Edmonton renters demovicted from 1950s-era townhomes in North Glenora neighbourhood

Broken windows, broken hearts, and – tenants claim – broken promises in Edmonton’s North Glenora neighbourhood.

“It’s going to be hard to leave all of my friends,” says Bonny-Anne Warrior who has lived in the complex of Glenora Patio Homes for 11 years.

“There’s just a worry in the pit of my stomach every day,” says Elisha Tennant, renting one of the townhomes for five years.

Renters in about thirty of these homes in central Edmonton are being uprooted from their community of North Glenora – facing evictions as their aging 1950s-era townhomes are demolished to make way for newer, taller, and more expensive homes.

Tennant finds it hard to say goodbye to her pet-friendly two-bedroom, two-floor townhome with a basement, garden, and yard. The home and neighbourhood she’s loved for five years.

Residents received eviction notices at the end of May – they need to leave by the end of August.

“I know they’re not the newest or the best kept, but they’re all home to us,” Tennant says. With multiple broken windows, a missing railing and paint peeling on the exterior, the age of these townhomes – and the reason they need to be torn down – is clear to her.

The Glenora Patio Homes, which spans multiple blocks around North Glenora Park, is being redeveloped in stages of demolitions and new construction. But with monthly rents as low $900 a month plus pet fees, there’s few, if anything, as affordable as these townhouses for a similar price and size in Edmonton.

Three renters CityNews spoke with say they need more help moving somewhere new.

“If you’re a landlord, there’s certain responsibilities that come with that, the very least they could do is assist us in moving,” Tennant said. She thinks the property owner should help these evicted renters with more financial help to cover moving costs, and ensure they are able to find a new home in the same price range.

Raj Dhunna with Regency Developments appealed to city council to rezone the properties in 2021 and 2022. He told council his company will help renters relocate and that affordability is the goal for the rental units replacing the townhomes.

However, an online listing for the first building, Sona Park, last fall listed “luxury” units starting at $1,665 per month. The price is higher than average market rates for two-bedroom units according to CMHC data for October 2024.

Dhunna told CityNews that rents in 30 per cent of the units in the first building are lower as they are funded with CMHC funding for affordable housing. The company has also offered displaced renters a $400 rental credit if they leave in two months instead of three. Dhunna said their efforts show they are keeping their promises.

“To come from $900, $950, down to $850 plus the incentive we’re offering upon moveout, we feel we’ve kind of supported the tenants,” he said. “In this case we just don’t have anywhere in our particular portfolio to relocate them.”

City Councillor for the west Edmonton ward of Nakota Isga Andrew Knack, and mayoral candidate, wants the developer to do more for displaced tenants. He said what’s on offer isn’t what he was expecting when the developer spoke to city council.

“I’m not sure this is enough to actually address the needs of those people who are now going to be evicted,” Knack said.

With an uncertain future, these renters are anxious. But without help, they accept their new homes may be smaller and further away from the community they love.

“I don’t sleep very well right now. I constantly am just thinking about it, looking for places, trying to come up with ways to finance this move. And I just don’t know how I am going to do it,” Tennant said.

“It’s a lot of people that have to go — a lot of people that have to go,” Warrior said. “Some are still struggling, and just kind of left here. Alone.”