“Now We Are Safe”: An Edmonton Church Gave Its Land for 16 Net-Zero Homes for Immigrant Families

• Westmount Presbyterian Church land in North Glenora, Edmonton, now holds 16 affordable townhomes
• The homes were built for immigrant families, with more than 35 elementary-age children
• Partners were Right at Home Housing Society and builder Habitat Studio
• The homes are designed to have almost no energy costs

In Edmonton’s North Glenora neighbourhood, land that once belonged to Westmount Presbyterian Church is now home to 16 families. Global News reported in February 2018 that the church land had been redeveloped as 16 affordable townhomes for immigrant families, built to near net-zero energy standards.

The project brought together the church, the Right at Home Housing Society and the builder Habitat Studio. The 16 households include more than 35 children of elementary school age. For resident Hsar Keelar, the change was profound: “Now we are safe and we are happy with our life.”

The homes were designed to keep bills low for families on modest incomes. “They’ll essentially have almost zero energy costs going into this,” said Peter Amerongen, director of Habitat Studio. Site manager Bernie Schaloske explained how waste heat is reused: “We’re basically using that heat to heat the space that these families are enjoying.”

Alberta’s minister for seniors and housing, Lori Sigurdson, and Mayor Don Iveson attended. Iveson said the city’s housing challenge remained a “huge, huge mountain to climb still”, but called the project “a really good base camp to look at and say, ‘We can do more of this.'”

The project shows that a church does not have to build a large tower to make a difference. A modest parcel, the right non-profit partner and good design produced secure, cheap-to-run homes for newcomers who often face the steepest barriers in the rental market.

Canada has a large and growing Jamaican community, and many families arrive to find housing their biggest hurdle. For Jamaican churches abroad, and for congregations at home with spare land, Edmonton’s example is worth studying: energy-efficient homes reduce the running costs that can push families into arrears, and a church’s land can give newcomers a stable start.