Ontario government, City of Ottawa partner with Habitat for Humanity on new modular homes

A conceptual image of a modular townhome being built in Ottawa in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. (Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa/supplied)

The City of Ottawa and the Ontario government are contributing nearly $10 million toward a Habitat for Humanity project to build 33 modular, affordable townhomes in Nepean.

The province said Monday the homes will be built at 40 Beechcliffe Street, near the intersection of Woodroffe Avenue and Knoxdale Road. The site was identified as part of the Ottawa-Ontario Deal that was signed in March 2024.

“Home prices at 40 Beechcliffe Street will be set to reflect prices home buyers can afford. Designed for families, these attainable homes will include 3 to 4 bedrooms. To further remove barriers to ownership, the homes will require no down payment and mortgage payments will be geared to household income,” a news release from the province said.

The City of Ottawa is providing the land and spending $6 million on the project, while the Ontario government is contributing $3.4 million. Caivan is the development sponsor and builder.

“At a time of economic uncertainty, our government is stepping up by supporting innovative housing projects like Beechcliffe Homes to leave no stone unturned in helping people unlock the quintessential dream of owning a home in Ontario while keeping workers on the job,” said Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack, in a news release.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says the city’s $6 million contribution is a “clear sign of our commitment to build more homes and build them faster.”

“The City of Ottawa is saying yes to more housing and more affordable housing,” he said.

According to Habitat for Humanity, in order to be eligible for one of the homes, buyers must fulfill the following criteria:

• A total household income sufficient to cover the cost of Habitat homeownership
• Canadian citizen or a permanent resident
• Must be a first-time homebuyer and current renter
• At least one adult in a household with a minimum of two years of full-time employment history in Canada
• No recent bankruptcies. Habitat for Humanity requires three years from a bankruptcy or consumer proposal discharge
• Living somewhere that does not meet the family’s needs
• Able and willing to contribute 500 volunteer hours on the build site or with other Habitat projects and community activities (350 for single-parent families)

Each home will be 1,648 sq. ft. with a small backyard, finished rec room, driveway, and one-car garage. They will include three bedrooms with the option to expand to four depending on family size.

“Through investments like this in Habitat’s affordable homeownership model and by embracing factory-built construction, we’re demonstrating that there are scalable, community-driven solutions to the housing crisis,” said Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa CEO Sara Cooper. “Together, we are building more than homes, we are building equity, resilience, and a stronger Ottawa.”

The site is being prepared for construction, with sales set to begin early in the new year, and occupancy expected as early as February 2027.

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