Project Overview

The Connaught Below Market Housing Development is a 40-unit rental housing project designed to increase access to safe, secure, and affordable housing in Jasper. The project responds to a long-standing housing shortage and supports community recovery following the 2024 wildfire.

This development is the first residential project undertaken by the Jasper Municipal Housing Corporation, a municipally controlled corporation created to deliver long-term housing solutions for the community.

Live Construction Camera

To support transparency and public engagement, a construction site camera has been installed along Connaught Drive.

The live feed allows residents to:

• Watch construction progress in real time
• See key milestones as the building takes shape

A time-lapse video will also be created for future public updates and project storytelling.

Why This Project Matters

Jasper continues to face a chronic housing shortage. In 2022, Council acknowledged an estimated housing gap of 687 units and directed administration to explore strategies, funding models, and governance structures to help address that need.

The Connaught Below Market Housing Development is a key step toward:

• Increasing the supply of long-term rental housing
• Supporting workforce stability
• Improving housing affordability for individuals and families who live and work in Jasper
• Strengthening community resilience during recovery

The Building

The development includes 40 below-market rental units, made up of:

• 16 one-bedroom, one-bath units
• 8 one-bedroom, one-bath fully accessible units
• 16 two-bedroom, 1.5-bath units

Building amenities include:

• Private balconies
• common laundry facilities
• Storage lockers
• On-site parking
• Barrier-free common areas

Energy Efficiency 

The building has been designed to reduce energy use, lower operating costs, and expand accessibility.

Key features include:

• A 50 kW solar array to support on-site electricity generation
• Energy modelling that shows a 9% reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions compared to the 2020 National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (prior to solar installation)

Construction Progress

Construction began in late summer 2025 and is progressing on schedule.

Completed and ongoing work includes:

• All grade beams and the north foundation wall along Connaught Drive poured and cured
• Remaining foundation components currently in the curing phase, supported by winter heating systems
• Modular retaining walls nearing completion along Spruce Avenue and Connaught Drive
• Perimeter foundation drainage and damp proofing underway
• Shoring and backfilling of the north foundation wall in progress

What’s next:

Pre-fabricated wall panels are scheduled to begin arriving on site January 29.

The project is currently anticipated to be complete by January 1, 2027.

Affordability & Eligibility

All units will be rented below Median Market Rates (MMR), as required under funding and land-lease agreements.

Rents will be offered across multiple affordability levels, ranging from:

• 60% of MMR to 90% of MMR, with minimum and maximum unit counts in each rental band

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Meet income requirements set by the applicable rental band
• Meet Parks Canada eligible residency requirements

Closer to occupancy, the Municipality will finalize the tenant application process and share details widely through multiple communication channels.

This webpage will be updated with:

• Unit availability
• Rent ranges
• Eligibility requirements
• Application timelines and instructions

Funding & Budget

The total project budget is $21.15 million, including contingency and soft costs. Funding has been confirmed or conditionally approved from multiple sources. 

The project is currently on budget. 

Additional cost savings may be realized through Alberta’s Municipal Electricity Generation (MEG) program, which supports solar installations on municipal facilities.