Strawberry Box Homes

Our proposed first stage is a pilot project for a small-scale, sustainable, and affordable housing village/community. It is intended for replication in rural municipalities across Ontario.  It more than a house, it is an experience where our homeowners have a collective belief in neighbours and nature.

• Size: Complete 800 sq. ft. "strawberry box" homes.

• Type: Factory-built to maximize cost efficiency, ensure quality control and sustainability and offer scalability.

• Location: rural X-burbs on the edge of cities with access to full suite of local amenities (never more than 20 minutes to the Walmart!).

• Systems: A strong commitment to sustainable design is central to the project, including in situ (on-site) waste and water management, allowing speedy deployment of Villages with no need to tie into central urban services.

• Utilities: Attached to the main electrical grid, water and waste is delivered through communal private service, with multiple options for high speed internet.

• Format: It is designed as a pocket village community, fostering a close-knit neighborhood environment focused on knowing the people around you and the area you live in.  A day in the Village comes with a style of living that offers experiences not found in typical urban subdivisions.

• Layout: Homes will be grouped into small clusters of 5-10 units.

• Total Units: The final unit count will be determined based on site engineering and environment capacity, with a design target of 30 units per village.

• Affordability Target:  Using condominium-style village ownership, communities will be built with a strict commitment to meeting local/provincial affordability pricing targets for new homes (est. $300-$400k per unit). 

• Governments Want This: Discussions with local municipal and county officials in eastern Ontario confirmed unanimous support.  Tangible contributions include: waiving development fees, potential surplus land acquisition, variances etc. from official plans, including exclusion from total housing limits built into municipal housing projections.

• Potential to access support from senior levels of government: with a focus on housing sustainability, affordability, and with an emphasis on vulnerable cohorts (e.g. seniors, single parents, young couples renting), the project aligns with countless policy objectives of the provincial and federal government including affordable housing, (rural) economic development and socio-economic well-being.  For instance, first-time homebuyers would have access to rebates of 100% of both federal and provincial sales tax (HST).

The initial proof-of-concept will be built on a well-defined site in the northern part of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.  Municipalities within the County have expressed strong interest in welcoming the Village to their municipality.

• Location: X-burb on the southern edge of Ottawa with local amenities already in place and support from local governments secured.

• Site Size: Several sites ranging from 20-60 acres are available, allowing from optimal site selection for the pilot.

• Access & Services: The sites have direct entrance onto main county/municipal roads, and electrical service and capacity is available on site.

The pilot will establish a replicable blueprint for affordable rural housing development.

• Village Size: The total number of units is finalized once the site is fully engineered, accommodating the unique utility and home cluster designs.

• Replication: We have engaged in discussions with multiple rural municipalities that have shown interest in adopting this affordable, scalable, sustainable housing model.