New Innisfail seniors lodge on the way

The Voice of Canada News

The governments of Alberta and Canada are making lives better for seniors in Innisfail by building the new Autumn Glen Lodge.

Red Deer-South MLA Barb Miller joins community members for the groundbreaking of the new Autumn Glen Lodge in Innisfail.

Sixty new lodge units and 30 self-contained apartments will provide flexible housing options that mean members of the community will be able to stay close to home as they grow older.

Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with Barb Miller, MLA for Red Deer-South, on behalf of Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Seniors and Housing, made the announcement.

“We’ve heard from families in rural communities across Alberta of the need to help their loved ones stay closer to home and connected to their support networks as they age. By investing in the Autumn Glen Lodge, we’re fighting for the needs of seniors and their families from Innisfail and neighbouring communities. This project is also creating construction jobs for dozens of hard-working people in the trades.”

Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Alberta Seniors and Housing

“I am happy to announce that our government is making a significant investment for seniors here in Innisfail. Soon, the new Autumn Glen Lodge will provide important fellowship, and safe and affordable homes to these people who have contributed so much to this tight-knit community over the years. This is one way we can give back to them – to help ensure they are able to age in place close to family and friends.”

Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

“We are so pleased to see this new lodge and seniors independent living facility break ground and begin to take shape. It’s an exciting time for all of us as we prepare for a new building and all that entails. We thank the governments of Canada and Alberta for believing in the communities we serve and investing in a project that will serve seniors for many years to come.”

Connie Huelsman, chair, Parkland Foundation

Quick facts

• The governments of Alberta and Canada contributed approximately $24.2 million, under the Investment in Affordable Housing Agreement.
• The new Autumn Glen Lodge replaces an existing 57-year-old facility with a new complex with a 60-unit lodge and 30 self-contained apartments for seniors.
• Last year, the Government of Alberta launched its first Provincial Affordable Housing Strategy, including a $1.2-billion commitment to build affordable housing across the province.
• The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy (NHS) – an ambitious 10-year, $40-billion plan that will create 100,000 new housing units and lift 530,000 families out of housing need, as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent.
• The NHS is built on strong partnerships between federal, provincial and territorial governments, and on continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private sectors, to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians.