Supporting Seniors In Our City
Edmonton’s seniors are vital to the success of our community.
Seniors bring their shared knowledge and experience through their participation in volunteerism, the arts, and education. Older adults of all backgrounds and cultures enrich the fabric of our city. They contribute by giving their time, caring for others and sharing their skills and talents with people of all ages.
Edmonton City Council is committed to building a city that values, respects and actively supports the well-being of seniors. We are working towards building an inclusive city where age is not a barrier to access services, programs, businesses, facilities, or our City at large.
Our work to create an age-friendly city is ongoing. Over the past three years, Council has supported a number of initiatives, investments and partnerships that supports our goals towards an age-inclusive city.
Some of this work includes the following:
Enhancing City Supports and Infrastructure for Seniors
New Assisted Snow Clearing Program
This spring Council approved a pilot program designed for seniors and people with disabilities who are physically unable to remove snow, and/or are unable to afford or arrange for snow removal on their own.
This pilot will start in the Winter of 2024–2025 with details on this program coming this fall.
Permanently Funding and Expanding On Demand Transit Service
Seniors are an important user group of our public transit service. In 2023 Council permanently funded the On-Demand Transit program. On Demand Transit provides service for seniors’ residences, select neighbourhoods, and attractions across Edmonton.
Currently, the On Demand Transit program services 19 seniors’ residences in the city. In response to user feedback, we have expanded service hours to support flexibility and better access to these services.
Improving the Zoning Bylaw to Support Ageing In Place
In October 2023, Council approved a new zoning bylaw and associated city-wide rezoning that enables greater opportunities to age in place. Age in place refers to the support and services one would need to live safely and independently in your home, and in the neighbourhood you love as you age. Seniors have consistently told Council that ageing in place is a primary priority for them.
The Zoning Bylaw permits redevelopment neighbourhoods so that over time, they can adapt and welcome a wider variety of housing options that can meet Edmontonians’ diverse needs. This can look like supporting the creation of residences that are low-maintenance for the residents that need it, or supporting residences built for individuals with diverse mobility needs.
Having the ability to live in your chosen community, with access to diverse housing options for every stage of life, is an integral component of achieving ageing in place in our City.
Improving Sidewalk Construction and Renewal
Earlier in my term, I made a motion to address missing sidewalk connections across Edmonton. Since then, the City of Edmonton enhanced the Missing Sidewalk Program, which provides funding for the planning, design and construction of missing sidewalks across the city.
You can keep up to date on the program, or report a missing sidewalk location here.
Increasing Affordable Housing for Seniors
The City’s most recent Housing Needs Assessment identified that seniors disproportionately face “Core Housing Need” in Edmonton. The report spotlighted that throughout the City, there are few housing options that support ageing in place and the unique needs of seniors.
We know that addressing the housing crisis is a shared responsibility between all levels of government — as such, Council is firmly committed to ensuring we are doing our part to address the housing needs of all Edmontonians, including seniors.
Supporting and Increasing the Affordable Housing Investment Program
The City’s Affordable Housing Investment Program (AHIP) provides grant funding to incentivize affordable housing development, and helps the City increase the number of affordable housing units across Edmonton. Through AHIP, Council has approved multiple projects that are specifically designed to meet the unique housing needs of seniors.
Woodcroft Neighbourhood — Matheson Seniors Residence
City Council supported the Matheson Seniors Residence with rehabilitating 300 studio and one-bedroom affordable housing units for low income seniors. This investment will extend the service life of these residences for an additional 50 years.
West Garneau Neighbourhood — Westrich Garneau Inc. Development
City Council is supporting Westrich Garneau Inc. in constructing a six-storey apartment complex in West Garneau. This project includes 159 residential units, 48 of which would be affordable housing units. These affordable units are specifically targeted to support seniors, as well as single parents, new immigrants and members of Enoch Cree Nation.
Glenwood Neighbourhood — Paul Band Property Management Corp
City Council is supporting Paul Band Property Management Corp in providing 24 affordable housing units in the Glenwood neighbourhood. This housing will be provided to off-reserve members of Paul First Nation with a focus on seniors, as well as families and members living with disabilities. Tenants will also have access to on-site supports, and an equity trust program that supports tenants in growing their savings to eventually purchase their own home.
Creating a New Indigenous Housing Grant
Montrose Neighborhood — Nihgi Seniors Lodge Redevelopment
Council’s increased investment in Affordable Housing Grant Programs supported the creation of the Indigenous Affordable Housing Grant Stream.
In Edmonton, almost 60% of our unhoused neighbours are Indigenous, though they make up 6% of our population. The Indigenous Affordable Housing Grant Stream is a new initiative that provides capital funding to Indigenous organizations to build new affordable housing units and/or rehabilitate existing affordable housing units.
In April of 2024 we celebrated the first recipient of this funding stream — the Metis Capital Housing Corporation. Their Nihgi Seniors Lodge will create 36 new affordable rental units for Indigenous seniors in Northeast Edmonton.
I am incredibly excited by the work we have done and will continue to do to support seniors in this City. I know that together, we can make an Edmonton for all of us, regardless of age, physical ability or socioeconomic status.
Seniors are incredibly important to this City and City Council, and we are steadfastly committed to their success. Happy Seniors Week, Edmonton!
Additional Resources For Seniors
City of Edmonton Support for Seniors
Edmonton Transit Services: Senior Fares
Assisted Waste Collection
DATS (Dedicated Accessible Transit Service)
