Alberta’s government is investing $16 million to upgrade 400 affordable housing units across the province, and some of this funding is earmarked for Drumheller institutions.
The provincial budget has $94 million over three years for capital maintenance and renewal funding. Through an additional $16 million in capital maintenance and renewal funding, 100 units will reopen, and another 300 will continue to be available for use while undergoing preventative maintenance.
“This investment will support housing providers to keep affordable housing online across our province. We will continue to partner with these organizations to ensure we maintain and grow our affordable housing infrastructure across Alberta,” said Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services.
The Drumheller and District Seniors Foundation (DDSF) was included in this announcement, and it will be receiving $250,000 for renewal. DDSF Chief Administrative Officer Glenda Youngberg tells the Mail these funds will be used for the provincially owned Senior Manors.
“They have allotted us $250,000 for their owned self-contained units, which means Manor One, Manor Two and the villas here in Drumheller. This is for capital maintenance, so we have to come up with a list of things we need to do in these units,” she said.
The Drumheller Housing Administration (DHA) also benefited from this injection of funding. It was allotted $200,000 for capital maintenance.
The administration is planning on using funds to install roofing on a unit, as well as install basement sump pumps and replace flooring. The bulk of the funds will be for concrete work, installing concrete patios on 26 units, to provide positive slope for runoff away from foundations.
"We are grateful for the commitment from Minister Nixon’s office to support Drumheller Housing to ensure we are providing safe and affordable housing for Albertans," said DHA chair Crystal Sereda.
