Scarborough parking lot could be transformed into micro-home community for the homeless

Ryan Donais, the founder and executive director of Tiny Tiny Homes, stands in a parking lots at the back of a commercial building in southwest Scarborough. His organization is hoping to transform the site into a new micro-home community. (Joanna Lavoie/CP24)

A underused parking lot at the rear of a commercial building in southwest Scarborough could soon be transformed into a micro-home community for people experiencing homelessness.

Located near Danforth and Birchmount roads, the proposed project is being spearheaded by ‘Tiny Tiny Homes,’ a Toronto-based non-profit that has provided cost-effective temporary shelter space for unhoused people in mini-dwellings since 2024.

Ryan Donais, the organization’s founder and executive director, said the idea for the project dates back to July when he first began communicating with the owners of Sefonias Catering, who own the property where the proposed community will be located.

Everything unfolded rather quickly after that and before long they had entered into a three-year lease at the cost of $1 a year for the space, he said.

“It all happened really fast,” said Donais, who along with a dedicated crew of volunteers has spent countless hours since then cleaning up and preparing the site for its anticipated future use.

Bosena Mekonen, of Sefonias Catering, said they “love doing charitable work” and were excited to come on board for this initiative.

“We had this unused space. It was just junk, damaged cars, a trailer there so we offered up the land,” she said.

“I’m very, very happy about this (project). I really want it to be successful.”

Donais says roughly $350,000 is needed to complete the project, which he says amouts to about 10 per cent of the cost of one bed in a shelter.

He says that so far Tiny Tiny Homes has raised about 20 per cent of the cost through donations and in-kind contributions, and is hopeful it can reach its target soon.

“We can build this whole project for the cost of one shelter bed and at no cost to taxpayers,” he said, adding the goal is to have the new purpose-built community ready for occupancy by Dec. 31.

The plan, he said, is to construct 10, 96-square-foot, pet-friendly units as well as two buildings that will house accessible washrooms and showers facilities, programming/community space, and administrative and case management offices.

They also intend to retain a social worker who will be at the site Monday to Friday to help residents with their immediate needs as well as assist them in making connections to health care and other service providers, including housing.

Sefonias Catering, meanwhile, would provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the people living there.

Community named Brent’s Place

The proposed new community has been named Brent’s Place, in honour of one of Tiny Tiny Homes’ first residents Brent Blake, who lived in their first micro-dwelling community at St. James Park, near Adelaide Street East and Jarvis Street.

Blake, who was 64, died of cancer on June 27, 2025, just weeks after moving into permanent housing.

“Brent was somebody the system had forgotten. He was sleeping outside with Stage 4 cancer. He didn’t die homeless,” Donais said.

“This place is for the forgotten people, those who the system doesn’t take care of. We’re going to take care of them.”

Like Blake, Mike McDougall stayed in one of Tiny Tiny Homes’ cabins before landing permanent housing. He’s had his own place for just over a year now in the same downtown Toronto building where his friend also lived.

“I went straight from (St. James) park into my own place. I didn’t want to do the shelters,” he shared.

McDougall remembering Blake as a person who had “the softest heart,” saying that it’s very appropriate to name the new Scarborough micro-home community in his memory.

“Brent would have loved it (here),” said McDougall, who is part of the project’s volunteer crew.

“I’m happy to give back and help set up this new site.”

City of Toronto reviewing project

Donais said the city is aware of the project and has already stopped by the site.

In a statement provided to CP24, the City of Toronto said that it “recognizes the urgent need for housing for people experiencing homelessness” and is “working collaboratively” with stakeholders as it conducts a review of the proposal.

“The proposed Tiny Tiny Homes project is currently under review as it must meet all necessary zoning, building and regulatory requirements before it can move forward,” Kayla Lewis, the city’s manager of media relations, wrote.

“The city is working collaboratively with the builder/owner and will determine appropriate next steps once the review is complete.”

‘Bridge to permanent housing’

Donais said like all of the micro-home communities his organization establishes, Brant’s Place is intended to be a “bridge to permanent housing.”

“We focus on helping people who want to help themselves,” he said.

“Our communities are for people who are ready to take that next step. … Our ultimate goal is to have people in our tiny homes for the least amount of time possible.”

Tiny Tiny Homes has already built four micro-dwellings for housing vulnerable people in the backyard of a transitional housing site in Leslieville run by the Seeds of Hope Foundation. That site has been operational for about a year-and-a-half. Two of their cabins are also set up on a farm in York Region that is run by the same non-profit.

Earlier this year, the charitable organization also submitted an expression of interest to take part in a two-year micro-shelter community pilot project through the City of Toronto. Tiny Tiny Homes is proposing to set up a 50-dwelling community on about an acre of land. Donais told CP24 that he’s still waiting to hear back from the city on that one.

“I’d love for a day when what we’re doing is not needed,” Donais said.

“There’s just so many people outside right now. We need more indoor spaces.”