Homes Over Headlines: What Calgary’s Next Council Must Get Right on Housing
By Martina Jileckova, Chief Executive Officer, and Bryan Romanesky, Chair, Onward
When Calgarians cast their vote, they’re choosing the kind of city they want to live in. While housing may not be top of mind for every voter, this election has made one thing clear: housing matters to all of us. It shapes how our city grows, who gets to thrive here, and whether Calgary remains a place people can afford to call home. The housing crisis affects everyone, especially our most vulnerable. Your vote will help shape Calgary’s direction for years to come.
Onward has worked in Calgary’s housing sector for decades. As a local charitable non-profit housing provider, we develop, own, and manage homes for people who are left out of the private market. Our mission is to fill the gap where traditional development cannot reach. We build deeply affordable homes that give Calgarians, seniors, people with disabilities, families, and low-income earners, stability and dignity.
Our model is sustainable and community-driven. Through a mixed-income approach, residents who can pay near-market rents help offset the costs of deeply subsidized units. This keeps operations self-sufficient and ensures long-term affordability without relying on ongoing operating funds. Over the past decade, Onward has expanded from 600 homes to more than 2,200, with 700 additional units under development. Each represents security for an individual or family who might otherwise face homelessness.
While Onward provides stability for thousands, this success can feel overshadowed by the growing instability felt across the city. Vulnerable individuals, often experiencing mental health and other challenges, are using street benches to find a refuge – instead of having a place to call home. If the next city council intends to find thoughtful and caring solutions, it must act with collaboration, continuity, and commitment.
Collaboration must come first.
Non-profits like Onward cannot solve the crisis alone—and The City cannot do it without us. The Non-Market Land Disposition program has great potential to turn surplus city land into affordable housing, but its structure forces providers to compete for small parcels, diverting precious time and resources from building homes. Shifting the program from competition to collaboration would improve outcomes and make better use of non-profit capacity.
Continuity is essential.
Housing is not a four-year project; it’s a civic responsibility. Too often, promising initiatives are paused or rewritten with each new council. These resets waste time, inflate costs, and stall progress. Calgary’s leaders must build on what works: strong partnerships, clear approvals, and consistent policy that outlasts election cycles.
Finally, commitment.
Calgary needs firm leadership to continue reducing delays and streamlining approvals. At Onward, every project begins with deep engagement—with neighbours, partners, and local stakeholders. We believe development should happen with communities, not to them. Real progress balances growth with trust.
Investing in affordable housing is practical and necessary. Stable homes reduce strain on emergency and health systems, strengthen the workforce, and improve safety across the city. Calgary’s economy depends on workers—caregivers, retail staff, educators, and others—who must be able to live near their jobs. Without
attainable housing, the city risks losing the people who make it function.
Your vote – your choice.
This election’s debate over blanket rezoning, while important, has overshadowed the broader housing crisis and deepened divisions. We urge voters and candidates to look beyond headlines and support comprehensive, long-term strategies that address affordability at its roots.
Calgary doesn’t need another reset. It needs momentum. Non-profit housing providers like Onward are already delivering real, lasting solutions. What’s needed now is a City Council that builds on this progress through continuity, collaboration, and committed leadership.
The path ahead is clear: keep building together for a Calgary where everyone belongs.