Understanding housing. Building community.

In Canada, having adequate housing is a fundamental human right (Canada Human Rights Commission, 2025). Housing plays a crucial role in promoting health, safety and well-being of individuals and families. In Strathcona County, we think everyone should have access to affordable, attainable, acceptable and inclusive housing options now and in the future.

Pop quiz! Test your housing knowledge.

Unaffordability is the most significant housing challenge facing homeowners and renters in Strathcona County.

In Strathcona County, more than one in ten households are living in housing that is considered unaffordable. This statistic includes both renters and homeowners in our community.

Housing that costs 30% or more of an individual or family's pre-tax income is considered to be unaffordable by the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CMHC).

How affordable is your housing?

Find out whether your housing is considered affordable by using the free CMHC Affordability Calculator.

Need support? Call 780-464-4044 and connect with a Solutions Navigator from Family and Community Services to get help accessing affordable services and resources in Strathcona County. 

Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Housing Continuum

Having a range of housing options is critical to a thriving community, like Strathcona County. 

The housing continuum represents the range of housing options available to individuals and families, based on their needs and financial capacity. The continuum ranges from emergency shelters for those in crisis, to homeownership for those who can afford market-rate housing.

All groups of people are impacted by housing challenges, including seniors, youth, single parents, people of colour and individuals with disabilities. Having a spectrum of housing options promotes economic diversity by allowing people of all income levels and professions to live and work locally.

The County's Housing Affordability Strategy

The Strathcona County Housing Affordability Strategy (2.3 MB) was approved by Council on April 23, 2024. This strategy defines the County’s vision, actions and targets for housing affordability, and positions our municipality to work in partnership with other levels of government

Local housing resources

• Heartland Housing - Heartland Housing Foundation serves over 900 households in Fort Saskatchewan & Strathcona County as a not-for-profit housing management body and the administrator for provincially funded rent supplement programs.
   
• Davidson Creek Housing Cooperative - Davidson Creek Housing Co-operative, founded in 1988 in Sherwood Park, is a warm and welcoming community offering affordable two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes where members work together to maintain a safe, healthy, and inclusive environment.
   
• Brittany Lane Housing Cooperative - Brittany Lane Housing Co-operative is a vibrant and diverse community of couples, singles, families, seniors, and Robinhood Association members working together since 1991 to provide affordable housing while fostering connection, collaboration, and inclusivity.
   
• Habitat for Humanity - Bringing communities together to empower families and individuals to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through affordable homeownership.
   
• Robin Hood Association - The Robin Hood Association (RHA) empowers people with disabilities. RHA strives to support people to live their best lives, create opportunities to develop skills and independence, and facilitate mutually beneficial connections and relationships within community.
   
• Northern Alberta Cooperative Housing Association - The Northern Alberta Co-operative Housing Association (NACHA) supports and strengthens housing co-ops through education, advocacy, and collaboration, fostering sustainable and inclusive communities.
   
• Hope in Strathcona Addiction Recovery Services - Hope in Strathcona offers a safe and supportive sober living residence program for men and an outreach program for community clients suffering from addictions. 
   

This webpage and educational campaign has been created by the Housing Affordability Action Table, part of Strathcona County's Community Safety and Well-being Strategy. 

Action Table Members include: Brittany Lane Housing Co-op, Robin Hood Association, Heartland Housing Foundation, Davidson Creek Housing Cooperative, Habitat for Humanity, Hope in Strathcona, Northern Alberta Cooperative Housing Association, and the Sherwood Park and District Chamber of Commerce.