Edmonton Housing: City Considers Rezoning Surplus Former School Sites

Edmonton City Council is taking steps to allow more subsidized and supportive housing to be built on Edmonton City Council land.

Twenty parcels of land had been set aside for schools, but about 15 years ago the Edmonton Public School Board determined the parcels were no longer needed and returned them to the city.

The city council subsequently designated 14 of these sites for affordable housing.

Few developments have taken place so far.

At Monday’s meeting, the city council is considering rezoning seven of those green spaces to allow for housing projects.

“We need more housing, we need more affordable housing, we need more supportive housing in every community in our city, and that’s a priority for Edmontonians and we need to continue to achieve this,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi.

A federal housing program now provides enough money for affordable housing projects that make financial sense on surplus school land.

If the rezoning is approved, city staff expect the new homes could be occupied by 2028.

The city council declared a state of housing emergency in January.

With files from Jeremy Thompson of CTV News Edmonton