From Faith Places to Community Places

Friends, are you or someone you know involved in a church or faith community? Would you mind sharing with them this invitation:

Sacred Spaces to Community Places Information Session

Friday, May 22, 2026 - 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. - Heritage Room, City Hall

Seating is limited. To RSVP, visit edmonton.ca/AffordableHousing or emailing [email protected]

Last November, the City of Edmonton brought together leaders from multiple faith groups for the Edmonton Faith Properties Round Table. There, guests voiced familiar concerns: aging buildings, rising operating costs, deferred maintenance and a hope that their cherished lands and spaces will continue serving the community — potentially as affordable housing.

The City of Edmonton has been working with Edmonton Community Foundation to help those groups that are considering affordable housing on their lands but lack the resources to explore options. We’re developing a program to support the early stages of the development process, where most projects stall: visioning, feasibility, planning, and finding the right partners.

Before it launches, we’re hosting an information session to share details and answer questions. The afternoon will include refreshments, a short presentation and a discussion.

In my time as your City Councillor, I've been approached by volunteers or leadership from over five different denominations about trying to figure out a way forward for their congregation. I'm honoured to be able to play a convening role in these conversations.

How can faith spaces play a role in solving our affordable housing crisis? How can faith spaces adapt their physical spaces to match their faith and financial objectives?

Growing up, my father was an architect who specialized in churches.

As far as architects go, it was often considered one of the more challenging roles— you work with many committees, scant financial resources dependent on fundraising, many competing demands (youth centre, vestry, childcare, acoustics, industrial kitchens, and beautiful denominational symbolic and iconography requirements). The financial challenges were always present. 

As a youngster, I accompanied him to many memorable site visits — a Filipino Catholic Church that heavily centred the Virgin Mary. A Baptist church that required a human-sized baptismal font. A Coptic church that separated men and women for worship. Each one was unique and each one played a special role reflecting the hopes, wishes, and faith of the family. I carry a deep appreciation for these spaces and the careful and deliberate choices made in their creation.

Today, many churches are trapped in an “edifice complex” struggling to raise funds and pay for deferred maintenance, enormous energy costs, and other challenges with aging infrastructure.

The Anglican church I grew up in was deeply stressed by building committee challenges, roof leaks, and renewal pressures. There were many tense conversations and thousands of hours of labour that detracted from the core mission to address these issues.

I’m also mindful of a lyric from a hymn growing up “The church is not a building // the church is a people”. There are enormous challenges (deferred maintenance, size requirements, volunteer shortages) but there are even greater opportunities. Faith communities can spend more time in communion together rather than worrying about fundraising and the furnace. 

Adaptive reuse is not a new idea for Edmonton. There are many successful projects, including the Westmount Presbyterian Church project with Right At Home Housing. Recently we approved the rezoning for another church that wanted to build in a community/commercial space to help augment their purposes alongside market and non-market housing.

What is new, is that the city is stepping forward in a more active way, as a guide at the side for those embarking on these challenging conversations. I’m pleased to see the City of Edmonton housing team is being proactive and supporting faith communities through our affordable housing strategy.

Do you know a faith leader who should be in the room? Please share this invitation with them.