Interest in soil health and its strong links to climate change adaptation and resilience has dramatically increased over the past several years. Despite this rising interest, soil health continues to be significantly undervalued and under-protected by society.

In early 2019, the Alberta Land Institute (ALI) identified Sustainable Agriculture: Soil Health as a new area of research priority. The Soil Health: Policy, Science and Law in Action research initiative was proposed to strengthen public policy, amplify scientific knowledge and improve farming practices in the area of soil health. An initial review of policies and efforts in Alberta highlighted a failure to recognize soil as a valuable public resource with fragmented efforts to address research gaps. A workshop held later that year further identified dissatisfaction with soil management policies and practices including a need for improved access to scientifically sound research and the need for better education and outreach efforts on the value of soil.

The research generated through this study aims to address these challenges and increase awareness among policymakers, producers, and the public, on the importance of soil health to sustainable land management, real estate values, and the continued prosperity and well-being of Albertans.

This project was funded in 2020 through the Foundation’s Grant Program.

Accessible Housing is a leading organization providing affordable housing for people with limited mobility through accessible housing. This report provides background socio-economic data surrounding persons with disabilities and couples this with industry interviews with leading non-profit affordable housing providers to assess the existing market for accessible housing within Calgary.

With the current economic and health crisis, Albertans need affordable, accessible, and suitable housing more than ever, and the feasibility study and market assessment identifies gaps in Calgary regarding accessible, affordable housing and establishes plans to meet the demands in community, including what type of programs and services need to be developed.

This project was funded in 2020 through the Foundation’s Grant Program.

While residential EV chargers are the most common and convenient option, many Canadians live in multi-unit residential buildings, such as condos and apartments, where there are few if any EV chargers either in the building’s parking area or nearby.

This guide from the Pembina Institute presents expedient ways to install chargers for electric vehicles and find efficiencies to help make the process smoother in existing residential buildings and new builds. Not only does charging infrastructure increase the value of the building to residents, it also boosts a building’s market value. With the rapid transition from gas-fueled to hybrids and all-electric cars, this guide offers resources and advice for property owners/managers and condo boards on how to prepare for an EV future.

This project was funded in 2022 through the Foundation’s Investment Grant Program to explore the impact of emerging technology infrastructure on real estate.

The South East Alberta Watershed Alliance (SEAWA) brings together diverse partners to educate the public, to support knowledge development, and to develop and facilitate the implementation of management plans for the sustainable use of the South Saskatchewan River Sub-Basin and the Pakowki Lake watershed.

The South Saskatchewan River is the drinking water source for the City of Medicine Hat and the Town of Redcliff, and is over-allocated and the daily discharge of the river is on a declining trend. With a projected increase in population, agricultural expansion, and therefore real estate development, and extreme weather events due to climate change, the watershed requires enhanced water management strategies for both water quality and quantity.

The information gathered in this study informs the development of a source water protection plan in collaboration with the City of Medicine Hat, the Town of Redcliff, and with upstream municipalities such as the cities of Calgary and Lethbridge. It serves as a comprehensive decision-making tool to assist planners, developers, landowners, and consumers in determining what levels of development are supportable on the land. Public and stakeholder forums will be held between fall 2023 until spring 2027 – the anticipated completion of the source water protection plan.

This project was funded in 2022 through the Foundation’s Development Grant Program to support sustainable planning and land use management of real property in Alberta.

The Broker-Owner course is designed for practicing mortgage professionals who are interested in starting their own brokerage, it is the first and only course of its kind approved by the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA). It is an advanced program that reviews key industry skills and introduces business concepts that will assist you as a future business owner and team leader. Topics covered include brokerage business models, risk management, employee agreements, legislative responsibilities, and so much more.

The ever-changing landscape of the mortgage industry makes it necessary for mortgage professionals to continue to improve their knowledge through training and experience. By providing high-quality education and professional development opportunities, the Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association (AMBA) endeavors to ensure that the public’s best interests are being protected by the real estate industry.

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This project was funded in 2021 through the Foundation’s one-time 30th Anniversary Legacy Grant Program.

In 2022, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technologies’ (SAIT) Green Building Technology Tech-Access Centre (GBTAC) and RFS Energy Consulting began investigating these impacts on Alberta’s real estate sector and its professionals. The team explored the effects of COVID-driven work-from-home patterns through conversations with real estate professionals, property managers & owners, and community representatives.

This research aims to assist real estate professionals in navigating the changing landscape brought about by telework by providing valuable insights into the preferences and needs of buyers and renters in Alberta. The project resulted in the development of a living resource in the form of a Resource Library: www.albertatelework.ca, tailored for Alberta’s real estate professionals. Visitors are invited to review the project’s results, key take-aways and recommendations for future research through this website.

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This project was funded in 2021 through the Foundation’s one-time 30th Anniversary Legacy Grant Program.

Lakes and water bodies are a limited resource in Alberta and the demand for lake properties is high. The impact of significant development around water bodies combined with a changing climate is negatively affecting the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of Alberta lakes. These factors also have an impact on real estate sales and property values.

The Welcome to the Lake program, developed by the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association and informed by the Pigeon Lake REALTORS® working group, engages Alberta’s real estate professionals as healthy-lake stewards and equips them with stewardship training and resources that they can share with clients.

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The resources produced for Pigeon Lake can be used by REALTORS® selling properties in watersheds across the province.

This project was funded in 2020 through the Foundation’s Grant Program.

In response to the significant uptake in green buildings and sustainability, the SAIT Green Building Technologies team developed a video series. This specialized and industry-relevant curriculum focuses on the increasing knowledge needs within Alberta in relation to high-performance and green residential buildings. Focus group sessions, surveys, and feedback from real estate professionals informed the curriculum development.

These 5 videos will help increase awareness and knowledge of environmental, financial, and building performance benefits as it relates to the real estate industry.

Read the blog post.

Explore the Green Building Curriculum Videos:

Download and use the corresponding Learning Bites worksheets to enhance your learning:
2. Building Codes, History & Progress
3. High Performance
4. Green, Sustainable & Healthy
5. Cost, Value & Marketability

This project was funded in 2020 through the Foundation’s Grant Program.

Social and affordable housing has a wide range of benefits for families and for communities. However, when new affordable housing developments are announced they often face community opposition, which can be a barrier to building these much-needed developments.

To better understand why communities are opposed to affordable housing and how providers can understand and respond to opposition, Civida conducted an applied research project on affordable housing and neighbourhoods exploring key questions. The result is a suite of resources designed for housing providers, developers, housing agencies, and the public to both better understand and respond to concerns about affordable housing.

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This project was funded in 2019 through the Foundation’s Grant Program.

The Alberta Invasive Species Council updated their Invasive Plants of Alberta Guide. The new version of this guide includes provincial distribution maps, information on prevention initiatives, and indicates the species that are problematic in specific habitats. There are several invasive plant species that are particularly problematic in urban areas that homeowners and REALTORS® should be aware of. These can be a liability as landowners are responsible for controlling or eradicating prohibited noxious or noxious invasive plant species that persist on their property as per the Weed Control Act.

This project was funded in 2020 through the Foundation’s Grant Program.

The Federation of Calgary Communities completed a rewrite of their resource Guide to the Planning Process, and developed additional tools to assist residents, community associations, and other nonprofits as they learn to navigate the new planning processes in Calgary.

This project was funded in 2019 through the Foundation’s Grant Program.

Rural properties benefit from woodlots and shelterbelts (eco-buffers) by reducing possible forest fire risks, reducing soil erosion and wind impacts on buildings, and enhances overall aesthetics. Proper woodlot management ensures the health of forested lands and increases the value of the land.

Real estate professionals authorized to trade in rural properties can provide clients with access to professional advice on the forested portions of rural land through the Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society (AWES). AWES developed a suite of resources for municipalities, property owners and REALTORS® to better manage and assess their woodlots.

These resources build on a previous project funded by the Foundation on determining the Value of Trees.

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Explore the resources:

This project was funded in 2020 through the Foundation’s Grant Program.