Housing Forward: 2026 Prairies Affordable Housing Summit
Real solutions. Shared ground. Prairie scale.
May 11-14, 2026 | Edmonton Convention Centre
A Summit Built by the Sector, for the Sector
Housing Forward is the first prairie-wide affordable housing summit, bringing together leaders from across Western Canada to advance practical, scalable solutions for housing delivery. Hosted by the City of Edmonton, every session is designed to deliver applied tools, real-world models, and collaborative frameworks that participants can take home and put to work. This is not a talk-shop.
Summit at a Glance
Monday, May 11 | Welcome Reception
Connect with delegates from across the Prairies before the main program begins.
Tuesday, May 12 | Day 1
Opening plenary, keynotes, concurrent stream sessions, exhibit hall, lunch networking, fireside chat, and Innovation Showcase.
Wednesday, May 13 | Day 2
Stream sessions, Housing Case Study, and Closing Plenary: Prairie Sector Commitments.
Thursday, May 14 | Site Tours
Optional on-the-ground tours of Edmonton housing projects. Transportation provided.
Who Is This For?
Housing Forward is designed for the full range of people and organizations working to advance affordable housing across the Prairies:
- Housing providers and non-profit operators
- Municipal, provincial, and federal government staff
- Developers, designers, and builders
- Funders, lenders, and philanthropic partners
- Researchers, planners, and policy practitioners
- Indigenous housing leaders and organizations
500 or more delegates are expected from across Western Canada, with approximately 30 percent in senior leadership roles (CEOs, Executive Directors, Directors) and 20 percent in government.
Four Days. One Conversation That Matters.
Learn from people doing the work
Hear from practitioners, researchers, and leaders delivering results in the field. Sessions are grounded in real case studies, not theory.
Explore what is emerging
Sessions cover the full spectrum: innovative financing, land models, planning reform, climate-resilient design, organizational sustainability, and the role of Indigenous leadership in housing.
Make meaningful connections
Structured and informal networking is woven throughout all four days, from the reception on Day 0 to the exhibit hall and site tours on Day 3.
See housing innovation on the ground
Thursday site tours take delegates to three Edmonton projects that show what getting it done looks like in practice.
What's On The Agenda
● Innovative housing delivery - cost-effective, climate-resilient, and accessible design at scale
● Housing as health - preventing homelessness, improving outcomes, and reducing pressure on emergency systems
● Funding and financing - cross-sector models, Indigenous-led delivery, and community land approaches
● Sector sustainability - workforce development and long-term operational capacity
● Policy and planning - faster approvals, better design, and system-level alignment
● Indigenous leadership - culturally responsive design, land-based approaches, and pathways to reconciliation
Voices Leading The Conversation
Andrea NemtinCEO
Social Innovation Canada
David MillerManaging Director
C40 Centre
Don IvesonBoard Chair
CMHC
Dr. Carolyn WhitzmanAdjunct Professor
University of Toronto School of Cities
Katie MaslechkoCEO
Rental Protection Fund
Mark ConnollyBroadcaster
Summit Emcee
Ready To Be Part of It?
Registration fees:
Regular: $325
Registration includes the opening reception, both main summit days with keynotes, panels, workshops, and networking, plus the optional site tour excursions on Day 3. Lunch and refreshments are included.