When deciding to live independently, you must also think about what community or neighbourhood you want to live in.

When choosing a community to live in, things to consider are:

  • you might want to pick a place close to your school, work, family, or doctor
  • your budget decides where you can and cannot afford to live, which may exclude some neighbourhoods from your search
  • you may want to find a community where you can easily walk or take transit to the nearest grocery store or pharmacy

In Alberta, there are different websites and tools as part of affordable housing, such as:

Service Alberta: Find Housing Tool

This can help you identify potential housing options.

Find your local affordable housing and subsidy provider

Alberta Seniors Housing Directory

This can be used to help seniors find housing options.

Find housing for seniors

Southern Alberta Housing Co-op

This can help you identify and apply for potential housing co-ops in Southern Alberta.

Find co-op housing south of Edmonton

Northern Alberta Housing Co-op

This can help you identify and apply for potential housing co-ops in Northern Alberta.

Find co-op housing Edmonton & north

When you look at potential housing locations, you can ask yourself some questions that will help you identify if that community will meet your needs.

Click on the image below to see some questions that can help you identify if a certain place is right for you:

If I can take transit to get groceries and go to my medical appointments, this may be a good fit, but it may not be if I can’t.
Transit

Do I take transit?

If it is a noisy area and it doesn’t bother me or I can get noise cancelling headphones, this may be a good fit, but if I can’t, it may not be.
Noise

Is it a noisy area?

If this place meets my sensory needs, it may be a good fit. If it does not, but I can adjust the home to meet my needs or I can get things to meet my needs, it may be a good fit. If I can’t, then it may not be a good fit.
Sensory

Does this place meet my sensory needs?

If there are organizations nearby that can support me, this may be a good fit. If they are not nearby, but I can get to them, they may be a good fit, but if I can’t this may not be a good fit.
Support

Are there organizations nearby that can support me?

If there are community resources for social connections and support nearby, this may be a good fit. If there aren’t, but I can access ones further away, this may be a good fit, but if I can’t, this may not be.
Resources

Are there community resources for social connections and support nearby?

Sometimes affordable housing or housing that meets your needs may not be available where you first wanted to live. As well, affordable housing might not always be in places that fully meet your needs.

In these instances, it might be important to consider living near:

  • Your family
  • Your school
  • Your work
  • Your doctor(s)
  • Your friends
  • Your spiritual or religious community

As you go through this information, if there is something that you would like help with, please reach out for assistance.

Autism Society Alberta

Across the Province
877-777-7192
info@autismalberta.ca

Website

The Sinneave Family Foundation

Calgary
403-210-5000
info@sinneavefoundation.org

Website

Autism Edmonton

Edmonton
780-453-3971
housing@autismalberta.ca

Website