Indigenous Senior Housing in Edmonton Under Strain, With Calls for Relationship-Based Solutions

By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – Indigenous seniors in Edmonton are facing increasing barriers to safe, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing as demand continues to rise and available supports struggle to keep pace.

Deborah Rose, Executive Director of the Edmonton Aboriginal Seniors Centre (EASC), says the situation has reached a critical point.

“We struggle with finding them safe and appropriate housing that they can afford,” Rose said. “There’s a lot of conversation around affordable housing and homelessness, but for seniors it becomes especially significant.”

She says even when housing exists, it is often not suitable for Elders with complex needs.

“There’s housing popping up, but it’s not always safe,” she said. “Some areas are challenging, and seniors are being pushed back or unable to access those spaces.”

Income, Waitlists, and System Barriers

Rose says income insecurity is one of the most consistent barriers facing Elders.

“Many of them don’t have enough income to sustain their housing,” she said. “Some are not formally homeless, but are couch surfing or in unstable situations because they can’t afford rent.”

She says system definitions of homelessness often delay access to services.

“In some cases, a person has to be without housing, including couch surfing, for six months to a year before they can even get on the list,” she said. “By then, many vulnerable seniors may not make it through that time.”

Rose says the outcome is often crisis-level intervention rather than preventative support. “We’re seeing people too late in the process,” she said. “By the time they reach us, they’re already in crisis.”

Administrative Barriers and Housing Access

Rose says even when housing is identified, administrative requirements can create additional barriers.

“There are multiple barriers just to get people into housing systems,” she said. “We had an Elder who was displaced, and it took months just to try and secure appropriate housing.”

She says seniors can also be removed from waitlists if they decline unsuitable options. “If you say no to two places, that’s it,” she said. “Even if the housing doesn’t fit your needs, it can remove you from the list.”

She adds that this creates a system where seniors feel pressured to accept unsafe or unsuitable placements. “You end up in a position where you take what you’re given, even if it’s not right for you,” she said.

Displacement and Loss of Familiar Supports

Rose says relocation often causes deep disruption for seniors.

“Seniors are being moved across the city,” she said. “They don’t know the area, they lose access to friends, and everything familiar is gone.”

She describes this as a form of displacement that affects both safety and wellbeing.

“It’s not just housing,” she said. “It’s connection, familiarity, and identity being removed.”

Housing Instability and Scale of Need

EASC supports more than 4,000 people annually, including approximately 319 members who are primarily First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Elders.

Rose says the organization continues to see growing demand for housing-related support.

“Last year we supported over 800 people through our housing program,” she said. “And we’ve already had more than 900 interventions this year.”

She says many seniors only come into view once their situation has already deteriorated.

“Many of the people coming to us are not connected to other supports,” she said. “We often only hear about them when things have already reached a crisis point.”

Couples and Care Separation

Rose says housing systems often fail to accommodate senior couples with different care needs. “We see couples being separated because systems don’t recognize the need for them to stay together,” she said.

She shared a personal reflection on the impact of this.

“My parents were married for 70 years and had to be placed in different facilities because of care needs,” she said. “That was very traumatizing. It still is.”

Core Issue: Relationships and Trust

Rose says a major gap in housing stability is the lack of relationship-building between housing providers and tenants. “It comes down to relationships,” she said. “Respect and understanding between housing managers, landlords, and tenants is critical.”

She says without advocacy and trust, seniors are left vulnerable within systems that feel transactional.

“If you don’t have someone advocating for you, it becomes: you comply or you lose your housing,” she said.

She also shared a recent case involving an Indigenous senior couple who faced eviction pressure from other tenants.

“The tenants in the building came together and signed a petition to have them removed,” she said. “It escalated quickly, and instead of support, there was pressure to push them out.”

Message Moving Forward

Rose says solutions must be Indigenous-led and grounded in long-term support. “Stop designing solutions for Indigenous Elders without Indigenous Elders,” she said.

Elders are asking for practical, culturally grounded supports, Rose adds.

“Safe housing, cultural connection, traditional foods, and community—that’s what they need,” she said.

Above all, she says housing stability depends on relationships built on trust and accountability. “It’s those relationships that create sustainable housing in Edmonton.”