The Town of Rocky Mountain House
Housing Needs Assessment
Listen to our findings for your community!
A Housing Roadmap for Our Community
The Town of Rocky Mountain House is a growing and evolving community. As housing needs change, it is important to understand what types of homes are needed today and what may be required in the future. The Housing Needs Assessment will help identify current housing challenges, future demand, and opportunities to support a diverse range of housing options for residents at every stage of life.
Why is a Housing Needs Assessment Important for the Town?
Like many communities across Alberta, the Town of Rocky Mountain House is experiencing increasing pressure on its housing market. Community discussions and local observations have identified several housing challenges, including limited rental availability, increasing demand for housing, and gaps in housing options for families, workers, newcomers, and seniors.
Understanding these challenges is the first step toward developing practical solutions that support the long-term health and sustainability of the community.
Our region also sits at a pivotal economic moment.
Standard population projections often miss the housing demand dynamics of resource-based communities like ours, so this assessment will specifically account for:
Workforce fluctuations tied to oil and gas cycles and the emerging coal mine
Seasonal population shifts and tourism-driven demand
In-migration and out-migration patterns
This means our projections will reflect the community’s true trajectory, not just census averages.
Key Housing Considerations
Housing affordability and availability
Rental housing supply and demand
Housing options for young families and first-time home buyers
Housing needs of workers and newcomers to the community
Seniors housing and aging-in-place opportunities
Future housing demand and growth trends
Barriers to housing development and investment
Accessible and age-friendly housing options
How We’re Building the Picture
To fully understand these considerations, the Housing Needs Assessment will draw on multiple sources of data.
Quantitative data from Statistics Canada, CMHC, the Housing Assessment Resource Tool (HART), the Alberta 2025 Apartment Vacancy and Rental Cost Survey, and economic impact analyses.
Qualitative engagement with residents, housing providers, employers, developers, real estate professionals, service agencies, and Indigenous organizations.
Visit our Get Involved page for engagement opportunities!
GIS-based mapping to understand where housing is, where it could go, and where infrastructure supports growth.
An equity lens so the needs of seniors, single parents, newcomers, persons with disabilities, and low-income residents are reflected in recommendations.
Housing for Every Stage of Life
A healthy community requires a variety of housing choices.
Whether someone is renting their first apartment, purchasing a family home, downsizing after retirement, or seeking supportive housing options, residents should have access to housing that meets their needs.
This project will examine housing opportunities across the full housing continuum to support Rocky Mountain House as a place where people can live, work, raise families, and age comfortably within the community.