Homeward Trust Edmonton

What Homeward Trust Edmonton does

Homeward Trust Edmonton is a non-profit charitable organization that functions as the designated system planner for homelessness response in Edmonton, Alberta. Founded in 2008–2009, the organization aggregates public funding from all three orders of government — federal (via CMHC), provincial (Government of Alberta), and municipal (City of Edmonton) — and coordinates a network of more than 25 partner agencies to deliver emergency shelter, supportive housing, Coordinated Access referral services, youth and seniors supports, and homelessness data analytics. Its core technology consists of person-level data management systems, including the By Name List used to prioritize and match individuals to housing, supplemented by monthly dashboards and periodic Point-in-Time Counts. The organization does not generate revenue from clients; instead, it operates as a funder, landlord, and coordinator, owning supportive housing properties and contracting non-profit operators such as NiGiNan Housing Ventures, George Spady Society, The Bissell Centre, The Mustard Seed, Boyle Street Community Services, and Native Counselling Services of Alberta to deliver on-site programming and wrap-around support for residents with complex needs including mental health, addiction, FASD, palliative care, and Indigenous-specific cultural support. Since 2009, Homeward Trust reports having housed over 22,967 individuals through its housing support and related programs, with a current portfolio of 470+ supportive housing units across 13 operational sites and two additional sites (Canora, 63 units; Garneau, 34 units) approved in April 2024 for occupancy in 2026. Its value proposition centers on a housing-first model combined with intensive support services, aiming to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring in Edmonton while reducing downstream costs to hospitals, police, and emergency services.

Name

Homeward Trust Edmonton

Legal name

Homeward Trust Edmonton

Website

https://homewardtrust.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Homeward Trust Edmonton is a non-profit system planner that coordinates housing and homelessness services across Edmonton, aggregating federal, provincial, and municipal funding and contracting a network of 25+ non-profit operators to deliver supportive housing to over 22,967 individuals since 2009.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Services and Supportive Housing

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Supportive housing services
• Homelessness prevention
• Coordinated access referrals
• Emergency shelter services
• Housing-first programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Homeward Trust Edmonton is a non-profit system planner that coordinates Edmonton's homelessness response, aggregates public funding from federal, provincial, and municipal governments, and delivers supportive housing (470+ units across 13 sites), emergency shelter and winter response services, Coordinated Access housing referrals, and wrap-around support programs for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Services are provided at no cost to clients and rely on a contracted network of non-profit operators to run on-site programming at owned housing properties.

Product overview

Homeward Trust Edmonton operates as Edmonton's system planner for ending homelessness, coordinating responses among all sector partners and aggregating public funds from all orders of government. The organization offers a portfolio of housing and support programs centered on its Supportive Housing Program, which provides affordable housing with on-site support services. The portfolio also includes Emergency Response & Shelters for winter and extreme weather situations, Coordinated Access for housing referrals, Youth Supports, Seniors' Supports, and the FIND (Furnishing Hope) program for household furnishings. Data, Analytics & Reporting services track outcomes and homelessness trends. The organization's supportive housing network includes 13 developed sites (Ambrose, Balwin Place, George's House, Holyrood, Hope Terrace, Iris Court, McArthur Place, Morning Fire Protector, Omamoo Wango Gamik, tâpwêhtamowin wâskahikan, wâpanAcâhcahk/Morningstar Home, Westwood Manor, and Unity Manor) plus 2 sites in development (Garneau and Canora).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Supportive Housing Program Affordable housing with on-site support services providing stability, autonomy, and dignity for individuals experiencing homelessness. Residents hold their own leases and receive case management, healthcare access, mental health support, and life skills development. Operated through a network of non-profit housing operators (George Spady Society, NiGiNan Housing Ventures, The Bissell Centre, Mustard Seed, etc.).
• Coordinated Access A system that connects individuals experiencing homelessness to housing and support services through a coordinated referral and prioritization process using the By Name List.
• Emergency Response & Shelters Winter shelter services, extreme weather response, and emergency shelter facilities including shuttle buses, expanded overnight shelter, and navigation services for individuals experiencing homelessness in Edmonton.
• Youth Supports Programs connecting youth experiencing homelessness (ages 15-21) to basic needs (food, shelter, clothing) and coordinating with youth programming, pregnancy services, addictions services, mental health, and safe spaces.
• Seniors' Supports Resources and referrals for seniors in Edmonton including housing resources, financial assistance programs, and coordinated outreach services.
• FIND – Furnishing Hope A program that furnishes homes for individuals moving from homelessness into permanent housing, providing essential household items and goods.
• Data, Analytics & Reporting Monthly data tracking and reporting on homelessness in Edmonton, including Point-in-Time Counts and analytics dashboards used to track outcomes and homelessness trends for funders and sector partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 22,967 people housed since 2009
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NiGiNan Housing VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous-led non-profit operating supportive housing sites including Ambrose Place (42 units), McArthur Place (50 units), and Omamoo Wango Gamik (42 units). Provides culturally-specific housing and support for Indigenous peoples.
• George Spady SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates multiple supportive housing sites: Balwin Place (25 units), George's House (5 units - palliative care), Holyrood (63 units), and Unity Manor (54 units). Provides 24/7 support for individuals with complex needs.
• The Bissell CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Hope Terrace (34 units) with specialized programming for adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), providing 24/7 support and wrap-around services.
• Alberta Health ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing in-reach services to supportive housing sites, mental health and addiction services, palliative care specialists, and coordination through Recovery Alberta Mental Health and Addiction Services.
• Native Counselling Services of Alberta (NCSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates tâpwêhtamowin wâskahikan – tâpwê Housing (30 units) providing supportive housing for Indigenous community members, including those involved with correctional systems, using Cree natural law teachings.
• Boyle Street Community ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates wâpanAcâhcahk - Terrace Heights/Morningstar Home (47 units) providing low-barrier supportive housing for individuals with substance use disorders and mental illness.
• Schizophrenia Society of AlbertacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Iris Court (21 units) providing licensed supportive living for individuals with persistent mental health diagnoses who have had challenges maintaining housing.
• Hope MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency shelter provider operating the Herb Jamieson Centre (men) and providing the 24/7 Hope Mission Shuttle bus service for winter shelter transportation.
• The Mustard SeedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Westwood Manor (20 units) supportive housing and emergency shelters at The Neighbour Centre and Central Seed locations.
• E4C (Enriching Families and Communities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates the Women's Emergency Accommodation Centre (WEAC) providing emergency shelter for women.
• Al Rashid MosquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides up to 50 overnight shelter spaces during extreme weather responses, supplementing existing shelter capacity funded by the Government of Alberta.
• YESS (Youth Empowerment and Support Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides youth emergency shelter (ages 15-21) at their Youth Support Centre and participates in the Connected Supports network for youth programming.
• Enoch Cree NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Wîhcihaw Maskokamik shelter providing Indigenous-specific shelter services at the former Coliseum Inn location.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Raising the Roof: National Canadian charity focused on preventing and reducing homelessness through fundraising, research, and grant programs for partner agencies; comparable as a funder/coordinator in the homelessness sector but without an operating housing portfolio.
• Community Solutions (Built for Zero): U.S.-based non-profit that operates the Built for Zero methodology used by Homeward Trust to track homelessness by-name data and pursue Functional Zero, making it the closest methodology and tooling peer.

Direct peers

• Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness: National backbone organization that promotes the Housing First and Functional Zero approach that Homeward Trust implements locally, providing shared advocacy, research, and the Built for Zero Canada framework.
• A Way Home Canada: National coalition focused on ending youth homelessness, overlapping directly with Homeward Trust's Youth Supports programming and coordinated access for the 15-25 age cohort.
• Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency (VAHA): Municipal entity that supports the delivery of new non-market housing in Vancouver through coordination and partnerships with non-profit operators, paralleling Homeward Trust's system planner and supportive housing operator model.
• Calgary Homeless Foundation: Calgary's designated system planner for ending homelessness; operates a near-identical coordinated access and housing-first model funded by federal/provincial/municipal grants in the same Alberta context, making it the most directly comparable peer.

Emerging players

• Mustard Seed Foundation (Calgary): Faith-inspired non-profit operating shelters, supportive housing, and community programs across Alberta, directly comparable as one of Homeward Trust's contracted supportive housing operators and sector peers.
• United Way of the Alberta Capital Region: Regional funder that co-funds many of the same frontline agencies in Edmonton and participates in collective-impact homelessness initiatives, overlapping with Homeward Trust's funding-aggregation role.

Broad incumbents

• Toronto Shelter & Support Services (City of Toronto): City-level administrator of shelter, housing-first, and homelessness programs serving a much larger urban population, comparable as a public-sector system planner but operating within a municipal government rather than a non-profit structure.
• BC Housing: Provincial Crown corporation that funds, owns, and operates a wide portfolio of affordable and supportive housing across British Columbia, comparable as a system-level housing funder/aggregator but with a broader mandate and larger balance sheet.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/homewardtrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/homewardtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/homeward-trust-edmonton
• Instagraminstagram.com/homewardtrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Homeward Trust Edmonton