2B and BuildingIn are working together to pilot a new, scalable, and cost-efficient project that will provide 8 units of affordable housing for seniors that promotes aging in place. The project, envisioned by Lindsay Blair, who owns the development, is intended to scale across Lanark County and Eastern Ontario to provide adequate housing for seniors at affordable rates that match their fixed-income levels. With strong support from the Town of Smiths Falls, 2B and BuildingIn aim to work with municipal staff in workshops that provide on-site, hands-on learning opportunities to help staff better understand and experience the full project life cycle.

The project aims to significantly reduce both construction costs and time; the 2B team will be developing a knowledge transfer plan throughout the building process. Our objective is to identify where future cost savings can be realized and how to use MMCs each time to further reduce build time.

An important aspect of the project for Lindsay is showing how affordable housing solutions can look and feel like home ownership options for renters. Pulling away from the rigid straight lines of typical rental developments, they are seeking to build rental housing solutions that give tenants a sense of pride and long-term housing security. The development design process has yielded strong community, municipal, and stakeholder support; this project demonstrates how we can increase the rental supply of adequate housing while enhancing the streetscape and combating NIMBYism.