New data highlights continued trend: women, 2SLGBTQIA+, and Indigenous people disproportionately at risk of housing insecurity in rural Alberta

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Alberta – May 21, 2026

Following the 2018, 2020, and 2023 provincial estimations conducted by communities across Alberta, RDN again partnered with communities across the province in 2025 to capture a comprehensive picture of rural, remote, and Indigenous housing insecurity.

Data collection in October 2025 identified 1,762 survey respondents as housing insecure according to the national definitions of homelessness. Additionally, the 1,762 housing insecure survey respondents reported sharing housing insecure living conditions with 1,394 dependents under 18 and 2,154 adults. Therefore, based on survey results, at least 5,310 community members are experiencing housing insecurity across the 19 participating rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

The top three reasons for housing insecurity across participating rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in Alberta were:

1. High housing costs
2. Health challenges
3. Low vacancy rates

Further, RDN discovered that:

• Respondents identifying as women were 2.7 times more likely than their male counterparts to be housing insecure
• 90% of 2SLGBTQIA+ respondents were housing insecure
• 89% of racialized respondents were housing insecure
• 88% of Indigenous respondents were housing insecure 
• 94% of respondents who spent time in care were housing insecure 
• 69% of respondents who serve(d) in the Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP, and/or emergency services were housing insecure

• 84% of respondents living in a multi-generational household were housing insecure
• 83% of respondents living in single parent households were housing insecure.

“The data coming out of the 2025 provincial estimation highlights concern around continued demographic trends – as in 2023, data indicates that vulnerable or minority population groups are at higher risk for housing insecurity in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities,” says Emma Wallace, Manager of Homelessness Strategy and Research at RDN. 

The data also suggests that 32.5% of respondents lacked specific amenities in their current housing situation, many of which are considered necessary for a secure living situation. At the time of the survey:

• 57% did not have access to safe drinking water
• 57% did not have sufficient and affordable heating
• 50% (285) of these respondents did not have fire protection (including fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and a safe exit out of their space)

Survey respondents indicated that increased availability of affordable housing, public transportation, and social and health services would help improve housing insecure respondents’ living conditions.

“Our goal at RDN is to support rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in building their capacity to respond to housing insecurity. The housing insecurity data collected locally in 2025 should allow communities to make informed and evidence-based decisions on social programming, health services, emergency response planning, and housing stock. When combined with the provincial picture of housing insecurity, we expect to see improved provincial and federal decision-making and funding allocations to address housing insecurity moving forward.” Wallace continues. 

This is the fourth provincial estimation project that RDN has conducted with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in Alberta, with three other estimations conducted in 2018, 2020, and 2023 respectively. More information about these results can be found on the Rural Development Network website. 

“Local, community-driven data is key to shaping effective, evidence-based solutions. Our new government is committed to working with partners to expand access to safe, stable and affordable housing, and to strengthen supports that help reduce housing insecurity in rural and remote communities right here in Alberta,” said the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada.

To learn more about the project, check out the 2025 Alberta Provincial Housing and Service Needs report or contact us at info@ruraldevelopment.ca.

This project was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy and the Catherine Donnelly Foundation.

ABOUT THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK

RDN is a not-for-profit that facilitates, supports, and champions rural community development through collaboration, research, and service provision. RDN supports the sustainability of rural communities and works with communities to amplify the “rural voice.” RDN collaborates to identify and bring focus to rural issues, build local capacity, and find innovative, rural-based solutions to unique issues.

For more information, please reach out.

MEDIA CONTACT: 

Sydney Stenekes
Director, Strategic Partnerships & Programs
587-405-6045
programs@ruraldevelopment.ca