Cedar Point housing with supports includes the following on-site services: 

•             Client Care Workers on-site 24/7 (Staffed by The Mustard Seed)

•             Dining room

•             Programming space

•             Cultural support space

•              Programming and support (Service provision by The Mustard Seed)

•             In-reach health and mental health support (Service provision by Northreach Society)

•             Housing Support Workers to deliver life skills training and support for maintaining housing

The facility includes:

• 63 units for housing with supports. These rooms are licensed under the Supportive Living Accommodation Licensing program.
• 43 units for independent living. These rooms are governed by the Residential Tenancy Act.

Benefits of this operational model include:

• Time and cost savings
• Operational efficiency
• Accessible units
• Energy efficient design considerations

Cedar Point provides both housing with supports units and affordable housing options.

The 63 housing with supports units provide homes for people exiting homelessness.  Housing with supports is not a shelter, as residents sign a lease and pay rent. Residents are provided 24/7 access to onsite recovery oriented care and social supports assisting individuals in achieving and maintaining stable housing.   

The 43 affordable housing option provides safe stable housing to those who do not require additional supports, or plan to transition to market housing.

Resident selection is subject to eligibility requirements which are assessed by housing professionals at a City-led Housing Hub Table whose membership includes representatives from The Mustard Seed, Grande Prairie Friendship Centre, Northreach Society, Centrepoint, Wapiti House, and others.

Grande Prairie has a strongly identified need for housing with supports based on the Grande Prairie Five Year Plan to End Homelessness (2015-2019), Affordable Housing Action Plan (2021-2022), and Homelessness Strategy (2021-2023).

Previous attempts at new-builds have not seen the success required to fully address the need. The scattered-site housing with supports system currently available to Housing First participants in Grande Prairie is limited in its effectiveness to support those with complex needs and is heavily affected by the availability of private landlords willing to lease their units to Housing First clients. The resulting impacts are straining our local emergency shelters, policing resources, and healthcare system.

In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic permitted the site to be considered as a Rapid Housing option.

Benefits of purchasing an existing site at the current location included:

• Developed land
• Economies of scale
• Turn-key infrastructure with potential for quick occupancy
• Potential divestment of City buildings and inclusion of existing furniture, appliances and equipment
• Close to health and support services
• Walking distance to amenities
• Access to transit

For these reasons, the project was created to optimize the current economic conditions to meet our community’s needs and provide a sustainable housing with supports solution with the greatest return on investment.

The total cost of the project is currently budgeted at over $25 million.

The costs per unit remain below comparable projects in other municipalities.

Funding for the project has been supplemented by several grants including:

Capital Grants and Funding

Operational Funding

One of the keys to the long-term success of Cedar Point is community inclusion and involvement.

To achieve this, the project team works to actively connect with stakeholders, community and business members and neighbouring areas through activities such as:

• Engagement sessions
• Public notices and signage throughout development
• Presentations to community groups such as the Municipal Policing Advisory Committee and Opioid Task force
• Good Neighbour Agreements
• Resident Advisory Committee
• Establishment of cedarpointhousing@cityofgp.com for community and neighbourhood feedback
• Various updates to the community via Council reports, media releases website updates, and social media

Community Advisory Committee

In 2022 the Coordinated Care Campus Community Advisory Committee was formed to provide a connection between Cedar Point and the community, with members providing advice and feedback on matters related to the facility.

Its mandate aims to provide:

• advice and recommendations pertaining to community education, integration and engagement
• advice and recommendations on identified matters of concern brought forward through the Good Neighbour Grievance process
• feedback in the ongoing evaluation and planning for Cedar Point and its programs

The committee includes seven public members representing varying sectors including:

Additional representation and support is provided by various City of Grande Prairie staff.

View their Terms of Reference here.

Grande Prairie is making progress toward ending chronic homelessness still has a strongly identified need for housing with supports based on the Grande Prairie Five Year Plan to End Homelessness (2015-2019), Affordable Housing Action Plan (2021-2022), and Homelessness Strategy (2021-2023).

Individuals will face different kind of challenges that lead to housing instability, but ending chronic homelessness is possible. The City and its community partners are working to create a homeless-serving system and a supply of appropriate housing that allows us to quickly connect people with the support and housing they need.

Shelter models provide critical emergency short-term services to those experiencing homelessness. Shelter models are meant to be a last resort, and often offer open admission based on capacity.  Accommodations are often in a group setting.

Housing with supports provides long term solution to chronic homelessness. Residents must meet eligibility by a team of housing practitioners.  Residents pay rent for their own units.  Residents also have access to 24-hour onsite supports and programming specific to needs, which allows residents to remain successfully housed. 

Housing with supports focus on a recovery-oriented system of care which provides both housing and wellness opportunities for individuals seeking safe stable housing while obtaining recovery goals. 

Results of this include:

• Improved physical and mental wellbeing of residents
• Increased social inclusion and independence of residents
• Reduced interactions with emergency medical services and law enforcements amongst residents
• Reduced costs to related services for taxpayers

Yes. Housing with supports helps residents maintain their housing, reducing the volume of homelessness and related issues in the city and creating a safer, vibrant community for all residents.

Once in a housing with supports unit, individuals previously experiencing homelessness report improvements in access to employment, income, education, addiction issues, mental health and life-skills.

Housing with supports is for people who have experienced chronic homelessness and need help to maintain housing and require 24-7 support. Individuals in housing with supports report improvements in access to employment, income, education, addiction issues, mental health, and life-skills.

Residents are referred to a housing with supports site based on their support requirements and what the specific site offers in terms of supports and programming. Tenant choice is also a determining factor in their housing placement.

Cedar Point houses individuals from the  Housing First program who require support due to physical, mental, or behavioral health challenges. These individuals have greater challenges accessing market housing, require on-going support and typically have a history of homelessness.

Resident selection is subject to eligibility requirements which will be assessed by housing professionals at a City led “Hub Table” whose membership includes representatives from The Mustard Seed, Grande Prairie Friendship Centre,  Northreach Society, Centrepoint, Wapiti House, and others.

Three assessment tools used to assess tenant eligibility include a Service Prioritization Decision Assessment Tool, Biopsychosocial Assessment and a Risk Assessment. This process ensures that the supports on-site match the needs of the residents.

Programs and supportive services such as:

• 24/7 crisis services
• Independent living skills
• Medication assistance
• Mental health and addiction 
• Health services, continuing care, disability services
• Cultural, ceremonial, and spiritual practices
• Psycho-social, recreation or support group activities

All programs and support services are based on individual case plan.

No. Cedar Point uses a recovery-oriented system of care and addiction management supports. It does not include a supervised consumption site.

Residential tenancy laws apply to residents, including the prohibition of use of illicit substances on site.

The Mustard Seed is a Christian non-profit organization that has been caring for individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty since 1984. Operating in six cities across Alberta and British Columbia, The Mustard Seed is a supportive haven where people can have their physical, mental, and spiritual needs met and grow toward greater health and independence. 

Learn more about The Mustard Seed.