Building Futures, One Home at a Time: A Year of Growth and Heart at Onward Homes
Hello everyone,
As I reflect on the past year at Onward Homes, 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’ve just 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 2,149 units and housing nearly 2,700 Calgarians. That's a 22% increase in residents in just three months, and it reflects the incredible power of the 2022 merger between Horizon and Forward Housing. Now fully integrated as Onward Homes, we're truly seeing the benefits of scale – increased capacity, stronger services, and a more impactful voice in addressing Calgary's critical affordability 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 Homes has always been rooted in a mixed-income model. This means we create a diverse and vibrant community by balancing near-market rents with deeply subsidized housing for individuals and families on limited incomes. Today, our average one-bedroom rent is $852, an incredible 57% 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 trailers, or surrender their pets, just to access housing. We didn’t like any of it. So we acted. We made all of our properties pet-friendly, and now over 2,100 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. This summer, we brought new homes online in Killarney and Currie, adding over 100 high-quality, community-integrated units to Calgary’s affordable housing supply. And we’re not stopping there. We have more than 700 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 translate into real impact for real people. Whether it's the senior who can finally afford a comfortable home, the individual 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 stepping stone 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 non-profit, the role of the board cannot be overstated , and ours has been phenomenal in enabling 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 Homes and the root cause 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 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 be impossible without collaboration. We are incredibly fortunate to work with all levels of government and over 60 partner agencies. This allows us to offer not just housing, but vital wraparound supports – 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 Homes
