BONNYVILLE - Lakeland Lodge has secured $300,000 in government funding to renew and update units within its senior apartments and community housing complexes.
“The funding is being used for suite renewals to update units in need of repair for our senior apartments and community housing,” says Chief Administrative Officer of Lakeland Lodge and Housing Foundation Connie Surgeson.
Lakeland Lodge offers various housing options, including senior apartments, community housing, a lodge program, and a rental assistance benefit program.
In November, the Alberta government announced an investment of $16 million for 400 affordable housing units across the province. In 2019-20, only 18 per cent of the Alberta Social Housing Corporation (ASHC) facilities were reported to be in good condition.
“The 2023 provincial budget forecasted 38,000 new housing units, but that target will be missed by at least 7,000, and the provincial government is actually on pace to build fewer total units this year than they did last,” said NDP Housing Critic Janis Irwin in a September statement.
Surgeson explained that both senior apartments and community housing operate on a model where 30 per cent of the resident or tenant's annual gross income determines their rent. For example, the current rent for Bonnylodge in Bonnyville stands at $1,702, but lower income residents could receive a monthly Lodge Assistance Program (LAP) grant of $402 from the province to help supplement their rent.
Lakeland Lodge manages 91 senior self-contained units and 121 lodge units. Surgeson reported that there is currently no waitlist for single senior apartments, but there is a waitlist for senior two-bedroom apartments.
Community housing in Bonnyville has zero vacancies, there are six vacancies in one-bedroom senior apartments, and 12 vacancies at Bonnylodge.
“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, when the funding announcement was made.
Lakeland Lodge also has housing units in Cold Lake, Ardmore and Glendon.
