neighbourhood and the way the houses around it are built. It is contextually sensitive in the height and the scale, while still making sure that we’re landing a number of families in the neighborhood. It also shows that affordable housing can provide housing that can give people a great quality of life.”

Alberta Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services, Nathan Neudorf, said that while 16 homes won’t solve all of Calgary’s housing challenges, it will change everything for the 16 families that will have a home.

“Calgary continues to grow because people want to live here,” he said.

“It doesn’t take long to realize it’s why it’s one of the most desirable places in the world to live, and that’s good news, but it means we need to keep building more housing, including housing that people can afford.”

The $7.9 million construction budget (plus $1 million in pre-development work) included $3.5 million in contributions from the Government of Alberta, with $1.5 million of that allocated via the Affordable Housing Partnership Program, delivered in conjunction with the Government of Canada.

The City of Calgary contributed $5.4 million to the project.