Scanning the Landscape – Celebrating 25 years

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In the fall of 2016, the Alberta Real Estate Foundation celebrated 25 years of making a difference for the industry and Albertans. Since 1991, we have awarded grants to over 537 worthwhile industry and community causes—that’s more than $17.5 million dollars of support across the province.

Given the economic times in Alberta, the Foundation decided it was a good time to check in with our stakeholders to see how they think we’re doing and engage in a conversation about the state of our province. As such, we chose “Scanning The Landscape” to be the theme of the year’s strategy as we reflected on our current situation while looking forward to future opportunities to ensure the Foundation remains true to its mandate of funding initiatives and research that make Alberta great.

In the spirit of “Scanning The Landscape”, we held two World Café styled luncheons, one in Calgary and another in Edmonton. More than 100 stakeholders, including government, industry, and grantees, attended the events where they were able to network and provide input.

Following the luncheons, 65 former and current grantees were invited to participate in an on-line survey to give input on the Foundation’s strategy and values, grant process and evaluation process as well as communications. The findings from this survey, along with the notes from the World Café luncheons, will help inform the Foundation’s strategy and help it become a more effective funder.

The following report pulls primarily from data collected from the survey:

 

 

March 2017 Community Investment

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The Board of Governors of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation approved $348,000 in community investment projects at their recent meeting.

The Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) supports initiatives that enhance the real estate industry and benefit the communities of Alberta. AREF was established in 1991 under the Alberta Real Estate Act. Since then, it has awarded over 17.5 million dollars in community and industry grants to nearly 550 projects across Alberta.

Projects approved at the March meeting include:

Alberta Emerald Foundation – Emerald Awards

The Emerald Awards are uniquely Canadian and allow Albertans to be recognized and celebrated for their outstanding environmental achievements in over 12 categories annually. Since 1992 the Emerald Awards have recognized nearly 300 recipients for their innovative and thoughtful projects, resulting in a healthier and cleaner environment for us all. The Shared Footprints Award is one of 12 categories that allow groups to showcase projects that create environmentally ethical plans aimed at managing the impact of human use of land and resources. It is a form of stewardship that changes the way we do business, ensuring that we share the land and work together to reduce the impact on that land.

Center for Public Legal Education Alberta (CPLEA) – Residential Tenancies Legal Information Project

CPLEA’s highly regarded Residential Tenancies Legal Information Program is the best source of easy to understand, accessible and accurate legal information about landlord and tenant matters in Alberta. The program provides vital information to Albertans online, in print and in person.

Center for Public Legal Education Alberta (CPLEA) – Condo Law for Albertans – Phase 3

In Phase 3 CPLEA will update the resources created in the first two phases, including the well-received Condo Law for Albertans website, to incorporate changes to the law as a results of the impending proclamation into force of the Condominium Property Amendment Act and it Regulations. Additionally, CPLEA will make further updates in consideration of suggestions made by various stakeholders.

Ducks Unlimited Canada – “Decision-Making for Wetland Management” Real Estate Professional Workshop

Ducks Unlimited Canada will offer a workshop to real estate professionals which will inform them of the Alberta Wetland Policy and its implications to landowners and the industry, increase their understanding of the various natural benefits that wetlands provide to future and existing landowners, and help industry members market properties with new resources and information tools. Materials from this workshop will be available online.

Legacy Land Trust Society – Stewardship in the Red Deer River Watershed — Water Quality and You

“Water Quality and You” will engage people in voluntary conservation practices resulting in land that maintains/improves water quality along in the Red Deer River. Around 100 landowners along the river will be provided stewardship and conservation information through in-person meetings.

NGOs Supporting Uninsured And Underinsured Residents (NSUUR) – NSUUR Volunteer Village’s Common’s Building

A significant number of volunteers are coming to Fort McMurray in the spring of 2017 to help with the rebuild after the wildfire. NSUUR has set up a “Volunteer Village” to accommodate these volunteers.

Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development (in partnership with the Alberta Real Estate Association) – Enabling Alberta’s REALTORS® as clean energy leaders

This project will enable Alberta’s REALTORS® to play an important leadership role in leveraging the opportunities that present themselves to homeowners in the transition to a clean economy. This project will educate REALTORS® and provide them with tools customized to their needs that they can share directly with homeowners. As a collaboration, the project will leverage AREA’s expertise on the needs of REALTORS® and homeowners with the Pembina Institute’s expertise on clean energy, including energy efficiency and microgeneration, to transform how Alberta’s REALTORS® understand and serve homeowners on this topic of increasing importance.

Foundation introduces Governor Tash Taylor

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The Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) is pleased to formally announce Tash Taylor has joined our Board of Governors for a three-year term.

“AREF is a unique funder with a broad and important mandate to support many unique and innovative community initiatives,” she says. “The range of potential impact is great because AREF is open-minded in how it can be an enabler for community benefit.”

Tash is one of the three Public Appointments sitting on the Board of Governors and hopes to contribute her technical and governance skills along with her in-depth understanding of the non-profit sector and community systems. “My career path has allowed me to work in many sectors and gain a perspective about community issues and opportunities.” Tash says. She has a strong background in education, health, affordable housing and indigenous matters.

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Tash is the Executive Director of the Alberta Network of Public Housing Agencies (ANPHA), the industry association for non-profit housing in Alberta. Her leadership experience spans multiple sectors including senior roles with the Edmonton Public School District, St. Albert Housing Society, Alzheimer’s Society of Alberta and NWT, Imperial Oil, and Alberta Women Entrepreneurs.

She was the founding Executive Director of Alberta’s Youth Volunteer Society, a charity dedicated to building youth volunteerism in Alberta in collaboration with the province. Early in her career, Tash led a social enterprise in rural Alberta to support the local women’s emergency shelter and won awards for her results.

Tash studied at the University of Ottawa and completed a Masters of Business Administration specializing in Executive Management at Royal Roads University. She holds Certified Executive Coach and Certified Risk Manager designations and has completed the Queen’s Strategy and Strategic Analytics programs. Tash is also trained in evaluating Social Return on Investment (SROI) using international methodologies. She serves on the Board of Directors with the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, several community boards and civic agencies.

Tash is passionate about advancing social and economic capacity. “If we all do a small part in advancing the way we live today, we can enable the attainment of individual and collective potential, which ultimately leads to stronger communities, and a more resilient nation overall.”

Foundation introduces Governor Scott Bollinger

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The Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) is pleased to formally announce Scott Bollinger has joined our Board of Governors for a three-year term.

A life-long Albertan, Scott has a strong desire to help make this province even better and was pleased to be appointed to AREF’s Board of Governors. “I appreciate AREF’s mandate is not to promote the real estate industry but to serve the community,” he says. “I’m looking forward to being a part of the many good things AREF stands for and will accomplish in the years ahead.”

Scott is one of the two appointments to the Board of Governors from the Real Estate Council of Alberta. He’s a strong advocate of industry education and interested in the application of legislative and administrative law to the industry. As a leader of innovation and change in residential real estate, along with his ongoing legal training, Scott will bring a unique and valuable perspective to how AREF approaches and executes its mandate.

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Scott is Broker for ComFree Commonsense Network in Alberta, a non-traditional residential real estate brokerage and leader of innovation and change within the residential real estate industry.

Scott earned a BA in history from the University of Calgary in 2003 and is a candidate for Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the Faculty of Law in 2017. He began his real estate career in commercial real estate, working with CB Richard Ellis and Westcorp Properties before moving to residential real estate.

He opened his own residential real estate brokerage in 2010 which encouraged enhanced seller participation through its website, consumer education and service options. It was acquired by ComFree in 2012. Since that time, Scott has worked as the managing broker for ComFree Commonsense Network with key responsibilities in regulatory compliance and corporate and business development.