Affordable Housing Covenants and Deed Restrictions in Alberta – Research Project Scoping

Earlier this year, the Banff Canmore Community Foundation’s Housing Affordability Working Group began to research and examine successful models which address the housing affordability issue in comparable, predominantly tourist-driven communities and destinations. In particular - and unlike other, similar projects in the region - this research explored programs which are not government-led nor large employer-driven, focusing instead on multi- stakeholder initiatives and those supported by the social sector, foundations, charities and the like.

Through this work it became clear that some of the most creative and potentially effective solutions being implemented in comparable communities, particularly in the US, would be hampered by current provincial or municipal policies, tax regulations, legislation and other barriers to innovative approaches to deed restriction.

It is the goal of this continued research project to identify these barriers and to propose and advance alternatives.