Seeking a Public Appointment to our Board of Governors

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The Foundation is seeking a Public Appointment to join our Board of Governors for a two-year appointment starting this November 2021.

As described in the Alberta Real Estate Act Regulations, the Foundation’s volunteer Board of Governors is constituted by industry and public representation. The Foundation is seeking a candidate to fill the position of Public Appointment (Business).

The Foundation’s Governors are responsible for overseeing and delivering the Foundation’s mandate through a Strategic Plan and oversight of the organization. Governors are expected to attend three board meetings plus a strategic planning workshop each year; and to serve on at least one Committee (Finance, Engagement, or Governance).

Preference will be given to a candidate who brings the following:

  • Business experience, ideally related to the real estate industry (residential, commercial, property and condo management, property finance/ mortgage)
  • Understanding of Alberta real estate, land, built environment, business and economic issues
  • Governance and Board experience with a non-profit, corporate or other organization
  • Awareness of good grantmaking and community investment practices
  • Is not a practising member of the real estate industry (i.e. does not hold a real estate licence)

The deadline to apply is updated from October 15, 2021 to November 5, 2021. Interested individuals are asked to submit a one-page cover letter and resume outlining their experience and interest. Please indicate Board Public Appointment in the subject line.

To learn more about this volunteer opportunity or to submit your application, please contact Patti Morris, Executive Director at pmorris@aref.ab.ca or 403 228 4786.

Download the Public Appointment Position Description

Updated October 14, 2021.

Our Impact | Grant Recipient Olds College Shares Findings from Phase 2 of their Floating Island Technology Project

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Join us at a webinar hosted by Olds College showcasing their innovative floating island technology on Thursday, October 7 at 11 am.

Water contamination is a critical problem within agricultural, and urban areas across Alberta and Western Canada. Past research has proven that wetland plants are effective in capturing nutrients to effectively clean water while harvesting off the vegetation for other productive uses, such as compost for soil remediation, but there is a lack of critical information to successfully carry out water remediation using native Albertan wetland plants.

In 2018, the Foundation funded Phase 1 of this project, enabling researchers to fill the knowledge gap by quantifying the data related to the hyperaccumulation properties of native wetland plants. Learn more about those findings here.

In 2019, the Foundation funded Phase 2 of this project, testing the actual performance of native wetland plants and providing proof of concept by:

  • using plant data and proven floating island technology acquired from Phase 1
  • subjecting the plants to feedlot runoff water to prove their efficiencies and capabilities in remediating the runoff water from livestock feedlots so that the water can safely be reused for irrigation and livestock drinking water.

In this webinar, Remediation of Contaminated Water from a Livestock Farm Using Floating Island Technology and Native Wetland Plants, we’ll hear from the researchers at Olds College and the consultants at Tannas Conservation Services:

  • Joy Agnew - Associate VP of Applied Research, OCCI
  • Ike Edeogu - Manager, Crops & Environment Applied Research, OCCI
  • Steven Tannas - President, Tannas Conservation Services; Senior Vegetation/Wetland Ecologist, Rangeland and Reclamation Specialist; Lead Scientist: OCCI Wetland & Environmental Applied Research Program
  • Dan Karran – Faculty Instructor/Research Scientist, Werklund School of Agriculture Technology, Olds College

Watch the webinar recording to learn about the Phase II findings.

We are proud to invest in this impactful research for real estate professionals and consumers to support the creation of sustainable, efficient, and resilient technologies in Alberta.

Our Impact | New Resource | Paths for Housing Co-operatives

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Co-op housing is an essential piece of the housing continuum in Alberta and Canada, however, as government subsidies continue to dwindle and current co-op assets face increasing maintenance costs, the inventory of units is threatened. This project assesses the financial needs of current co-ops, explores research solutions, and shares recommendations for new co-op housing models.

The Sustainable Housing Initiative, a division of the Rural Development Network, partnered with the Alberta Community and Cooperative Association and the Northern Alberta Cooperative Housing Association to create new resources to support the growth of co-operative housing in northern Alberta.

Through a literature review, stakeholder engagement, and financial analysis, five key themes emerged contributing to the overall success of a housing co-op:

  • Strong capacity
  • Focus on inclusion
  • Strong sense of community
  • Supportive community design
  • Effective planning and processes for long term sustainability

Each of these themes includes corresponding strategies to accomplish them and accounts for the different types of housing co-ops.

“By sustaining, improving and growing the housing co-op space in Canada we can more readily solve the many issues we face in the Canadian Housing Industry – including those regarding affordability, accessibility, equity, availability, and sustainability.” – Paths for Housing Co-ops Research Report

Explore the Research Report, Guidebook, and Development Calculator Tool here. Combined, these resources aim to help new and existing housing co-ops develop and operate successfully.

The Foundation funded this project in our 2020 grant round. We are proud to invest in this impactful work and resources for Albertans – real estate professionals in the industry and real estate consumers – to support the creation of sustainable, efficient, and resilient housing co-ops in Alberta.