A place to belong
What makes a municipality or neighbourhood a true community? It is one that exudes comfort, security, vibrancy and a sense of belonging. It is one that welcomes residents and visitors alike as a safe, accessible and interesting place to be in terms of amenities, services, green spaces — it is what most of us want from the places where we live.
Benchmarking study
We know that the more we build complete communities, the more likely we are to attract and retain talented individuals and businesses.
In 2024, we asked Resonance (World’s Best Cities) to benchmark the livability, lovability, and prosperity of the Region with comparable regions from around the globe. This will help inform potential strategies, gaps, and opportunities as the Board prepares for its next iteration of the growth plan.
Learn moreAdopting a growth mindset for housing
Our Region’s rapid growth, along with economic and social realities in Alberta and across the country, present exciting opportunities, but also complex challenges.
Housing has been included in the EMRB’s mandate and growth plan since its very beginnings. The first regional housing plan was approved by the Government of Alberta in 2010, as an integral component of the Region’s first growth plan.
It also led to one of our first comprehensive report exploring a diverse array of policy mechanisms to meet the demand for a broader mix of housing types.
Read Our Affordable Future (PDF, 3.3 MB)More recently, continued population growth and increasing costs from labour to materials has created the perfect storm, where demand exceeds supply for all types of housing. Tackling this challenge will require innovation and collaboration from planning, to design, and development. The development patterns and designs that have dominated the industry in the past are not likely to deliver the built forms needed for the future.
Housing symposia
We held a 6th regional housing symposium in 2023 with over 300 enthusiastic participants to explore vital issues related to housing for all.
The three main takeaways
Need for increased partnerships and collaboration
Need for enhanced data and strategies
Need for an integrated yet asymmetrical approach across the Region (no one size fits all)
Enhanced regional data
The Region isn’t starting from scratch. There exist numerous local and subregional housing needs assessments that can provide insights into who we need to build for, what type of housing is needed, and where housing should be built. Creating a regional snapshot will be an asset.
Tailored regional approach
A regional housing strategy will help to plan for growth and inform regional actions across the housing continuum. We will leverage the findings from the regional needs assessment to identify priority housing needs based on robust data to plan for the needs and demands of the Region.
