Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government is providing nearly $2 million to help build up to 25 tiny homes for military Veterans experiencing homelessness in Kingston, including a transfer of provincially-owned land and funding for planning and off-site servicing.
The province is working in partnership with the Homes for Heroes Foundation and the City of Kingston to convert one-and-a-half acres of land into a Veterans’ Village with tiny homes that will provide transitional housing for veterans in private self-contained unit that includes a kitchen, living room, bathroom and sleeping area.
“Ontario owes a debt of gratitude to our veterans and our government believes that everyone – especially those whose lives have been in the service of others – should have a place to call home,” said Steve Clark, minister of municipal affairs and housing.
To accelerate the zoning process so that Veterans can be housed as quickly as possible, the Clark issued a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) allowing for residential and complementary uses of the site, such as a community hall which will serve as a resource centre that will be available to the Veteran tenants for social gatherings and peer-to-peer support. Without the MZO, necessary rezoning for construction of the Veterans’ Village could take years.
The Kingston village will be built on one-acre of land donated from the province, land that currently includes Providence Care Hospital, Beechgrove Complex and the now-closed Rockwood Asylum.
“Congratulations to Homes for Heroes for making this important project a reality,” said Bryan Paterson, Mayor of Kingston. “We’re honoured to be the first city in Ontario considered for a project that will create up to 25 homes for military veterans experiencing homelessness.
“The last year was spent laying the groundwork necessary to push this development forward. We’re now one step closer to providing these brave men and women, people who dedicated their lives to the service of our country, with safe and secure housing.”
Homes For Heroes estimates there are more than 5,000 military veterans in Canada experiencing homelessness.
Kingston’s Veterans’ Village will be constructed from prefabricated modular housing – an innovative and effective way to quickly provide homes for those who are experiencing homelessness.
An independent, third-party heritage consultant assessed the property to inform the location of the Veterans’ Village. This included consulting with local stakeholders. The vast majority of the greenspace around the property, including mature trees, will remain untouched.