Homelessness in Alberta is not a new challenge but it is an urgent one. As of early 2026, over 6,400 Albertans were recorded as experiencing homelessness, with nearly 4,000 using emergency shelters or living on the streets. In Edmonton alone, nightly demand for shelter spaces has been rising steadily, and the need for wrap-around community support has never been greater.
At Prairie Alliance for Settlement & Support (PASS), we believe that stable housing is not just a social issue; it is the foundation for everything else: employment, health, family, and belonging.
What Alberta Is Doing
In October 2022, the Government of Alberta released its Action Plan on Homelessness, committing $63 million in additional funding to strengthen the province’s response. The plan focuses on three core pillars:
- Emergency and transitional shelter — expanding 24/7 shelter spaces across Alberta, including over 1,000 emergency spaces in Edmonton
- Housing-focused approaches — shifting shelters from overnight stopgaps to active gateways connecting people to stable, long-term housing
- Recovery-oriented supports — integrating mental health services, addiction treatment, and employment supports directly into the shelter system through a new Service Hub model
The province is also investing in community-based organizations (CBOs) across Alberta’s seven major cities — including Edmonton — to deliver housing programs, intensive case management, and rapid re-housing support. This year alone, $89.6 million is being distributed to CBOs to fund locally-driven solutions.
This is a significant commitment. And it creates an important opportunity for organizations like PASS to step up.
Where PASS Comes In
PASS has been serving Edmonton’s newcomer and settlement communities for years, providing culturally sensitive support to some of the city’s most vulnerable populations. Many of the individuals and families we work with are at risk of (or already experiencing) homelessness.
We understand that homelessness among newcomers and racialized communities often comes with additional layers of complexity: language barriers, unfamiliarity with the housing system, lack of credit history, and limited access to mainstream social services. These are gaps that require culturally informed, community-rooted solutions.
That is exactly what PASS is built to provide.
Our work aligns directly with Alberta’s vision for housing-focused, recovery-oriented, and community-driven responses to homelessness. We are committed to:
- Connecting vulnerable individuals to emergency and transitional housing resources
- Providing wraparound support including digital literacy, employment readiness, and life skills
- Bridging cultural gaps between newcomers and the systems designed to help them
- Partnering with provincial and community organizations to ensure no one falls through the cracks
Why This Moment Matters
Alberta’s Action Plan recognizes something that we at PASS have known for a long time: responses to homelessness cannot be one-size-fits-all. Each person’s path into homelessness is different, and the path out must be too.
New shelter spaces are being created in Edmonton that are Indigenous-led, women-only, and equipped with on-site health supports — a sign that the province is finally centering the specific needs of its most marginalized communities. PASS welcomes this direction and is ready to be a part of it.
Get Involved
Whether you are a community member, a potential partner, or someone in need of support, PASS is here.
If you or someone you know is experiencing housing instability, reach out to us directly or visit Alberta’s shelter finder for immediate resources.
If you are an organization or funder interested in collaborating on Edmonton’s homelessness response, we would love to connect.
📧 info@passcanada.org 🌐 www.passcanada.org 📍 9424 – 111 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB
PASS — Prairie Alliance for Settlement & Support — is a non-profit organization dedicated to the settlement, integration, and well-being of newcomers and vulnerable communities in Edmonton, Alberta.
