On Wednesday, the lives of over a dozen individuals in St. Thomas, Ont. took a turn for the better as they received keys to their new homes in an affordable housing project.
The tiny houses located at 21 Kains St. come in various sizes, with bungalows starting at about 470 square feet and renting for $982 per month. A total of 16 people have moved into ten units, with another 30 homes still under construction.
“This property is going from a [decades-long] brownfield to a lively community. We couldn’t be more excited,” said Lindsay Rice, executive director of YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin. The organization teamed up with Sanctuary Homes and local developer Doug Tarry Homes, anticipating housing 66 individuals when the project wraps up in 2026.
The homes are made from pre-fabricated flat panels that are constructed off-site before being assembled on location. Rice mentioned that there are subsidies available for residents who may need them.
The houses come equipped with a full kitchen, bathroom, laundry machines, private bedrooms and living areas, and are fully climate-controlled. They’re energy efficient and “net-zero ready,” according to the developer.
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Inside the kitchen and living area in a one-bedroom bungalow that is part of Project Tiny Hope. (Alessio Donnini/ )
This model is becoming more appealing for developers and governments as housing affordability continues to challenge Canadians nationwide.
“This kind of project is so important. We sure hope that we have more models and opportunities to create affordable housing,” Rice said, emphasizing that these structures are permanent compared to container homes or mobile tiny houses sometimes used for shelters.
“It’s a big transition for people. They might go from sleeping rough or couch surfing to stability-breathing a big sigh of relief but also needing to adjust,” Rice said.
Project Tiny Hope aims to help ease that transition by providing on-site support like life skills programs, food security initiatives, collective kitchens, and more-all accessible from a “program house” within the neighborhood, Rice noted.
According to Rice, comfort also plays an essential role beyond just housing and supports.
This small neighborhood is expected to be well-kept with fruit and vegetable gardens along with areas for sitting around or playing-including a community basketball court among other amenities.
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Doug Tarry and Lindsay Rice pose for a photo during the grand opening event for Project Tiny Hope. (Alessio Donnini/ )
The man overseeing the home’s construction expressed how surreal it felt seeing people finally move in.
“It’s been quite a journey-a seven-year effort getting here. What started as a dream has now become reality; knowing we’re making such an impact on people’s lives is just priceless,” said an emotional Doug Tarry, president of the company responsible for building these homes.
Tarry shared how supportive the community has been throughout this process.
He hopes this work will continue moving forward as well.
“You can’t have a solid functioning healthy society without looking across the spectrum.” He stated they plan on sharing their experiences because investing in society is vital.”
The new residents chose not to speak with .
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