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Airdrie’s first Homelessness Estimation Survey launches March 11

March 4, 2024 - For immediate release 

Airdrie, Alberta - The City of Airdrie will be launching its first Homelessness Estimation Survey on March 11. The survey will be conducted by the Rural Development Network (RDN), a national nonprofit organization that specializes in identifying and addressing social needs in communities across Canada.

Running from March 11 to April 24, the survey aims to:

  1. Provide a comprehensive picture of housing insecurity including individuals experiencing homelessness.
  2. Inform service providers and government efforts in advocating and applying for funding to prevent and respond to homelessness in Airdrie.
  3. Elevate and incorporate the voices of people experiencing homelessness in the solutions to end homelessness.

“Continuing to foster and build a caring community is one of our council priorities and supporting residents experiencing social vulnerability is an important part of that,” said Mayor Peter Brown. “This survey will provide us with an opportunity to learn more about members of our community who we don’t always have the chance to hear from.”

Data collected through this survey will inform the development of solutions to address housing insecurity in the community. The survey complements the City’s ongoing work in affordable housing and fills a critical data gap by specifically focusing on individuals who may not be represented in traditional data sources such as the census.

“Social service providers in Airdrie report that more and more community residents are experiencing housing insecurity and houselessness. Having accurate data on the needs of our community becomes increasingly important as we work towards ensuring everyone in Airdrie has safe, secure, and appropriate housing,” says Angela Angel, social planner with the City of Airdrie.

Housing insecurity can look different in smaller communities than it does in larger urban centres and includes those who are:

  • Unsheltered: Living on the streets or in places not intended for human habitation.
  • Emergency sheltered: People who are staying in overnight shelters due to homelessness and/or family violence.
  • Provisionally accommodated: People with accommodation that is temporary or lacks security, such as couch-surfing, people in domestic violence situations, etc.
  • At-risk of homelessness: People who are not yet homeless but their current economic and/or housing situation is precarious or does not meet public health and safety standards (e.g., people who are one rent payment missed from eviction, people whose housing may be condemned for health, by-law, or safety violations, etc.).

Anyone in the community who is currently experiencing any of the forms of housing insecurity above is encouraged to complete the survey online or in-person at participating service providers in the community. More information on Airdrie’s Homelessness Estimation Survey, including a link to the survey and a list of participating agencies, can be found at airdrie.ca/hes.

RDN, the third-party consultant leading the survey, will collect and analyze the data, and develop the report, which will be shared back with Council and the community in fall 2024.

Media contact:
Angela Angel, Social Planner, City of Airdrie
angela.angel@airdrie.ca
403.948.8800 ext. 8765