Excitement filled the air on February 27 as three future homeowners stepped inside their nearly completed homes in Midtown, St. Albert, for the first time. With construction nearing completion, they had the opportunity to walk through the spaces where they will soon build their lives and choose the unit that will become their home.
The Midtown build is made possible through a partnership with Averton, bringing expertly designed, thoughtfully crafted homes to future Habitat homeowners. These homes offer functional living with three bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms with spaces designed for families to thrive.
For these families, homeownership has felt out of reach. But thanks to the Black Families Funding Initiative, the dream of owning a home is becoming a reality. This funding was established by the government and CMHC in response to research showing that homeownership rates are not equal across Canada. While over 68% of Canadians own their own home, only 40% of Black Canadians do — the lowest homeownership rate among any group.
One future homeowner shared their gratitude:
“We are happy to be here! It’s very hard to own a home right now, and we feel so grateful for this program and to the people that have made this possible. We hope [Habitat prevails] and more people can have an opportunity just like us. We can’t wait to finally be in our home!”
The walkthrough marked a significant milestone in their journey to homeownership. From the single mother raising three kids to the two couples who will soon move in, these families are taking an important step toward stability and self-reliance. Their joy and anticipation were clear as they toured the homes, picturing the future they will build within these walls.
With just a little more work left before the keys are handed over, we are thrilled to be so close to completing these homes. We will continue to keep you updated as these families move closer to move-in day.
