ENABLING HOUSING CHOICE NORTH PROJECT IN BIG LAKES COUNTY

For Immediate Release- Feb 19, 2025

ALBERTA — On behalf of the Rural Development Network (RDN), the Sustainable Housing Initiative (SHI) has partnered with Big Lakes County to collaboratively explore locally-informed solutions that will enable diverse housing development in their community. 

SHI is working to support diverse, sustainable, and equitable housing development in northern Alberta communities through its Enabling Housing Choice North Project. This project was made possible through funding and support from the Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF).

The purpose of this project partnership is to perform extensive research on the challenges and opportunities that currently exist within Big Lakes County’s housing landscape. Findings from this research will assist in responding to the diverse housing demands that emerge from Big Lakes County. 

“The Enabling Housing Choice North project is a unique opportunity to respond to the housing challenges facing communities in northern Alberta,” says Lisa Belanger, Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Development Network. “We are excited to work with Big Lakes County to research and identify solutions that promote affordable and diverse housing options. This partnership highlights the importance of local input and collaboration in addressing complex housing needs.”

Big Lakes County is proud to be part of the “Enabling Housing Choice North” Project, part of the Rural Development Network’s Sustainable Housing Initiative” says Reeve, Tyler Airth. “Addressing housing needs is crucial to the well-being of our residents, and this project will help ensure that we can provide diverse, affordable, and sustainable housing options for years to come. As part of Council’s Strategic Plan, we are committed to being a place where people want to live and can afford to live, while also fostering sustainable economic growth. Diverse housing is a key component of this vision. Partnering with RDN and the “Enabling Housing Choice North” Project allows us to invest in a more sustainable future for Big Lakes County.

Project Goals: 

• To identify opportunities for enabling housing choice in Big Lakes County through research and analysis
• To understand what housing typology best serves the needs of the community 
• To increase affordable and diverse housing availability in Big Lakes County

About RDN: The Rural Development Network (RDN) is a non-profit organization that works with rural, remote and Indigenous communities and organizations in Canada. We collaborate to identify and bring focus to rural issues, build local capacity, and develop innovative, rural-based solutions to social and economic challenges.

About AREF:: Created through the Real Estate Act, the Alberta Real Estate Foundation is a nonprofit grantmaking organization that supports and strengthens Alberta’s real estate industry and benefits Albertans. Through strategic investments, we fund projects across a diverse range of initiatives designed to bolster the work of the industry, government, and our land and built environments.

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