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Tax Slip info for Rent Assistance Recipients

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“It was the greatest experience for us.”

Courtney Cathcart grew up in Calgary Housing. He, along with his mom and brother, lived in a townhouse complex in the west end of the city. The family was able to access Calgary Housing when Courtney was two years old, and they lived in the same location until he was 14.

The complex had a nearby field where all the children would gather. It meant that Cathcart had access to a community of neighbours growing up who all looked out for each other.

“I loved my experience at Calgary Housing. It really allowed my mom to reset a bit, do some schooling, advance in her career,” Cathcart said.

Cathcart’s mom worked two to three jobs at a time while living in Calgary Housing and was also able to focus on her education. She worked her way up at Safeway and Canada Post, taking different roles and was able to save to be able to buy a house.

Access to safe, affordable housing that was embedded in community allowed her to gain some flexibility in her family life, transition to a full-time job, and be a fully present parent to her children.

She passed on the value of a good work ethic and community.

“It created an environment for us to be able to succeed”

“It created an environment for us to be able to succeed,” Cathcart said.

Living in Calgary Housing broadened Cathcart’s perspective and it caused him to live his life differently.

“For me, volunteerism is a big part of it,” he says.

Cathcart serves as the board chair for Vivo for Healthier Generations, a charity focused on creating healthier communities and generations in Calgary and beyond. He also serves as Rogers Communications’ director of government relations for the prairies, where he advocated for improved access to internet services for people living on lower incomes.

Rogers Communications now has a partnership with The City of Calgary’s Fair Entry program.

“It’s my experience [in Calgary Housing] that has me contemplating how I make things better and more supportive for people that need a hand.”

“It’s my experience [in Calgary Housing] that has me contemplating how I make things better and more supportive for people that need a hand,” Cathcart says.

The number of people who need a hand in Calgary is significant.

As of 2025 year to date, the number of households waiting for affordable housing through Calgary Housing is 7,574. The waitlist is priority-based, not time-based. This means that all applications for subsidized housing are prioritized based on an applicant’s point score. This point score is calculated based on the Social Housing Accommodation Regulation, under the Alberta Housing Act.

This makes sure the people facing the greatest housing challenges are supported first, based on:

• Percentage of income paid in rent.
• Priority scoring based on factors such as rent burden and current living conditions.
• Household circumstances, such as whether a person is exiting domestic violence or experiencing homelessness.

Single parent families often shoulder caregiving duties for children and aging family members, increasing household expenses and placing significant pressure on them as the sole provider. According to Statistics Canada (2022), single parent households are four times more likely to live below the poverty line compared to households with two parents. Calgary Housing faces the challenge of providing housing to single parent households in matching available homes to individual family circumstances.

Although nearly 1,000 single parent families have been housed to date, more than 2,000 remain on the waiting list. Single parent families make up 32 per cent of total applicants on the waitlist but continue to face significant barriers to accessing subsidized housing.

Calgary Housing wants to support more people to transform their lives. Every child in Calgary deserves the chance to build a life of their own, much like Cathcart.

Candace Kay is a single parent. While growing up in Calgary, she got involved in the wrong crowd and was on and off the streets for over a decade, but everything changed for her as soon as she realized she was pregnant. She knew she needed to do things differently.

“I was tired of getting up every morning wondering how I was going to make money that day,” she said.

She recovered from severe addiction and prioritized finding stable housing to be able to provide for her child. She ended the relationship with her then partner because his actions didn’t fit that priority.

She applied for Income Support and Calgary Housing.

She was able to access Calgary Housing when her child was born. With a little bit of income and stable housing, Kay felt more hopeful about her life.

“I’ve been praying for something like that for so long and I’m doing the best I can being on income support.”

“I’ve been praying for something like that for so long and I’m doing the best I can being on income support,” she said.

There are still challenges ahead for Kay, including finding a full-time job, but she is confident that she can take that on because she has safe, affordable housing.

“[Housing] is all that matters to me. Honestly, that makes everything fine,” she says.

Kay’s story is not uncommon. Many Calgary Housing residents are able to rebuild and transform their lives after years of unstable housing caused by job loss, family breakdown, health issues, and financial struggles.

Single parents face extended average wait times for affordable housing, often exceeding two years for larger homes.

The average wait time for single parent applicants on the waitlist is 702 days (1.9 years) for housing and this number varies based on the size of the home available. The need for larger homes is a significant barrier in providing safe, stable housing for single parent families with larger family composition.

A Calgary Housing resident we’ll call Jane had worked in the food and beverage industry for years. She held various jobs including childcare for her sister. Her husband also held a series of jobs, including serving at a local restaurant, a barber at a local hair salon and being an Uber Eats driver. Jane and her husband were getting by until their lives were derailed by health issues. Jane experiences debilitating dizziness and ear pain while her husband struggles with diabetes. At this time, the couple applied for Calgary Housing.

Jane feels like if they weren’t slowed down by their health, they would have gone on to open a business in the hospitality industry.

As the affordability crisis began to take hold, Jane felt like they were sinking fast, with no steady source of income, expensive rent, and the inability to work full time.

She couldn’t find a job. She would send out applications to grocery stores and other retails locations but wouldn’t hear anything.

“All of a sudden, things are going up, and all the doors are closed.”

“All of a sudden, things are going up, and all the doors are closed,” she said.

After six years of waiting, Jane accessed Calgary Housing. She said that getting into safe, affordable housing “stopped the financial bleeding.”

Jane and her husband live in a bachelor apartment in the heart of downtown.

“We can survive now, at least we can breathe a little bit,” Jane says.

As many as 30 per cent of applicants to Calgary Housing who are waiting for affordable housing are employed. Like Courtney’s mother, applicants are working many jobs to piece together an income to support themselves.

For these families, getting into a home in Calgary Housing would allow them to free up resources to save for education, or pay off debt. They would be able to start building sustainability in their finances to be able to survive the next shock to their financial wellbeing, with the increased cost of living.

Another group of people who face extended wait times are the single adults (non-senior) in Calgary. Research by Enough for All, a poverty reduction strategy stewarded by Vibrant Communities Calgary, found that this group typically lives at 55 per cent of the poverty line. With 2,726 single adults still waiting for housing, Calgary Housing sees applicant wait times ranging from 521 days to 766 days. The shortage of bachelor and one-bedroom homes in Calgary Housing’s inventory continues to drive housing instability for this group.

The number of people applying for affordable housing through Calgary Housing has surged by 54 per cent compared to last year. With 271 people moving to Calgary every day, the demand for affordable housing continues to grow. To meet this need, Calgary Housing is focused on increasing non-market housing supply both on behalf of the City of Calgary and through its own initiatives. The organization aims to deliver at least 3,000 non-market homes over the next decade.

People seek affordable housing for many reasons. Safe, affordable housing offers stability and a foundation for rebuilding, progress, and sustainability. Whether it’s a single parent creating a safe place for their kids, someone rebuilding life after addiction, an individual coping with medical challenges, or a hardworking Calgarian who still can’t afford rent. Affordable housing acts as a catalyst for change. It’s more than shelter; it’s a foundation for transformation.

Encourage your elected officials to continue investing in building and acquiring non-market homes.

The post Affordable Housing: A Foundation for Change appeared first on Calgary Housing.

Kaylee, a Métis woman from Manitoba, moved to Calgary in 2018. With support from Calgary Housing and her community, she overcame significant challenges and is now able to chart her own path forward.

She was having a hard time, she hadn’t completed high school, she wasn’t in housing and was also struggling in an unhealthy relationship.

Eventually, Kaylee was able to rent a room in a house, but that living situation was inadequate. She found a Calgary Housing residence on RentFaster and moved in with her partner, but troubles in her relationship hit a high. Kaylee was pregnant and the violence from her partner was overwhelming. She decided to move back to Manitoba for family support.

“I was in a low spot when I was pregnant and it all changed,” Kaylee said.

She then got the call while in Manitoba that she was accepted into Calgary Housing, so she moved back to the city, but she made the decision to get back together with her ex. They tried to make it work for eight months, she got pregnant with her second child, but the relationship didn’t work out.

Living alone in Calgary Housing, with a toddler and a baby, Kaylee focused on her educational goals as she needed to provide for her children. She studied to get her high school diploma, supported by a Métis organization.

“If I didn’t have support from the Métis organization and Calgary Housing, I wouldn’t have been able to go back to school,” Kaylee says.

“[Stable housing] has helped me get ahead of my life a ton. It’s been great living in Calgary Housing, everyone who lives here is wonderful. It’s fun for the kids, there is a park here. I enjoy the property,” she adds.

Kaylee didn’t stop with her diploma. She got into the Health Care Aide program at Bow Valley College and was able to access childcare for her children to focus on her studies.

“It was hard [to parent and] focus on schooling, but I managed through it,” she said.

Kaylee was hired instantly after graduation and now works full time.

She has transformed her life, even over the course of the past four years. She wanted to create a better life for her children and now can even see her next career goal of becoming a nurse.

“I feel like a totally different person. Who I was before is not who I am now. I don’t even know that person anymore. I had my struggles, and I never thought I could make it this far, but I did, and I keep going.”

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August 12 marks International Youth Day, and this year we wanted to highlight the story of one youth that lives in a Calgary Housing home.

While most students traded textbooks for video games this summer, Imaan dove back into his studies. He’s sharpening his critical thinking and essay-writing skills in pursuit of a dream: university acceptance with a focus on physics. He feels an invisible pull toward constructing his own theory on the manipulation of gravity.

Imaan, a recent high school graduate, has ambitions of completing a bachelor of science, and potentially a master’s degree and PhD.

He grew up in a Calgary Housing residence. His family immigrated from Khartoum, Sudan, in 2007. He said he felt they were unprepared for the challenges of living in Canada and the hurdles of raising a family in a new country.

“Calgary Housing gave us the option and the opportunity to start a life,” Imaan said.

With stable, affordable housing, Imaan doesn’t have to worry about where the next meal is coming from or how his family will make it through winter. That security has helped him focus on his future.

“Stable housing eliminates so many cons of trying to complete this dream of mine,” he said.

Imaan connected with a staff member at Calgary Housing who has a background in physics and could advise him on the potential of his dream.

“I wanted to talk it over with someone who had more practice and experience than me,” Imaan said.

The staff member explained that what may seem impossible from afar often just needs one believer up close. Possibility begins the moment someone chooses to believe. At the end of the day, you’ll prove it’s possible or discover the limits and either way, that’s a triumph.

When the staff member first arrived in Canada, he was fortunate to receive support from someone who profoundly shaped his educational journey. He said he’s honoured to pay that kindness forward now and offer the same support to the next generation.

That’s the kind of support Imaan sees every day from his fellow residents in his Calgary Housing community. He said community members are always willing to help each other out, no matter the challenge.

Surrounded by a supportive community, Imaan is ready to explore his educational opportunities.

“If I complete this theory, and I change it into a principle, then I’m putting humanity one step closer to entering a new age,” he said.

The post Inside Calgary Housing: Community’s support helps youth reach his dreams appeared first on Calgary Housing.

We recently joined The City of Calgary and the Calgary Fire Department to open the new Varsity Multi-Service Centre.

This community-focused hub includes strengthened emergency response, a public green space, new services, and new affordable housing options.

For Calgary Housing, the 48 new homes here are part of our ongoing work to deliver stable, affordable housing to Calgarians in every part of the city. Eleven homes at Varsity are fully accessible.

And some of the new homes at Varsity mark the start of the vision we’ve had for some time to combine multi-generational homes with our mixed-income model, creating stability for more families. This includes a mix of unit sizes and layouts, including adaptable studio units that can be joined to larger two- and three-bedroom homes to support multi-generational families.

“By including 48 mixed-income homes, with 11 accessible, for about 200 people in this new development, The City is taking a smart approach towards addressing housing needs. Residents will be part of a bigger community with services and other City uses on site — all integrated into an established community,” said Sarah Woodgate, President and CEO of Calgary Housing.

Read more on The City of Calgary’s Newsroom.

The post New Varsity Multi-Service Centre serves multi-generational families and community appeared first on Calgary Housing.

Construction of a new affordable housing development is underway in Calgary’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, being led by Calgary Housing (CH). The first to break ground with CH as developer, this project is one of many housing developments being led by the CH team.

The 16-home mixed-income development on the former site of the St. Joseph School is expected to serve up to 45 residents.

Construction is anticipated to be completed in summer 2026, with residents moving in shortly after.

“I am proud of the Calgary Housing team for how quickly we are able to develop these 16 affordable homes in Mount Pleasant,” Calgary Housing President and CEO Sarah Woodgate said. “Six months after signing a funding agreement with The City of Calgary to develop this parcel, we had crews starting work here. And in a year’s time, up to 45 new residents will be moving in.

“This is an exciting chapter in our organization that will serve more Calgarians, using the perpetually sustainable mixed-income model that reduces reliance on government funding for operation and provides stability for residents through any changes in their circumstances.”

The mixed-income housing project is designed to visually fit into the neighbourhood and uses high quality materials that require less maintenance. The homes thoughtfully integrate sustainable design elements, including energy-saving measures that go beyond what’s required in building codes, as well as rooftop solar panels and cold climate air source heat pumps with natural gas back-ups.

Situated on vacant City-owned land, the homes are conveniently located beside an already-developed playground and an off-leash dog park, and are blocks away from schools as well as commercial corridors on 16 Avenue N.W. and Centre Street N.W.

“Calgary Housing’s Mount Pleasant affordable housing development is an important part of addressing the city’s housing crisis as part of Calgary’s Housing Strategy,” Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said. “Affordable housing makes sure no one is left behind in our great city, and the mixed-income model is a fiscally responsible way to operate that housing.”

The Mount Pleasant affordable housing project will use CH’s perpetually sustainable mixed-income model. Rents just below market rates help to cover more deeply affordable rents and fund maintenance costs, reducing or even eliminating the need for operating funding from governments.

This mix improves financial viability and sustainability of operations, while allowing tenants of varying financial means to live side-by-side as neighbours. Households are then better supported with stable housing as their situation changes.

“The Government of Canada is proud to partner with the City of Calgary and the Province of Alberta to support the Mount Pleasant Affordable Housing project,” Corey Hogan, Member of Parliament for Calgary Confederation said. “This collaboration will provide an estimated 45 Calgarians with a safe, affordable place to call home.

“Under our 10-year, $678-million bilateral agreement signed in 2019, Canada and Alberta are working together to protect, renew, and expand community and social housing across the province. The Government of Canada is using every tool available, including technology, innovation, and strong partnerships, to build homes at a scale and speed not seen since the Second World War.

“We remain committed to investing in Calgary’s future so that everyone has a place to call home.”

Calgary Housing signed a funding agreement to develop the parcel in September 2024, and crews began initial construction work the following March.

The $7.9 million construction budget includes $3.7 million in contributions from the Province of Alberta and $1.5 million from the Affordable Housing Partnership Program, a joint funding from the province and the Government of Canada.

“Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring Albertans with low income have access to safe, stable, affordable housing,” said Jason Nixon, Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services. “We’re pleased to partner with Calgary Housing on this project, and provide support though the Affordable Housing Partnership Program.

“With great partners like Calgary Housing we can continue to provide affordable housing solutions that work for Albertans.”

This press release first appeared in the City of Calgary Newsroom.

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Stephanie greets each child by name and asks them how their week has been. There is a heater in the book truck and some of the children stay to warm up before heading back out to play. The children are curious and engaged, some of them browse through the books, picking out one or two to borrow for the week. Stephanie says that each week she has about a dozen children that visit regularly.

Calgary Public has been visiting Applewood since 2009, and Stephanie has been running the book truck program here since 2019. The programming usually focuses on free play, allowing children to come and go, but occasionally Stephanie has storytimes and structured activities. In the summer she had a reading challenge that saw the kids read over/almost 300 books!

“The book truck is a mobile library so kids whose families don’t have vehicles or whose parents are too busy (usually with work) to take them can access a library in their own communities.” Stephanie shares. “Libraries are different everywhere and we offer things now that we never have before so not everyone is familiar. Some of our more mobile families end up becoming regulars at the branches and enroll in programs there.”

Stephanie says she has seen literacy improve in Applewood as a result of the book trucks visits.

“We’ve had lots of reluctant readers become reading enthusiasts,” she says, “and we’ve seen lots of kids who already enjoy reading grow to become very avid readers – taking home bigger and bigger stacks of books each week because they have easy access.”

“We have one family whose three kids told me they watch out the window for the truck when it comes so they can run out and be the first ones at the program.”

Susanna, the Housing Support Specialist for the property, is very enthusiastic about the program.

“I know the children really love it when the story truck comes to the complex,” she says. “They are excited, and I often see them walking to the truck cradling their books in their arms – it’s so cute!”

The book truck is a mobile public library. It is stocked with books for both children and adults. Families can check out and return books to the book truck. It visits Applewood every week and can also be requested to attend community events.

Calgary Housing is proud of its partnership with the Calgary Public Library, and to be able to offer this program to residents at Applewood. To learn more about the book truck visit calgarylibrary.ca.

Stephanie has been helping run the book truck program at Applewood since 2019, her favourite author is Terry Pratchett.

The post Library Book Truck Brings Books and Activities to Calgary Housing Properties appeared first on Calgary Housing.

• Please remember to keep your doors and windows shut. An open window can cause frozen pipes and or radiators.
• Please make sure your heat is working and call Calgary Housing immediately if it isn’t. All no heat calls should be reported as Urgent. Call 587 390-1200 press 3. Please also be advised that an indoor temperature of 20 C is normal and not a sign of no heat.
• Please make sure that all shared doors are fully shut as you enter and leave the property.
• If you do drive, please brush off your car completely before heading out on the road.
• If you have a property with a sidewalk and or parking stall, please do not pile snow on your neighbours property or parking stall.
• Please remove all snow and ice from your sidewalks within 24 hours of the snowfall. City of Calgary bylaws require Calgarians to remove snow within 24 hours. 

For all maintenance emergencies please call Calgary Housing at 587 390-1200 and press 3.

The post Winter and Cold Weather Reminders appeared first on Calgary Housing.

• December 23: 9:30am – 4:00pm (normal operating hours)
• December 24: 9:30am – 11:30am (closed for remainder of day)
• December 25: Closed
• December 26: Closed
• December 27: 9:30am – 4:00pm (normal operating hours)
• January 1: Closed
• January 2: Normal operating hours

If you do have any questions, visit our Contact Us page here.

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