The following letter was sent to the Minister of Affordability and Utilities and the Minister of Municipal Affairs (June 7, 2025) encouraging the Government of Alberta to allow municipalities to explore affordable housing opportunities that includes home performance and reduces urban sprawl.

The Southern Alberta Group for the Environment remains concerned about the current government policy direction regarding affordable housing.

A recent Report Card on More and Better Housing (May 2025) assessed Alberta’s performance around affordable housing at D+ based on five criteria. You will recognize the emphasis on density and better building codes, which SAGE has expressed in previous communications.

Affordable housing does not mean cheap housing. In addition to keeping costs low, affordability means: building in areas where there is existing infrastructure and public transportation (reducing sprawl and car use); that new buildings are resilient to worsening climate hazards; and, that there is a commitment to improving performance and reducing operating costs by using durable building materials and reducing energy consumption (thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions). Building greener homes is the most affordable option and, in addition, improves home comfort and indoor air quality and health.

SAGE recommends that the Government of Alberta reconsider its Tier 1 status for the National Building Codes and National Energy Code, and adopt a timeline for raising these standards to one that will better position Alberta for meeting net-zero and affordability targets. We also recommend that provincial policy reflects a more robust definition and clear measures of ‘affordability’ as it relates to different social and economic needs.

The Government of Alberta has advocated for experimentation to transition the economy and society to meet emerging economic challenges and a new climate regime. It is important to allow municipalities to innovate, and for the province to show leadership in building for affordability in the long-term. Certainly, a D+ grading by More and Better Housing Canada indicates that there are opportunities for improvement. The future of affordability means “making it affordable, making it low-carbon, and making it resilient to the worsening impacts of climate change, while also making it at scale to hit our housing targets.”

The Southern Alberta Group for the Environment has been a leading voice for a health and environmentally sustainable community in southern Alberta for the past 40 years.