Affordable housing, halfway covered: City of Calgary to pitch in $53.5M for Bridgeland Place redevelopment
The City of Calgary will fund nearly half the estimated cost of its planned Bridgeland Place affordable housing redevelopment.
Council announced Monday it has approved $53.5 million for the project as part of its 2023-26 service plans and budget deliberations, or 49 per cent.
Total estimated costs to redevelop the site at 736 McDougall Ct. N.E. sits at $109 million.
In Monday's announcement, the city said it would look to other funding sources and levels of government to come up with the rest of the money.
Bo Jiang, acting director of Calgary Housing and acting president of Calgary Housing Company, called the approval an exciting step.
"This is an affirmation of the city’s commitment to affordable housing, and we look forward to working with the province and federal government to confirm their support," Jiang said.
In Monday's announcement, the city reiterated its high hopes for the project.
It is planned to provide 222 homes, with "precedent-setting energy strategies that increase energy efficiency, reduce emissions and utility costs, improve indoor air quality and contribute to long-term affordability."
"With one-in-five Calgary households struggling to pay for housing costs, this redevelopment will help ensure that low- and moderate-income Calgarians have a safe, stable place to call home," Jiang said.
"We are proud to be able to continue providing high-quality, energy-efficient, affordable housing to Calgarians in the beautiful Bridgeland community for generations to come."
Preparation for the redevelopment is scheduled to begin mid-2023, the city said in its announcement.
The city also said it will continue to engage the Bridgeland community as the project moves forward.
In March 2021, the city said Bridgeland Place had issues with heating and water supply, energy performance and high operating costs, and that the building is still habitable but requires significant work.
The current, 210-unit structure has been in operation for roughly 50 years.
The facility was to be gradually closed down over the next two years.
Officials said at the time vacancies were not being filled as tenants moved out and that there would be a focus on a smooth transition for current residents to find alternative housing.
In Monday's announcement, the city said that ongoing support has included help locating new accommodations, financial assistance for moving, referrals to relevant agencies and regular communication.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.