Ontario Construction News staff writer
EllisDon has completed construction on a new 61-unit affordable housing development in London –  one of the first projects successfully completed under the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI).
The four-storey apartment complex includes one, two, and three-bedroom units along with common-use support spaces on each floor aimed at providing Londoners at risk of experiencing homelessness a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.
The project was a team effort between multiple EllisDon departments within EllisDon and the city of London. EllisDon Community Builders (EDCB), a division of EllisDon dedicated to affordable housing, led the combined effort in close partnership with EllisDon Construction, working with the city from feasibility, through design and completion.
EDCB worked closely with the city to confirm the project’s feasibility and compliance with the federal funding requirements, particularly the achievement of substantial completion within the rigorous timing conditions of the RHI program.
EllisDon’s Energy & Digital Services (EDS) team assisted with maximizing the efficiency of the building design and construction execution. EDS involvement expanded to include the procurement, implementation and configuration of the integrated security system and the supporting network including video surveillance, access control, wireless insuite panels and an entry phone system.
“This project was on a very tight and demanding timeline for our builders,” said Patrick Cooper, London’s director of municipal housing development.
“EllisDon understood that demand and the difference this development would make for so many in our community. And thanks to their hard work and this partnership, many Londoners now have a safe, affordable place to call home.”
