Report to Community
2023 / 2024
Land acknowledgement
Onward is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina, and the Îethka Stoney Nakoda Nations of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney. Mohkínsstsisi, the Blackfoot name for Calgary, is also home to the Métis Nation Region 3. We recognize all nations, genders, and spirits who make their homes here and help us steward this land.
We build and own affordable and well-cared-for homes — the foundation for well-being and belonging.
Our Vision
With homes for all, people and communities thrive.
Our Values
ACT = Accountability + Care + Teamwork
Onward leadership
Martina Jileckova, CEO of Onward
We have spent much of 2023-24 integrating the operations of Horizon and Forward Housing. We merged our organizations in late 2022 with the goals of efficiently growing to provide more affordable homes to Calgarians, improving the experience of current residents, and providing a robust voice for housing affordability in the city.
Alberta has long been a place of opportunity for Canadians. We have attracted many new residents, and our housing supply has struggled to keep pace. Calgarians with the lowest incomes have been impacted the most, with the cost of owning or renting a home reaching new heights.
Onward is poised for growth. In addition to our new developments in Killarney and Currie, which will bring over 100 new units to the city, we are finalizing several new developments, with the critical support of our government partners. We look forward to sharing more news soon.
A message from our CEO
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Happy news: pets for all
I am very proud that this year we made our entire housing portfolio pet friendly. As an animal lover, I understand the enormous benefits of enriching our lives with a pet. They are great company and a source of unconditional love. They can help reduce loneliness, anxiety and depression. We have received a great deal of happy feedback from residents about the excitement and joy they have experienced having a pet again, and we are thrilled that pet ownership need not be another barrier for anyone requiring affordable housing in Calgary.
With deepest gratitude
I am extremely grateful to Gary McNamara, the former CEO of Forward Housing, who co-led the merger of Horizon and Forward with me. His vision and commitment have led the way to the marriage of our organizations. I am delighted that Gary continues in a senior advisory role with Onward to help us chart the course for a shared future.
Gary and I both greatly appreciate the time and energy of our long-standing Board members who have helped us navigate the challenges of bringing together Horizon and Forward. Their dedication has been crucial for the successful merger.
I am deeply grateful to our many supporters who believe in us: our phenomenal employee team, our dedicated Board of Directors, our committed donors, and hard-working partners. They all contribute in important ways to the good work we do at Onward.
Together, we continually strive toward our vision of providing homes for all, so people and communities thrive – truly the foundation for well-being and belonging.
Martina
Message from our Board Chair
Bryan Romanesky, Board Chair, Onward
I am consistently proud to witness the dedication and resilience of our team, our government partners, and the service providers who rise to every challenge. This year has been marked by immense change at Onward, as we embarked on the complex but fulfilling journey of merging two organizations with a shared vision: providing community housing for Calgarians in need. Navigating this transition has come with its rewards and hurdles, but our Onward team has embraced every opportunity with grace, working tirelessly to create positive outcomes for our community.
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Our successful merger also meant the unification of two Boards of Directors. Throughout this past year, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with an exceptional group of individuals, each one deeply committed to Onward’s mission and vision. I extend my sincere gratitude to the Board members who have now stepped down - your dedication, expertise, and countless hours of service have been instrumental in reaching our collective goals.
As we reflect on the growing number of Calgary households in need of affordable housing, it’s clear that Onward’s ability to develop more homes hinges on the strength of our partnerships. We owe our progress to forward-thinking government leaders at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, to tireless social service providers, to generous donors, and to countless other compassionate partners. To each of you: a heartfelt thank you. Your unwavering commitment to our vision of 'homes for all' truly transforms lives.
Bryan
Building on our strengths
At the end of 2022, Horizon merged with Forward and by the end of 2023, we rebranded together as Onward. Today, Onward owns and operates more than 30 buildings in Calgary, housing about 3,000 residents in nearly 1,700 units.
Benefits of the merger
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With the success of the merger, Onward is well-positioned for growth. By coming together, we benefit from a strong balance sheet with cash reserves, operational efficiencies, and the ability to attract talent.
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Our registered charity status ensures our community housing will remain affordable in perpetuity, as the commitment to affordability survives funding and lending agreements. Our rents will not convert to market after agreement obligations end.
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Onward’s average one-bedroom rent is approximately 50 per cent of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Calgary average market rent.
A mixed-income model accommodates residents from a variety of income levels. This approach to affordability fosters social benefits by reducing stigma, promoting a sense of community, and enabling better integration into existing neighbourhoods with access to services such as transportation, schools and employment opportunities.
A mixed-income model strengthens financial sustainability. Deep subsidies are offset by units rented at near-market rates. Residents with improved financial circumstances may remain in homes, enjoying social and community stability.
Closing the gap on affordability for Calgarians
57% below market price
According to CMHC, the average monthly rent in Calgary for all unit types was $1,577 in October 2023. Through our mixed-income community housing model, Onward units are rented for 57% less ($682/month).
Our shared goal to address the need
Onward is closing the gap on housing affordability for Calgarians through various approaches, including our mixed-income model, providing housing at below market pricing, and through referring agencies.
The City of Calgary’s Home is Here strategy
calls for 3,000 new non-market homes per year - a goal we support and participate in.
84,600
households in housing need in 2021 (earnings below median and spending more than 30% of income on housing)*
1 in 5
Calgary households cannot afford their housing costs*
*According to the City of Calgary’s 2023 Housing Needs Assessment
Housing today
Nearly 1,700 homes today and growing
Onward operates nearly 1,700 homes in Calgary – a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment-style, townhome, and group home units. We are proud to offer community housing options to nearly 3,000 Calgarians.
Housing in the year ahead
We have three new building projects in progress, each at a different stage in development, which will provide more than 100 new homes for Calgarians.
Our Killarney development will offer 29 units (studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments), underground parking and easy access to nearby amenities. Our Currie project is made up of a four-storey apartment building, and a townhouse complex totalling 72 units.
We are excited to announce new projects coming in 2025 — stay tuned!
Our residents — our purpose!
Onward residents make up a diverse community of seniors, adults, and youth. While each residents’ needs and living circumstances are unique, the average tenancy for an Onward resident is 5.3 years.
Onward houses nearly 3,000 residents across 1,700 units.
We love pets, too!
Onward understands pets are family, easing loneliness, and fostering wellbeing. Having to surrender pets to secure appropriate housing may force people to live in unsafe and unhealthy living conditions. Onward has a pet-friendly policy and, as a result, our residents have adopted many four-legged furry roommates!
Resident stories
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“When you’re homeless, you’re always told not to be somewhere. When you are told that enough, you begin to feel like you don’t belong anywhere.”
The day Robert Lowther moved into his home with Onward, he had only a few possessions to move. A friend brought an old army cot he used as a bed, and Rob unearthed a rocking chair and dragged it up to his empty apartment. “I would sit in the dark in that chair and rock back and forth and say, thank you,” he recalls.
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“I never thought I would have a chance to have what I have here.”
Mark Cullain has been growing tomatoes in the garden behind his home at Onward’s Crossroads Court building this past summer. Last year, Mark didn’t have his own home and most definitely did not have a place to garden.
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“Anthonian Court is a great place to live for me. It’s close to the LRT and to shopping in a nice neighbourhood. I’m very happy here.”
Cathy Martin is singing the praises of Onward’s Anthonian Court senior’s townhouse complex where she has lived for less than a year, but in that time, she has found contentment in her space and connection with her neighbours – and joy with her new kitten, Mocha.
Connected to residents
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Onward has a dedicated Resident Services team available through various methods of contact (in-person, email, phone) to answer any tenancy-related questions.
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In this new role, our Community Engagement Coordinator is creating a valuable sense of connection among Onward residents and with their local communities, as well as bringing meaningful activities to enhance residents’ quality of life.
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Onward has added a Community Outreach Coordinator to the team to help residents when they encounter challenges and would benefit from being connected to community support. The Coordinator also helps mitigate and reduce negative exits through education and collaboration with our partners and community resources.
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Onward’s Building Services team is connected to residents throughout the day and night for emergencies and all service requests through our 24-hour monitored service line.
Connected to
community
Creating partnership can be a powerful way to support residents and strengthen our bonds
within the communities we call home.
Better Business Bureau:
Cyber scam savvy for seniors
Calgary Catholic Immigration Society:
New Canadian training & employment
Calgary Police Services:
Security & safety sessions
Elder Jackie:
Smudge ceremonies enrich Indigenous relations
Health Care Professionals:
On-site immunization and hearing testing
Local Farmers & Canning Company:
Annual gift of warmth
Momentum:
Financial literacy
Our team
Onward’s exceptional team of nearly 70 dedicated individuals are leading the way to create well-cared-for homes for all.
They are committed to our values of accountability, care and teamwork. They are dedicated to the many roles they fulfill in Building Services, Resident Services and administration, from growing our housing portfolio to maintaining our buildings, helping residents and doing all the other things that keep Onward rolling. We are grateful for their time, skills and commitment!
Get involved
The critical work we are doing to ensure that every Calgarian has a safe and affordable place to call home would not be possible without the support of our donors and the passion of our Onward team.
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Make a donation or support a specific housing development - it all makes a difference!
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A planned gift to Onward means you can help those in need of support for years to come.
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With a corporate donation, you can show your community that you are committed to making affordable homes accessible to all.
Your generosity will help us ensure that affordable and well-cared-for homes, the foundation for well-being and belonging, are available to all who need them. Join us today to help people and communities thrive.
With many ways to make an impact, we invite you to share in our vision for affordable community housing in Calgary. Together, we are champions for home!
Financials
Onward delivers sustainable and affordable community housing by maintaining healthy building and development funds supported by a strong balance sheet.
A positive working capital position and low debt-to-asset ratios help to ensure that future growth objectives are supported and attainable.
During the fiscal year ending March 2024, Onward operations delivered growth to the organization, adding to the funded reserves, while maintaining the operational integrity of the homes.
Thank you to our partners
Onward is proud to work with an extensive community of referral and support partner agencies. Agency partners provide referrals into Onward and support services to the residents who make their homes with us.
