Edmonton Turns 11 Surplus School Sites Into New Housing

The City of Edmonton is converting 11 surplus school sites it owns into new housing, and the first shovels are now in the ground. In July 2026, the non-profit Right at Home Housing Society held a groundbreaking for an affordable housing development at the Kiniski Gardens site in Mill Woods, in southeast Edmonton. Kiniski Gardens is one of 11 former school parcels the City is releasing, at below market value, to housing providers under a program planned to deliver more than 1,300 new homes, most of them priced below the open market. For Edmonton renters and buyers, the takeaway is simple: a large bank of city-owned land that sat idle for years is being redirected into housing supply, on a timeline that is now visible on the ground rather than only on paper. This article explains what the program is, where the homes are going, and what it does and does not mean for the wider Edmonton market.

Information last verified on July 13, 2026. Program details and figures change; the numbers below are current as of that date.

What is Edmonton doing with its old school sites?

Over decades, the City of Edmonton acquired parcels of land that were set aside for schools. Some of those schools were never built, and others have since closed as enrolment shifted between neighbourhoods. That left the City holding a scattered collection of empty, serviced lots inside established communities.

Edmonton city council approved a program to put that land to work. Rather than sell the parcels at full market value, the City is releasing 11 of these surplus school sites to affordable housing providers through below-market sale or long-term lease. Across the 11 sites, the plan is to build more than 1,300 new homes, according to the City's council policy on the program and reporting by CBC News. The model matters as much as the number: because the City already owns the land and is contributing it below market value, a housing provider can build homes that rent for less than a comparable private project would need to charge.

Where are the homes going, and who is building them?

The sites are spread across Edmonton rather than clustered in one district, which means the new homes land inside existing neighbourhoods with schools, transit, and shopping already in place. Kiniski Gardens in Mill Woods and Wedgewood Heights in the west end are two of the confirmed sites.

The Mill Woods project is the one now under construction. Right at Home Housing Society, a non-profit housing provider, held a groundbreaking at the Kiniski Gardens site in July 2026 for an affordable housing development on the former school parcel. Mill Woods is one of Edmonton's largest and most established southeast communities, and adding purpose-built affordable housing there places new supply close to jobs and services rather than on the far edge of the region. You can see how the surrounding market looks today by browsing current homes for sale in Mill Woods or reviewing what has recently sold across Edmonton.

What this means for Edmonton

Set against the size of the Edmonton market, 1,300 homes delivered across 11 sites over several years is a steady contribution rather than a sudden shift in prices. It is unlikely on its own to move the citywide numbers you see in the snapshot above. Its real weight is on the affordable end of the market, where supply is thin. Under City policy, rents in these projects are capped at no more than 80 percent of average market rent, which is meaningful for lower-income households that face the tightest squeeze when vacancy is low.

There is a supply-side point that matters for the broader market too. Because these homes are being built on land the City already owns and services, the program does not compete for the limited stock of new, serviced development land that private builders need for market housing. In a region where the cost and timing of servicing raw land is a real constraint, redirecting idle public parcels into homes is additive rather than a trade-off against market supply.

For homeowners near one of the sites, the practical questions are the usual ones that come with any nearby development: construction activity in the near term, and the longer-term effect of added density and population on local amenities and demand. If you want to understand how supply and demand are shaping values in your own pocket of the city, it is worth tracking the Edmonton market and, if you are weighing a move, checking what your home is worth today. For renters and investors, the program is a reminder that below-market and market housing sit in different lanes, a distinction that also shapes how Alberta's rental rules apply.

Isometric clay aerial view of an Edmonton neighbourhood

Frequently Asked Questions

How many affordable homes is Edmonton building on old school sites? The City's program covers 11 surplus school sites it owns, with more than 1,300 new homes planned across them over time, most priced below the open market. Exact per-site unit counts are set project by project as each provider finalizes its plans.

Where is the new Kiniski Gardens affordable housing development in Mill Woods? It is on a former surplus school site in the Kiniski Gardens neighbourhood of Mill Woods, in southeast Edmonton. It is one of the 11 city-owned school sites being converted into housing.

Who is building the Kiniski Gardens project? Right at Home Housing Society, a non-profit housing provider, is building the Kiniski Gardens development and held the groundbreaking there in July 2026.

How affordable will the homes be? Under City of Edmonton policy for these projects, rents are capped at no more than 80 percent of average market rent, and the land is provided to housing providers below market value to make that possible. The precise rents depend on each project and unit type.

Which former school sites in Edmonton are being turned into housing? There are 11 city-owned surplus school sites in the program, spread across the city. Kiniski Gardens in Mill Woods and Wedgewood Heights in the west end are two confirmed sites; the City assigns providers and finalizes plans site by site.

This article was researched and drafted with AI assistance, fact-checked against the primary sources listed below, and reviewed by the hômm editorial team before publication. Market data is live from the MLS®.