City council supports sale of 0.3 ha near Kingsway Mall to NiGiNan Housing Ventures for $1, with $5.2M in grants for supportive housing development.
City Council Advances Supportive Housing Initiative
Edmonton city councillors, including Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Councillors Paquette, Cartmell, Principe, and Tang, voted unanimously 5-0 on August 13 to recommend selling a 0.3-hectare parcel near Kingsway Mall for $1 to NiGiNan Housing Ventures.
Prime Location Secured for Project
Located along 106 Street in the Spruce Avenue neighbourhood, the site is earmarked for Ambrose Place II, a supportive five-storey housing development offering at least 60 units, including culturally informed spaces like a ceremonial room for activities such as beading workshops and medicine picking.
Timing and Financial Backing in Place
The city’s Affordable Housing Investment Program recommends providing around $5.2 million in grants, while project costs are expected to reach $30.7 million. NiGiNan anticipates closing the land sale by October, aiming to begin construction in spring 2026.
Focused Support Through Strategy and Location
NiGiNan CEO Keri Cardinal highlighted the site’s proximity to essential services—transit, Royal Alexandra Hospital, and Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital—making it “critical” for residents’ needs and supports. The organization’s Indigenous-led approach aims to foster healing and culturally informed recovery, addressing the community’s most marginalized individuals.
Local Needs Drive Development
According to Homeward Trust, Edmonton’s homeless population reached 4,697 as of last September, with nearly half identifying as Indigenous. Cardinal emphasized both the ongoing need for and hope to eventually render such services unnecessary.
Neighbours Want Engagement and Assurance
Residents voiced concerns over building height, infrastructure strain, and safety. Ellie Sasseville, CEO of the Kingsway District Association, supported the project with conditions: strong agency-community relationships, clean-up responsibility, and wraparound services. Many local businesses already invest in private security due to rising crime, and they expect NiGiNan to help mitigate these pressures.
Aiming for Long-Term Healing, Not Just Housing
Councillor Paquette acknowledged the community’s unease but stressed that truly ending homelessness means providing stable housing. Cardinal reiterated their mission: offering a “decolonized method of treatment” that empowers individuals to heal and find peace, making them “a successful solution to those… deemed hardest to house.”
Summary
Edmonton’s council has taken a decisive step—approving the sale of a high-potential site for a nominal fee—backing a culturally centered housing project designed to meet urgent community needs. With funding in place and construction slated for spring 2026, Ambrose Place II represents both immediate relief and a long-term investment in reconciliation and recovery.
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