Housing for All Okotokians

To review the Town's recent Housing Needs Assessment, click the button below.
Housing Needs Assessment
 

To review the Okotoks Housing Snapshot, click the button below.

Okotoks Housing Snapshot
 

The Town and Happipad, a Canadian non-profit home-sharing organization, have partnered to create a secure, affordable and convenient option that provides a safe way for Okotoks homeowners with a spare room to rent to a well-matched renter.

Through in-depth personal profiles, Happipad matches a host and a renter into a mutually beneficial longer-term living arrangement for like-minded individuals. The host gains a helping hand and some extra income while the renter is given affordable, comfortable housing.

The Happipad platform exists to help people share homes and connect homeowners with vetted renters. Home-owners host on their terms with flexible rental options, set their own house rules and have the opportunity to meet renters who want to be part of the community.

Happipad provides users with a reliable way to handle details such as rent payments, security deposits, legal documentation and background checks. Their team is also responsible for conflict resolution and any other customer support that may be needed.

To learn more about Happipad and how you can participate in the program, click the button below:

Happipad Okotoks

Home-sharing is a situation where two or more people live together, each with their own bedroom and a shared living space such as the kitchen and living room. An arrangement can be tailored to suit all needs and to benefit everyone involved. For example, some homes may be large enough that a renter has their own private living space and only share the kitchen. Others may only have a private sleeping area and share the rest of the house.

A home sharer might be a senior citizen, a working professional, a student, a single parent, or simply a person wishing to share his or her life and home with others. For these people, shared housing offers social connections, affordable housing, security, mutual support and much more. Home sharing for the landlord can be an arrangement where the roommate pays a set amount for rent or a lesser amount may be agreed to in exchange for assistance with household tasks.

Happipad is a web-based platform that connects two or more compatible, but unrelated, people to share a home. It is a rental matching program where a homeowner with an extra room can be connected to a well-suited tenant. The program is focused on companionship and compatibility matching as well as affordability for renters and homeowners.  Some of the benefits include:

• Affordable housing
• Help around the house
• Financial assistance
• Companionship
• Social connection
• Security
• Mutual support and more!

The Town purchased land in the D’Arcy neighbourhood to facilitate the development of below-market rental housing. A portion of the site at 38 Willow Crescent was sold at market value to a private developer to facilitate the construction of 32 new units of rental housing. The Town continues to work with project partners to secure provincial and federal funding to advance constructing of below-market rental housing for the remainder of the site at 100, 200 and 300 Sage Way. See the area site map by clicking the button below.

D'Arcy Affordable Housing Site Map

Learn more about the purpose build rental projects currently underway. Click the button below to review the map showing all project locations.

Purpose Built Rental Projects Map

The Secondary Suite and Accessory Dwelling Unit Grant Program provides financial grants and education to stimulate the timely development of new secondary suites and accessory dwellings.

The Town is pleased to offer financial incentives for non-profit organizations that are developing affordable housing in Okotoks. These incentives include a capital grant and building permit fee waivers for projects that are approved for funding through a federal or provincial affordability-focused program. Eligible projects can receive up to $15,000 per new unit and up to a 50% rebate on building permit fees. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis subject to funding availability.

Learn More

If you require more information, please contact the Town's Social Planner, Michelle Grenwich, at 403-995-6312 or email mgrenwich@okotoks.ca

The Foothills Okotoks Regional Water Project has received $16M in provincial funding through the Water for Life Grant and is expected to be operational in 2026.

The Alberta Government has created this program for seniors in Alberta, who now have the option to defer their residential property taxes, in order to keep extra money in their pockets and enable them to stay in their homes longer.  Click the button below to learn more.

Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program

Westwinds Communities administers the Rental Assistance Benefit which provides a long-term monthly rent subsidy to low income Albertans to afford their current rent. 

In 2020, Okotoks Council approved the “Affordable Housing Strategy + Action Plan” which includes a number of recommended actions to address affordable housing needs for current and future residents. Key goals in the strategy are to increase the overall diversity of housing options throughout the community and to increase non-market affordable housing for low-income households.

Affordable Housing Strategy + Action Plan

The new Municipal Development Plan promotes and requires new greenfield developments to provide for diverse housing opportunities, increased densities and that affordable housing opportunities be integrated within new and existing communities.

The new Land Use Bylaw eliminated single land use districts in favour of 2 primary residential districts that allow for a broader range of housing types to be accommodated as permitted uses. Furthermore, the new Land Use Bylaw has eliminated parking minimums and enabled higher densities to be considered on lots.

In 2018 Council identified the need to increase the diversity and accessibility of housing as a strategic priority. To ensure greater provision of access to affordable housing, an Affordable Housing Task Force was created to examine all aspects of the affordable housing situation in Okotoks over a two-year period and provide strategic and action-oriented recommendations to Council.

Lear more about members of the Affordable Housing Task Force, and the background on why this strategy was needed in Okotoks. On the page below, you'll find stories from local residents who are facing affordability issues, and FAQs.

Task Force Committee

2021 Affordable Housing Recommendations