First Place Program

The City’s First Place program teams with banks and builders to develop attractive townhouses on land declared surplus by school boards in conjunction with an extensive public information and engagement process. 20 school sites (edmonton.ca/city_government/urban_planning_and_design/surplus-school-building-sites) in 19 neighbourhoods were declared surplus in 2006 and have been designated for the First Place housing program.

Completed projects across Edmonton have allowed many people to realize the dream of home ownership (edmonton.ca/programs_services/housing/first-place-stories) while integrating with communities that helped design the look and “fit” of the developments. These families benefit from the opportunity to call a place their own and get ahead financially, but the community at large benefits too. Owning a home keeps families rooted in neighbourhoods, something that's needed for communities to flourish over time.