Ontario Construction News staff writer
OTTAWA — The Department of National Defence (DND) is set to significantly expand its residential footprint in Ontario as part of the second phase of a massive national housing construction program. During a virtual industry information session held Monday, officials from Defence Construction Canada (DCC) and the Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA) detailed plans to add thousands of new units across the province to support Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel.
The province is a primary focus of the national initiative, with several of the program’s largest growth sites located in Ontario. Petawawa is slated for 1,114 proposed new units, followed by Kingston with 960 units. Other Ontario sites identified for development include Ottawa (280 units), Borden (210 units), and North Bay (78 units).
Andrew Webster from DCC told participants that Phase 2 will utilize a “modified design-build” approach. Unlike traditional models, this strategy involves an RFP based on a statement of work rather than a rigid performance specification. Successful teams will work collaboratively with the CFHA to finalize site plans and specifications before entering open-book negotiations to establish a fixed construction price.
“The modified design-build model is intended to be more collaborative than a traditional design-build approach,” Webster said.
Eight RFPs are planned for release this spring, resulting in 19 distinct contracts. While RFPs are structured by geographic region, firms are not required to bid on every site within an RFP. For example, in the Ontario region, sites like Petawawa and Kingston will be awarded as individual contracts, though a single contractor could potentially win both.
Each contract will include a mandatory “indigenous benefit” target percentage. For the design-build model, this target will be based on market data to ensure a minimum percentage of subcontracts are awarded to indigenous partners.
Nicole Reich, CFHA Project Lead, emphasized that the program is shifting away from traditional single-family homes toward high-density, mid-rise apartment buildings.
“Our goal is to deliver residential housing solutions… and accelerate delivery by building high-density, mid-rise apartment buildings,” Reich said.
Design-build teams will be required to perform detailed feasibility assessments on using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), such as modular or panelized factory-built options, to ensure housing is delivered at a faster pace.’
National Defence Housing Construction Program: 2026 project scope
