The Board of Governors of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation invested $455,000 in our community!

The Alberta Real Estate Foundation invests in real estate policy, research, practices, and education that strengthen Alberta’s communities. Under the Real Estate Act, whenever a consumer deposits money in trust through a real estate broker, property manager, or commercial broker, the interest earned on the deposit is accumulated and forwarded to the Foundation for reinvestment into Alberta’s communities. Individually, it is nickels and dimes, but across the province it all adds up!

Since its inception in 1991, the Foundation has invested over 23 million in grants to 650+ initiatives across Alberta.Join us in celebrating the Investment Grant projects approved at the June meeting that support and advance education, research, law reform, and other activities related to real estate in Real Estate Leadership, the Built Environment, and Land:Advancing Placemaking and Innovation in DowntownsBy 1MReal Estate Leadership – Advancing the real estate industry as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic through research and/or implementation of policy, practices, or educational initiatives.&Real Estate Leadership – Mobilize the use of under-utilized real estate inventory through research into and/or implementation of policy, practices, or projects.As part of their vision to advance 10,000 creators through a million square feet, they developed the 1M Fellows Program – a creator and talent development accelerator aimed at students, founders and emerging leaders in real estate and urban development. The Fellows Program is designed to train young people to maximize their ability to make an impact in the industry and their communities. Fellows want to make an impact, are curious to learn about emerging trends and technologies, and want to solve big problems. Through a structured, 4 month core program offered to three types of cohorts: Student, Industry, and Founder, this program empowers fellows with the mindset, experience and networks to solve new challenges in city building through hands-on projects and forumsA New Approach to Energy Efficiency in New HomesBy the Alberta Energy Efficiency AllianceBuilt Environment – Expand access to housing options that are affordable and support homeownership through the adaption of best practices to the Alberta context or experimental pilot projects.Energy efficiency is among the most cost-effective ways to reduce a homeowner’s ongoing monthly utility costs, and the most influential time to affect the efficiency of a home is during its initial design and construction. Decisions made during home design and construction impact not only the initial homebuyer, but all future owners. This project will leverage the launch of the Clean Energy Improvement Program in the province to demonstrate how it can be used to significantly increase the energy efficiency of new homes constructed. The successful demonstration could present an opportunity for all new buildings in the province (both multi-unit residential and commercial) to be built to a higher efficiency level for the same sticker price as a standard efficiency building – benefiting both the initial owner and all subsequent owners.Enhancing Rural and Regional Real Estate through Community LearningBy Athabasca UniversityReal Estate Leadership – Increase resilience and population retention in rural communities to support a stable real estate market through research into and/or implementation of policy, practices, or projects.Residential, commercial, and industrial real estate are crucial to rural economic revitalization. This initiative will create learning resources for related professionals and the public in respect to the role that real estate can play in the economic, environmental and social recovery of rural and regional Alberta. This will help communities across the province design their own future – a future in which Alberta communities are healthy, sustainable, resilient, and safe. The resources and evidence-based best practices will be shared with communities across the province using a three-part delivery system consisting of: 1) Design charettes or workshops, 2) Online modules to supplement the workshops, and 3) Some material will be shared as open educational resources via the University’s social media channels.Advancing the Real Estate Industry for Albertan Immigrants and NewcomersBy Empower MeReal Estate Leadership – Improve capacity and understanding of real estate professionals and/or consumers on real estate issues.&Built Environment – Expand access to housing options that are affordable and support homeownership through the adaption of best practices to the Alberta context or experimental pilot projects.This project will implement proven education and support practices to newcomer and immigrant Albertan’s who have little experience and understanding of Albertan homes or the Canadian real estate industry. This project will educate immigrant and newcomer Albertan’s who are new or future homeowners on the structure of Albertan homes, how homes ‘work’, how to understand and sign up for energy services, and the typical operating costs associated with Albertan homes. This consumer education will ensure newcomers and immigrants have the information and education they need to make informed home buying decisions. This project will ensure new and future Albertan homeowners are empowered and educated to understand and plan for affordable homeownership.