Media Release: Statement on Rent Support through the Canada-Alberta Housing Benefit program

The Edmonton Social Planning Council (ESPC) is encouraged to hear about the announcement of $444 million investment in rent support through a joint federal and provincial Canada-Alberta Housing Benefit program, which will see equal cost-matching between the two orders of government. It is expected to provide rent support to more than 35,000 low-income Alberta households.

In our research and advocacy work in the area of housing, we have identified years-long waiting lists to receive rental assistance as an intractable problem faced by low-income Edmonton renters. This was identified in our 2020 report, The High Cost of Waiting: Tenant-Focused Solutions to Enhance Housing Affordability, and most recently in our Bridging the Affordability Gap: Report and Recommendations, which was published last month. Alberta’s participation in the Canada Housing Benefit was a key ask in The High Cost of Waiting report and we are pleased to see the provincial government taking part in this program.

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