Building Futures, One Home at a Time: A Year of Growth and Heart at Onward
Hello everyone,
As I reflect on the past year at Onward, my heart is full – full of pride for our team, gratitude for our partners, and immense hope for the future of affordable housing in Calgary. We released our 2024/25 Report to Community, and while the numbers speak volumes, it’s the stories behind those numbers that truly drive us.
Just between March and June of this year, we welcomed over 500 new homes into our portfolio. This was both an expansion and a realization of our vision, bringing our total to 2,225 units and housing approximately 3,000 Calgarians. Our continued success and growth underscore the powerful impact of the 2022 merger between Horizon and Forward Housing. Now fully integrated, we are realizing the benefits of scale – increased capacity, enhanced services, and a more influential voice in addressing Calgary's critical affordable housing crisis.
It’s been a tremendous year – a year of growth, positive challenges, and phenomenal people joining the team. We are ready to meet Calgary’s affordability crisis with strength, compassion, and momentum.
Our approach at Onward is rooted in a mixed-income model. This means we create diverse and vibrant communities by balancing near-market rents with deeply subsidized housing for individuals and families on limited incomes. Our average one-bedroom rent of $767, as compared to CMHC’s 2024 Calgary average market rent in the same period, is an incredible 52% below the Calgary market rate. But financial accessibility is only part of the equation. We’re building homes where people feel safe, supported, and truly belong, which is why our residents stay an average of 6.25 years. From seniors on fixed pensions to working families and newcomers to Canada, we strive to meet a wide range of needs across all our unit types.
One of the most heartwarming changes we implemented this year was our pet-friendly policy across all Onward properties. I remember the heartbreaking stories we used to hear – seniors forced to choose between a roof over their heads and their beloved animal companions. People would live in unsafe or inappropriate living conditions to avoid having to surrender their pets, just to access housing. We didn’t like any of it. So, we acted. We made all our properties pet-friendly, and now 2,225 affordable units in Calgary allow pets. Although there have been some hiccups, overall, it’s been a tremendous success. Seeing the joy this policy brings to our residents, the way it removes a barrier and fosters a deeper sense of home – that’s why we do what we do.
Beyond improving existing communities, we’re also building new ones. In January, we brought new homes online in Killarney and broke ground on our new project in the community of Currie Barracks, adding over 100 high-quality, community-integrated homes to Calgary’s affordable housing supply. And we’re not stopping there. We have more than 600 units in active development planning, directly aligning with The City’s ambitious “Home is Here” strategy to create 3,000 new non-market homes per year.
Ultimately, all these efforts have a meaningful impact on the lives of the Calgarians we serve. Whether it's the senior who can finally afford a comfortable home, the young adult who finds stability after experiencing homelessness, or the family who discovers a supportive community, affordable housing is more than just a roof. It’s dignity, safety, and a foundational steppingstone for growth and opportunity.
None of this would be possible without exceptional leadership and a dedicated team. Working with our Board of Directors reinforces and reminds me every day that leadership matters. For a charitable non-profit, the role of the board cannot be overstated, and ours has been phenomenal in empowering Onward to grow and excel. The positive, enabling, and results-oriented tone is set at the board level, which empowers our entire executive team to deliver results that matter to Calgarians.
And to our team: you are the heart and soul of Onward and the foundation of our success. Every single person, from our finance team that keeps us on solid ground to our resident services team working with our residents every day, to our building services custodians and maintenance teams who keep our buildings safe and welcoming—every contribution translates into wins for our community. It is your tireless work and dedication that allows us to fulfill our mission.
Our success would not be possible without collaboration. We are incredibly fortunate to work with all orders of government and over 60 partner agencies. Through your tireless efforts, our residents gain access to essential services that support their success – from financial literacy to mental health services and settlement support for newcomers. As our Board Chair, Bryan Romanesky, often says, “It takes community and we're lucky enough to have built one that is incredible over the years.”
I invite you to learn more about our journey and the profound impact we're making by viewing our full 2024/25 Report to Community. Together, we're not just managing housing; we're changing lives, building stronger communities, and moving Calgary forward.
With gratitude,
Martina Jileckova CEO, Onward
