July 8, 2026

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Community Futures Big Country (CFBC) and the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce (DDCC) are partnering to extend the success of Home Share Drumheller, a local housing initiative that matches homeowners with seasonal or temporary employees.

In addition to financial contributions from the partners, CFBC made a successful application for additional funding from Family &Community Support Services.

Home Share Drumheller was originally funded by the Prairies Rural Opportunities Fund (ROF 2.0), along with contributions from Community Futures Big Country, the Drumheller and District Chamber and Commerce, Travel Drumheller, and the Town of Drumheller.

Between January 2024 and March 31, 2026, Home Share Drumheller, which uses the Happipad home sharing platform, helped match 61seasonal and temporary employees find places to live, exceeding the targets. Renters included summer students, work placements and new residents looking for transitional housing.

“We envisioned Home Share Drumheller primarily as a solution to our seasonal housing crunch, but we have found the demand is there in the winter months as well,” says Michael Love, Executive Director of Community Futures Big Country.

Happipad provides an online platform for hosts to list rooms in their homes, and to set their own terms and rules; renters can register and search those listings. Renters and hosts create profiles to facilitate matching, and Happipad completes background checks, creates contracts and can even assist with details like tenant insurance.

Home Share Drumheller takes some pressure off the local housing market, which remains tight.

“For local businesses that hire students, or for people coming for a either a short time or permanently, housing can be an obstacle. Home Share Drumheller helps reduce that obstacle,” says Heather Bitz, Executive Director of the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce.

For new residents, Home Share Drumheller can provide the transitional accommodation needed before they step into more permanent housing, and it is a platform that makes space for other arrangements. Hosts and tenants can reach agreements over rent reductions for lawn care and snow shovelling, or pet care. Social connection for both hosts and renters is another key aspect.

Home Share Drumheller was among 11 Prairie Rural Opportunity Fund projects showcased at an event in Calgary in November 2025.

“There has been a lot of interest in the project from other communities and organizations, who see it as something they can explore, “Love says.

With the grant funding finishing March 31, the partners looked for ways to extend the program, hoping to keep the option for both hosts and renters. For the next year the platform fees and customer service will be funded by Community Futures Big Country and the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce, supplemented by the FCSS grant. Happipad will charge a small fee (usually less than $25.00) to recover the costs of background checks.

“It’s a very local solution to a problem shared by many communities with a significant tourism economy,” Bitz says.

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