How the university is providing affordable housing for its employees

The University of Alberta strives to ensure all of its employees can enjoy a high living standard. That’s why it has taken steps to make housing more affordable for employees.

Thanks to an agreement with the university’s Non-Academic Staff Association, the more than 5,000 support staff who work at the U of A can receive a one-month discount at four Edmonton rental properties owned by Canadian Apartment Properties REIT (CAPREIT). All of these apartments are a short walk or commute to the university. 

The university also reimburses academic and excluded staff members for moving and relocation expenses—at the discretion of their hiring unit.  This reimbursement includes packing, loading, shipping, unloading and 30 days storage. There is a maximum weight allowance for household goods that varies depending on the number of family members who are joining in the move.  Academic and excluded staff may also receive a non-taxable moving allowance of up to $500 if the new hire is moving from within Canada and up to $650 if they are moving from outside of Canada.

In an effort to connect the university community with subsidized and affordable housing, the U of A lists the many low-rent housing options available in Edmonton on its campus and community resources page, and provides consultation to students, staff and faculty for navigating application processes. 

Options for subsidized and affordable housing in Edmonton include the Capital Region Housing Corporation, the City of Edmonton Non-profit Housing Corporation (homeEd), Homeward Trust, the Northern Alberta Co-operative Housing Association, Right at Home Housing Society and YMCA Homeward Bound. Housing options specifically for Indigenous people in Edmonton include the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society's transitional housing complex and Métis Urban Housing Corporation - Urban Aboriginal Housing. 

As an institution, we are dedicated to furthering affordable housing research that will impact not just the university community, but also the entirety of Edmonton. 

The Affordable Housing Solutions Lab, hosted by the university and funded by the City of Edmonton, has a mandate to “develop and support the progression of housing innovation in Edmonton with a lens on studying the effects of affordable housing on reducing poverty in Edmonton.”

To that end, the Affordable Housing Solutions lab brings together stakeholders from across the city and engages in citizen-led research that explores new avenues to make sure everyone in Edmonton has a place to live.