By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
The rain was steady Wednesday afternoon but, at the grand opening of Habitat For Humanity Northumberland’s seven-unit townhouse in Baltimore, everyone agreed it was a beautiful day.
“It’s not just a celebration of home ownership, it’s a celebration of the hard work and determination of Habitat staff, volunteers, governance and community supporters and, most important, our newest homeowner families,” board member Meaghan Adams said.
The Habitat organization has been doing its work for 50 years, Adams said, making home ownership possible for millions, and this one is a milestone for the Northumberland affiliate as their biggest development to date.
“We bring people together to build homes, community and hope,” jubilant Executive Director Cathy Borowec said.
“It’s a celebration not only of the homes we have built, but what becomes possible when people come together with purpose and with heart.”
Borowec reviewed the timeline that went back to the purchase of the land in 2021. The project was announced in November 2022, and ground was broken the following May.
When she joined the organization in January 2024, the first-floor walls were standing and work was beginning on the upstairs floor.
She called it a “vibrant, sustainable and community-focused development, and it’s the largest project in 27 years of Habitat in Northumberland.”
The seven homes were built to net-zero energy-efficiency standards, meaning not only energy efficiency but less environmental impact.
“Multi-units allow us to do more to meet the growing needs of housing locally and across the country,” Borowec said.
“Rental prices are too high, home ownership is out of reach for the community and the number of people who need affordable housing keeps getting bigger.
“We are committed not only to building homes but building smarter, building sustainably, building on a larger scale.”
The benefits of this project include Habitat’s participation in an initiative of the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development that saw 28 individuals who participated in the build and have now found employment – “a powerful reminder that the impact of Habitat goes far beyond the walls of the homes themselves,” she said.
Data from Habitat homeowners show more benefit as well, with 79% of them reporting less stress and more financial security. Half the children in Habitat families do better in school after moving into their homes. On average, these families are ahead $7,500 per year over comparable rental properties.
There was much credit to share among municipalities, suppliers, donors, sponsors, volunteers and organizations like CMHC (which, since 2019, has supplied Habitat with $65.1-million in funding that has resulted in more than 800 homes across Canada).
“Building a strong, prosperous Canada really stats with homes,” Habitat For Humanity Canada Chief Executive Officer Pedro Barata stated, adding that this is Habitat’s first fully-net-zero build on this scale in all of Canada.
The seven new Habitat families had contributed more than 3,500 hours of volunteer work, or sweat equity as it is called. No down payments were required, and the affordable mortgages were geared to income. And, Barata noted, new families in a community support the local economy.
There were even housewarming gifts for the families from Hamilton Township, as Deputy Mayor Larry Williamson presented gift baskets with bread (for nourishment), salt (for savour) and wine (for prosperity).
MP Philip Lawrence and MPP David Piccini could not be present, for very good reasons – Lawrence was getting sworn in for Parliament, and Piccini was touring with Premier Doug Ford for a number of announcements that included a new hospital in Campbellford.
Still, Borowec asked those present to advocate with them on Habitat’s behalf in their efforts to have the HST removed from affordable housing and from purpose-built rental projects.
“Please remind them that was an election promise,” she said,
“That would save us tens of thousands of dollars on this project alone.”
