“We have 20 tiny homes, approximately 300 square feet,” Schneider says of the Edmonton village, at 93rd Street and 152A Ave.<\/p>\n
Each unit has a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living area.<\/p>\n
The village also has a resources centre for\u00a0community gatherings. It’s also a place to connect with Veterans Affairs, mental health services and other health-care professionals.<\/p>\n
“The goal is to give that soft landing and give them a safe, secure, healing environment so they can carry on with their civilian life,” says Schneider.<\/p>\n
WATCH | Take a tour of tiny homes in the Veterans Village in Edmonton<\/strong><\/p>\n Featured Video<\/span>The Homes for Heroes Foundation has two villages in Alberta and now the not-for-profit is opening in Kingston and Winnipeg, with plans for eight more locations.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The $4-million Edmonton project \u2014 officially the Atco\u00a0Veterans Village \u2014 opened two years ago with funding from the province, city and private and corporate donors.<\/p>\n To date more than 20 residents have graduated through its programs, finding permanent housing and jobs. Others\u00a0have opted to return to school.\u00a0<\/p>\n “When we have a resident that succeeds, that’s a victory,” says Schneider, who served with the\u00a01st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, for more than 20 years.<\/p>\n The father of six says it’s a good feeling to be part of the team helping fellow vets.<\/p>\n “It’s almost like being back in the military, except you have nobody yelling at you every day.”<\/p>\n Part of the success of the transitional housing model comes down to the physical configuration of the villages, says Homes for Heroes founder David Howard, of Calgary.<\/p>\n The inward-looking barrack-style communities give\u00a0residents that feeling that someone has their six\u00a0\u2014 their back \u2014 just like when they were in the military.<\/p>\n Howard also says the size of the units really matters.<\/p>\n “Seven hundred or 800 square feet can be overwhelming for someone with zero possessions so they begin to hoard,” says Howard.<\/p>\n “The smaller space is a little easier for them to control.”<\/p>\n Howard said he watched his grandfather struggle with PTSD after serving in the Second World War.<\/p>\n “What I saw was a broken man and he needed help and he wasn’t accessing those supports.”<\/p>\n Howard believes the public can play a role\u00a0in what he calls “this vital work” through their donations and moral support for fellow\u00a0Canadians who are having a difficult time transitioning back to civilian life after serving their country.\u00a0<\/p>\n As for future expansion he says there’s a need in B.C., Quebec and the Maritimes, he says.<\/p>\n “There’s an estimated 10,000 plus veterans that are unhoused and need our help.”<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/thumbnails.cbc.ca\/maven_legacy\/thumbnails\/340\/507\/LAMB_Vet_Village_5000kbps_1280x720_2280997955683.jpg?crop=1.777xh:h;*,*&downsize=510px:*510w\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nThese tiny-home villages for veterans are expanding across Canada<\/h3>\n
![\"brown](\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.7022508.1699470224!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_780\/veteran-village-in-edmonton.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Picnic tables, a village garden and landscape on the grounds of the veteran village in Edmonton. (Adrienne Lamb\/CBC)<\/p>\n![\"Drone](\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.7022505.1699470031!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.JPG_gen\/derivatives\/original_780\/drone-photo-of-veteran-village.JPG\" "\\"\\"")
A feel from above of the layout of the veteran village in Edmonton with the Homes for Heroes Foundation. (Rick Bremness\/CBC)<\/p>\n