Metro Edmonton - Links and Resources

General Housing Links | Utility Information

General Housing Links

U of A Housing & Food Services

Information about University of Alberta Residences.

International Centre

Additional resources for international students.

Alberta Landlord Information

Government of Alberta site with lots of information useful to both landlords and tenants, including tipsheets and legal references.

Landlord and Tenant Advisory Board

Advice and information for both landlords and tenants, courtesy of the City of Edmonton.

Hostels: GO Backpacker's Hostel | HI-Edmonton Hostel

Handy for out-of-towners who need a place to stay while looking for a permanent place.

Economic Development Edmonton - Housing Info

General information on the Edmonton housing market.

Utility Information

Depending on where you choose to live, you may have to arrange for some or all of your utility hookups. Typically, if you rent an apartment, you'll need to arrange power (electricity), phone, tv and internet services only; if you live in a house or suite in a house, you'll usually need to arrange all of those plus water and gas service.

Power and Water

Most people use EPCOR, a local Edmonton company, for power and water services. Power service can also be obtained through Enmax, but EPCOR is your option for water and sewage service.

Both EPCOR and Enmax allow you to apply for an account online: Epcor account page, Enmax account page.

EPCOR has some great online resources. There is an online tool for calculating energy use, information on water use, and general efficiency tips.

Natural Gas (Heating)

Most people in Edmonton use Atco Gas. The Alberta energy market is deregulated, however, so Enmax and other utilities may also be available to you.

Telephone Service

As far as telephone service goes, the only option for land-based phones is Telus. If you go wireless, however, you have a range of options, including Telus Mobility, Fido, Rogers, and Bell Canada. Shop around for the best deal - a bad wireless contract can end up costing you a lot of money.

Internet Access

For U of A students, the University offers free dial-up internet access. However, many students opt for high-speed internet, either via DSL phone lines (Telus and Interbaun are popular choices) or cable (Shaw). Residential high-speed internet varies in price from $25/month (for the first year only) to $55/month.

Cable and Satellite TV

For your entertainment needs, you can select either cable (Shaw) or satellite (StarChoice, Bell ExpressVu) services. Most renters choose cable, due to the hardware requirements of satellite.