The Board of Governors of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation approved $235,000 in community investment projects at their recent meeting.

The Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) supports initiatives that enhance the real estate industry and benefit the communities of Alberta. AREF was set up in 1991 under the Alberta Real Estate Act. Since then, it has awarded approximately 17 million dollars in community and industry grants to over 550 projects across Alberta.

AREF is currently celebrating its 25th Anniversary of making a difference in Alberta. To celebrate we launched a new area of interest call Community Innovation and will be highlighting past grantees. Keep in touch with AREF through our website or on Twitter (@arefabca) to ensure you do not miss out on what is to come!

Projects approved at the June meeting include:

Alberta Energy Efficiency Alliance– Maximizing Alberta’s Energy Efficiency Opportunity (Land Stewardship and Environment)

To date, the Alberta Energy Efficiency Alliance (AEEA) has made significant progress in motivating the creation of new energy efficiency programs for Alberta. These programs will lead to about $300 million of program funding over the next three years, but investments past that time are still uncertain. With this project, the AEEA proposes to work with government and stakeholders to help ensure Alberta’s new EE programs continue beyond a three year horizon and grow over time.

Institute for Community Prosperity– Vivacity (Community Innovation)

Vivacity is an inter-institututional collaboration between 6 post-secondary institutions and Calgary Economic Development. Vivacity engages inter-disciplinary teams of students in the re-design and activation of community spaces in vacant and underutilized areas of the city.

Calgary Aging In Place Co-operative– Operations Start-Up (Housing)

The Calgary Aging-in-Place Co-operative is designed to find ways to support our aging communities, so individuals can afford to stay in their homes, as they age. In finding everyday affordable services based on the needs of each member we can ensure that everyone has an opportunity to “age-in-place.”

Land Stewardship Centre of Canada – The Green Acreages Guide Primer Re-print (Land Stewardship and Environment)

This project will see the update and re-print of a wildly successful education and awareness tool, The Green Acreages Guide Primer. The Primer will be updated with content which was identified by partners as a necessary instalment to fulfilling landowners’ educational needs. By project end, realtors, stewards and Albertans everywhere will again have access to a key resource to assist them in sustainably managing their property for the benefit of the environment.

Inside Education– E3/C3 Project (Education and Research)

An experiential energy efficiency and climate change education and action program for Edmonton, Calgary and surrounding areas junior high and high school students. Two parallel learning experiences – Edmonton Energy Efficiency (E3) and Calgary Climate Change (C3) – will provide students real-world insight into energy conservation in their lives at school and home today and into the future.

Southwest Alberta Sustainable Community Initiative (SASCI)– Planning for a Sustainable Economic Future in Pincher Creek (Education and Research)

This project will establish a factual basis for understanding potential economic and social/community impacts that may occur with closure of the Waterton Complex, and to use that foundation to inform and facilitate dialogue with and action by the affected communities regarding transition to a sustainable economy.

The Alex– The Alex Community Food Centre (Community Innovation)

All of The Alex’s programs build a community of healthy individuals by understanding how to tackle complex social issues that are the source of hunger, poverty, and poor health. The Community Food Centre joins our growing family of preventative programs through a national partnership that has seen proven results. By connecting people with healthy food, skills, and education, the Community Food Centre provides a ground-breaking, results-oriented solution that makes real change in our community.

Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development– Alberta Landowner’s Guide to Oil and Gas Development: Phase Two (Education and Research)

In light of the significant changes to operations and regulations that impact landowners, and the expansion of oil and gas operations since the last Landowner’s Guide was released, there is strong demand from landowners, municipalities, governments and real estate professionals for the tools to approach development issues knowledgeably. The Pembina Institute is uniquely positioned to deliver this tool in the form of the updated Landowner’s Guide.