Rental accommodations are hard to come by in northeastern Alberta, and in Bonnyville in particular the cost to rent has been skyrocketing with no distinct signs of slowing, this according to an annual rental and accommodation survey carried out by the provincial government.
And the results come as a surprise to…no one.
Here in Bonnyville, residents and community leaders are more than aware of the difficulties in finding not only affordable accommodations, but simply finding any accommodations.
Lobbying for more provincial and federal funding support for not only housing, but also infrastructure, social services, education and health care, has been a common occurrence in the region over the past three years, as industry and population growth have begun to overwhelm a town that contributes a lot more to creating revenue for other levels of government and municipalities than it is receiving in return.
Though the results of the survey should not come as a surprise to anyone, it's unfortunate that Bonnyville is not seeing an immediate increase in sustainable funding from at least the provincial level, as its own Municipal Affairs department carried out the survey, leaving little room for the government to claim ignorance on this one.
There is no question the Town of Bonnyville will require significant increases in revenue and funding to sustain the community and ensure it is not only a place to live while workers stop in, but also a place people can care about and call home for generations to come.
