Northern Ontario’s new housing research hub, the Centre for Housing Innovation at Laurentian University, aims to increase the number of new builds while reducing prices and environmental impact. Approved by the university’s senate on June 17, the centre will unite students from STEM and social sciences with industry leaders to tackle the region’s housing crisis, including issues like the limited construction season, a shortage of skilled workers, and supply chain problems.
Northern Ontario suffers from a housing supply shortage, with high construction costs in smaller communities. Builders face challenges such as long transportation times for materials, particularly in remote areas. First Nations communities are particularly affected, with many homes in disrepair, and some have declared housing emergencies due to inadequate supply. The centre plans to explore affordable housing options, including prefabricated homes built using local materials.
Additionally, the lack of supply hubs raises construction costs. The centre aims to create decentralized local hubs for materials, and explore the use of sustainable building resources. Industry members find potential in the hub’s direction, hoping it will help improve building practices and address the training gap for skilled labor in the region. Overall, the centre intends to engage northern communities to develop region-specific solutions to these challenges.
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