The housing crisis in Edmonton is evident in the Boyle Street and McCauley neighbourhoods with disproportionate numbers of people experiencing poverty and homelessness — but this is far from a central-only issue. 

Back in 2000, the Federal Government designated November as Housing Month. This is a time when different organizations critically look at the housing crisis and explore creative solutions to meet the growing need for affordable and accessible housing. 

Back in 2016, Bissell Centre marked an incredibly important milestone in its rich history: it opened Hope Terrace in King Edward Park, a first of its kind supportive housing complex in Edmonton for people with FASD. Bissell Centre has a longstanding history helping people with FASD discover and utilize their strengths to achieve their goals. That experience makes the organization ideal to operate supportive housing for people with FASD.

Hope Terrace’s 24/7 wraparound supports are catered specifically to address the individualized barriers people with FASD may experience. These supports include assistance with meals, scheduling, emotional regulation, recreation, and goal setting all under the guidance of an on-staff occupational therapist. Hope Terrace’s goals are to help build the strengths of the people who call the building home, help them address the barriers they experience that can lead to chronic homelessness, and help them reintegrate into the community. 

Hope Terrace has seen a lot of success over its 10 years. Since 2024, 10 people moved out of Hope Terrace and into fully independent housing thanks to the skills Hope Terrace’s programs helped them build. Upwards of 88 per cent of the people living at Hope Terrace are shopping for groceries and cooking meals without help from support workers, a key skill on the journey to living independently. And these are only a couple of the stats that show this model of supportive housing is successful.

In 2026, Bissell Centre opened its next supportive housing house, Den of Willows in the Delton neighbourhood. In addition to 24/7 wraparound supports for its five residents, the goal of Den of Willows is to help people with FASD on their recovery journeys in a living situation that supports their sobriety. Staff at the supportive recovery housing site support the residents with life-skills development, employment readiness, cultural connection, and referrals to health and community services.   

“I find that being here in a place that offers these supports, it helps to regulate everything, both from my schedule to my own anxieties to anything that I end up needing help with,” said former Hope Terrace and current Den of Willows resident Chance Goddard.  

“Both the staff, as well as the other residents, they’re all very open and very good about providing that assistance and that support to each other.”  

For Bissell Centre, this is only the start of their impact on affordable and accessible housing for people experiencing barriers to their housing stability. The organization is looking for opportunities to expand housing solutions across the city - working to help people break down barriers and establish stability.

To learn more about Bissell Centre’s approach to supportive housing, visit bissellcentre.org. And make sure to follow Bissell Centre and Homeward Trust for more information about Housing Month. 

Information submitted by Bissell Centre.