Housing Update! Land Application Submitted!!

Blair MacKinnon • October 12, 2024

Exciting News!

We want to update you with exciting news about our 2SLGBTQIA+ friendly seniors housing for our community and friends and allies since our last Newsletter in 2023!! In late Spring of 2024, our consultant submitted an excellent land application City of Edmonton!! Our housing will provide mixed income housing to address affordability needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors, and allies, by providing a total of 60 to 80 one and two bedroom units.  Over 51% of units will be below market rents for 40 years.  The affordable rents are based on the (CMHC) Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation analysis for this specific Edmonton Downtown zone.

 

Below is a proposed Conceptual Rendering of a 3D Model of our building which at this stage will include a covered courtyard for increasing resident socialization and interaction. However, the final design may change as our architect develops more detailed plans. Talks are currently underway with the City of Edmonton administration on a variety of issues concerning our project.  Stay tuned for further updates when we hopefully acquire the land!!

Proposed Location of our housing project on the Rowland Road Land Site (6 lots)


Interest free-loan from CMHC!

On August 17, 2024 Right at Home Housing Society (our key housing partner) received a SEED interest-free loan

that will help us to prepare initial documents and will allow us to initiate a Geotechnical evaluation on the land,

once we take ownership and likely such items as the architectural and mechanical drawings, and an energy

modeling report to establish how energy efficient the building will be. As the EPSG housing project moves

forward, we will be working with CMHC to secure additional funding (both grants and loans) including our CMHC

insured mortgage if we secure the land.


Stay tuned for further updates! Watch our future E-Newsletters! 



Prepared by: Blair MacKinnon, October 11, 2024

An elderly man in a hat is holding a small rainbow flag.

Orientation for New Members

By Blair MacKinnon • October 12, 2024
Welcome to EPSG!

Housing Update – Spring 2022

By Blair MacKinnon • March 31, 2022
Edmonton Pride Seniors Group is a Society!! We wanted to update you on our progress since our last newsletter! On January 10, 2022 we became federally incorporated under the Canada Not-for Profit Corporations Act as Edmonton Pride Seniors Group Society! This is very important because we need to be an incorporated society to be eligible for various housing grants from CMHC, the City of Edmonton and to apply for land etc. Agreement with a key Partner: Garneau Another exciting development-we are now close to completion of a MOU (Memo of Understanding) between EPSG and one of our wonderful key partners, Garneau United Assisted Living Place (GUALP. A MOU is a key partnership agreement about collaboration and how we move forward to work together. Garneau owns and operates The Ashbourne, a 110 unit seniors facility in Garneau. They became an Affirming facility in 2017 which means they support a Community where people are welcomed regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identification and faith. The Pride Flag is displayed proudly in their lobby and they now have a substantial library of gay and lesbian literature! Land We are now working with the City of Edmonton to hopefully secure a Rowland Rd site. The City has a application process to provide land to not-for- profit housing groups for affordable housing. Still lots of work to be done yet-keep your fingers crossed! This is a nice location on quiet 101 Ave off of Rowland Road -it has wonderful views of Riverdale and is close to bicycle paths and to downtown amenities like buses and LRT. Here’s a link to the site if you want to see it or walk over to view it! https://www.edmonton.ca/sites/default/files/public-files/assets/RowlandBlockListing.pdf

Safe, Inclusive Housing For 2SLGBTQIA+ Seniors

By Blair MacKinnon • November 27, 2021
Work is progressing on Edmonton Pride Seniors Group’s safe, inclusive housing for 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors, their friends and allies! 212 members of our community told us they don’t want to have to worry about going back into the closet! They want a place to live comfortably, safely with people who understand their needs & life experience. Given the limited availability of land in the Oliver neighbourhood, we now have a consultant carefully looking at a number of potential sites across Edmonton. Of course, we will ensure any potential site has the features that you indicated were important to you- close to LRT and bus transit, a walkable neighbourhood, close to important services like grocery stores, pharmacies etc. We are also working closely with our enthusiastic partners who include SAGE, the City of Edmonton and Garneau United Assisted Living (The Ashbourne). As one of our EPSG focus group participants stated: “This building would mean I could live in a community with like-minded individuals, where we could thrive, where we wouldn’t have to go back into the closet, where we wouldn’t have to be inauthentic just to survive.”