Governments of all levels have been talking about ending homelessness for some time now, but Medicine Hat is actually walking the talk.

With a population over 63,000, Medicine Hat, for all intents and purposes, has put an end to chronic homelessness – a cycle in which individuals are perpetually stuck, residing in shelters, or worse, living on the streets for extended periods.

It's a goal seven municipalities across Alberta, including Calgary, vowed to accomplish almost a decade ago. But only Medicine Hat can claim success — outside of a handful of individuals who continue to use the city's shelter system on a long-term basis.

As the summer sun rises in the bold, blue Alberta sky, Lisa Neiles revels in the quiet, as she sips her coffee on the deck of her home on Calgary's western perimeter in Springbank Hill. She says that the peacefulness, along with the easy access to the city, attracted her and her husband to the area.

The community of Kinniburgh in southeast Chestermere has quickly become coveted by Calgarians yearning for a more pastoral, connected way of life – one that revolves around the beauty of nature and lakeside living. The community itself is relatively new, with plan approvals not yet 15 years old, but the land has a rich and varied history.