The Alberta Rural Development Network Society piloted a project titled Creating an innovative, cost-effective model for building transitional housing in rural Canada.
 
The objective of this 15-month project was to pilot and create an innovative and cost-effective model for building affordable
housing in rural communities in Alberta, through the development and testing of a toolkit entitled “Creating Affordable Housing in Rural Canada”. The aim was to increase business capacity in rural communities in terms of working with the private sector to construct affordable housing and also encourage the utilization of green building techniques.
 
The toolkit provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to successfully develop, build, and manage net-zero ready affordable housing projects (homes that produce at least as much energy as they consume), independently or with minimal outside (hired) help. Included in the toolkit is a process for determining need vs. demand, financial viability, business plan creation, engagement of architectural and contractor support, applications for permits and funding, as well architectural drawings that can be utilized by local communities to build the green affordable housing units.
 
This project was funded in part by the Government of Canada's Homelessness Partnering Strategy’s Innovative Solutions to Homelessness program. The opinions and interpretations provided in the publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.