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New Housing Alternatives

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by New Housing Alternatives Grant

10 episodes

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Podcast Overview

What if the solutions to Canada’s housing crisis are already out there, just hidden in plain sight? New Housing Alternatives Podcast digs deeper to uncover what really works in solving the affordability issue. Despite dominant narratives claiming our housing crisis can be solved by simply building more market-rate supply, nearly half of Canadian households can’t afford average rents today. The crisis is deeper than a numbers game; it’s about who we’re building for, who gets left out, and what kind of communities we want to live in. Join hosts Ren Thomas and Cherise Burda as they explore real solutions to this once-in-a-generation housing crisis and cut through the noise on Canada’s housing affordability crisis to spotlight real solutions that already exist, and the people making them happen. New Housing Alternatives is made possible with the support of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Partnership Grant, a partnership that is co-directed by Alan Walks and Susannah Bunce and based at the University of Toronto. In this series, we talk to the people doing the work: nonprofit and co-operative developers, community organizers, and researchers reimagining housing not as a commodity, but as a human right. These are the underdogs creating affordable homes against the odds, proving it’s possible to build housing for people, not profit. You’ll hear from: -Ground-breaking developers creating alternative models of co-ownership and co-ops -Policy experts who challenge the supply-only narrative -Economists and data experts unpack how affordability vanishes, and how to bring it back -Community leaders who are preserving existing homes and building new ones in ways that centre dignity and access Whether you're a policymaker, housing advocate, or simply someone trying to make rent, this podcast brings you stories and insights that show a different future is not only possible, it’s already being built.

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Publishing Since

10/2/2025

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Recent Episodes

June 19, 2026

Transit, Timber, and Co-Ops

In this episode of New Housing Alternatives, hosts Cherise Burda and Dr. Ren Thomas speak with Graeme Hussey, President of Nesting Ground and Director of Affordable Housing at Windmill Developments. They explore how a sustainability‑focused private developer is partnering with non‑profits and co‑ops to deliver low‑carbon, mixed‑income housing, using the One Planet Living framework to make affordability and sustainability core requirements rather than trade‑offs. Graeme walks through flagship projects like the Kennedy Station co‑op community at 2444 Eglinton East, a nine‑storey mass‑timber building at 230 Royal York, and a 400‑unit, transit‑oriented mass‑timber development at 1460 Riverside Drive in Ottawa. He also breaks down the policy tools needed to scale this work—predictable low‑cost financing, municipal fee and tax relief, and federal support for offsite and prefab construction to unlock more climate‑aligned non‑market housing. Key Takeaways <ul><li>Mixed market and non‑market housing is becoming the new normal. With high costs and declining affordability, many viable projects now blend market units with deeply affordable or co‑op homes in the same buildings, backed by partnerships and layered incentives. </li><li>Scale matters for non‑profit housing. It can take similar effort to build 20 units as 200; organizations like Nesting Ground aim to tackle the housing crisis by doing fewer, larger, multi‑hundred‑unit projects, often in multiple municipalities. </li><li>Sustainability is no longer optional. For long‑term non‑profit owners, energy efficiency, low operating costs, and low‑carbon materials (like mass timber) are central to both climate goals and affordability over the building’s life. </li><li>Modern methods of construction (MMC) and offsite building are key enablers. Prefab and offsite construction can deliver faster, better‑quality, more energy‑efficient buildings, and align well with federal priorities such as Build Canada Homes—if policy and funding de‑risk this sector. </li><li>Policy levers need to align across governments. Federal low‑cost loans, provincial support, and municipal waivers of fees and property taxes can dramatically change the math for non‑profit and co‑op projects, shifting resources from hard costs into deeper affordability. </li><li>Partnerships are the backbone of innovation. From co‑ops at Kennedy Station to mass‑timber towers in Ottawa, collaboration between private developers, non‑profits, community housing providers, and governments is crucial for delivering both affordability and climate action at scale.</li></ul> Chapters:00:00 – Intro & Episode Overview 00:37 – Why Focus on New Housing Alternatives? Models that Actually Work 01:39 – Introducing Graeme Hussey, Windmill Developments, and Nesting Ground 02:30 – What Makes Windmill Different as a Private Developer? 02:57 – Dockside Green, Zibi, and 25 Years of Sustainable Development 04:48 – One Planet Living: A Framework for Affordability and Sustainability 05:07 – Partnering with Non‑Profits to Deliver Affordable Housing 07:28 – Why Mix Market and Non‑Market Housing in the Same Projects? 09:34 – Nesting Ground’s Mission: Scaling Non‑Profit Housing Across Cities 09:58 – Why Small Projects Take the Same Effort as Large Ones 12:27 – Housing and Climate: How MMC and Offsite Construction Fit In 13:07 – From Energy Efficiency to Embodied Carbon and Mass Timber 15:16 – 230 Royal York: Ontario’s Tallest Residential Mass‑Timber Building 16:48 – Inside the Kennedy Station Co‑op Project at 2444 Eglinton East 17:31 – Co‑ops, Mixed Income Models, and Zero‑Carbon Design 20:00 – Three Things Policymakers Need to Understand About Financing 20:18 – No Magic Bullet: Why Every Sector Has a Role 21:08 – Predictable Low‑Cost Financing and the Scale of Investment Needed 22:20 – Municipal Tools: Development Charges and Property Taxes 24:36 – Federal Leadership, Build Canada Homes, and the Prefab Sector 27:16 – 1460 Riverside Drive: A 400‑Unit Mass‑Timber TOD in Ottawa 28:35 – What It Means to See Your Projects Built on the Ground 30:53 – Timelines, Construction Speed, and Mass Timber vs. Concrete 31:39 – Collaboration, Replication, and Competing to Build the “Coolest” Projects 32:40 – Closing Reflections, Optimism, and Credits New Housing Alternatives is made possible with the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Explore our Vision & Objectives, Research Clusters & Projects, and subscribe to our blog at:https://newhousingalternatives.ca/blog

May 22, 2026

From Tree to Home: Local Passive Panels, Prefab Housing, and Distributed Manufacturing

In this episode of New Housing Alternatives, hosts Cherise Burda and Dr. Ren Thomas speak with Melinda Zytaruk, CEO of Tooketree Passive Homes, a social enterprise that factory‑produces low‑carbon, high‑performance building panels. Together, they explore how offsite construction can deliver faster, more affordable, and climate‑resilient housing—while also creating safer, more stable local jobs.Melinda explains how panelized construction works, from sourcing Ontario wood and recycled cellulose to assembling precision panels in a controlled factory environment and partnering with builders on-site. She challenges dominant narratives about “industrialized” modular housing—like the idea that big, robot‑filled factories are the answer—and instead makes the case for a distributed network of small and medium panel producers embedded in local communities. They also unpack how federal initiatives like Build Canada Homes and “modern methods of construction” can support (or constrain) this ecosystem, why integrated design and early collaboration matter more for cost than any single technology, and how offsite construction can align with non‑market housing, co‑ops, and land trusts to deliver long‑term affordability and climate resilience.Key Takeaways<ul><li>Offsite construction is about people, not robots. Successful modular and panelized housing companies rely on skilled workers and collaborative teams—not vast, automated warehouses—creating safer, more accessible jobs (including for people traditionally excluded from construction).</li><li>Factory‑built panels can be both low‑carbon and cost‑competitive. By integrating design early, reducing waste, and standardizing processes (while still customizing each building enclosure), panel producers can deliver Passive House–level performance without necessarily increasing as‑built costs.</li><li>Local supply chains strengthen both climate and community outcomes. Tooketree’s panels use Ontario wood, recycled cellulose, and wood fibre insulation from Quebec, adding value to regional forestry and manufacturing while reducing emissions and supporting local economies.</li><li>Distributed manufacturing builds resilience. A network of small, community‑based factories across Canada can share work, smooth demand, and avoid the vulnerability of “picking a few big winners” that may fail or face delays.</li><li>Policy and finance must recognize pre‑construction and cash‑flow realities. Programs like Build Canada Homes can unlock capacity if they fund early design and collaborative planning, and address the “chicken‑and‑egg” problem of paying for materials and fabrication before panels arrive on site—especially for non‑profits, co‑ops, and land trusts.</li></ul>Chapters: 00:00 – Intro & Episode Overview 00:37 – Why Prefab and Offsite Construction for Housing? 01:56 – Introducing Melinda Zytaruk & Tooketree Passive Homes 02:38 – Trade Show Pitch: Building Faster, More Affordable, and Low‑Carbon 03:48 – Why Build Panels Indoors? Jobs, Safety, and Work‑Life Balance 05:17 – What Offsite Construction Really Looks Like (Not a Warehouse of Robots) 07:16 – Custom Panels, Shop Drawings, and Design Flexibility 08:39 – From Single‑Family Homes to Co‑ops and Non‑Market Housing 09:55 – Acting as Project Integrator and Design‑Assist Partner 10:44 – High‑Performance Goals: Passive House, Net Zero, and Low‑Carbon Enclosures 11:17 – Social Enterprise Values and Scaling Up to Multi‑Unit Housing 12:32 – Long‑Term Affordability and Operating Costs 13:22 – Is Offsite Construction Too Good to Be True? Costs, Myths, and Evidence 14:47 – Why Collaboration and Integrated Design Drive Cost More Than Technology 15:52 – Certifications: CSA, Passive House, and Net Zero Builders 16:23 – Sourcing Ontario Wood, Recycled Cellulose, and High‑Performance Membranes 18:06 – Supply Chain Vulnerabilities and Local Supplier Relationships 19:05 – From Tree to Home: Forest Jobs, Value‑Added Manufacturing, and Assembly 19:45 – Training Builders and GCs to Assemble Panels on Site 20:26 – How Offsite Construction Expands (Not Replaces) Local Construction Jobs 21:01 – What Policies Support Distributed Panel Producers? 21:40 – Build Canada Homes, Insurance, and Climate‑Resilient Housing 23:10 – The Need for Pre‑Construction Funding and Early‑Stage Design Support 24:18 – Cash Flow, Deposits, and the Modular “Chicken‑and‑Egg” Problem 26:00 – Industrialization vs. a Diverse, Distributed Offsite Ecosystem 26:27 – Why Small and Medium Local Factories Make the Sector More Resilient 27:29 – Collaboration Over Cut‑Throat Competition in a Housing and Health Crisis 28:43 – Centring Community, Well‑Being, and Human Rights in How We Build 29:49 – Closing Reflections, Optimism, and CreditsLearn more about the Tooketree Passive Homes here: https://www.tooketree.com/New Housing Alternatives is made possible with the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Explore our Vision & Objectives and Research Clusters & Projects, and subscribe to our blog at the link below:<a href="https://newhousingalternatives.ca/blog"> https://newhousingalternatives.ca/blog</a>

April 17, 2026

Community Land Trusts and the Future of Kensington Market

In this episode of New Housing Alternatives, hosts Cherise Burda and Dr. Ren Thomas speak with Dominique Russell, writer, activist, teacher, and co‑director of the Kensington Market Community Land Trust (KMCLT). Together, they explore how community land trusts (CLTs) use collective ownership, organizing, and mutual aid to fight displacement and preserve deeply affordable housing and commercial spaces in Toronto’s Kensington Market. Drawing on a decade of neighborhood organizing—from stopping a proposed Walmart to acquiring three mixed‑use buildings—Dominique explains how CLTs decommodify land, center community power, and reimagine what “ownership” can look like. She discusses funding tools like Toronto’s Multi‑Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) program and community bonds, and reflects on how CLTs across Canada are increasingly grounding their work in decolonization, land back, and social justice. Key Takeaways<ul><li>Community land trusts (CLTs) decommodify land and housing: CLTs are democratically controlled, neighborhood‑based nonprofits that acquire and hold land for community benefit, prioritizing security of tenure and affordable homes and commercial spaces over market returns.</li><li>Organizing comes before funding: KMCLT’s story shows that successful acquisition and financing (through tools like Toronto’s MURA program and community bonds) only become possible after deep community organizing, knowing your neighbors, and building a shared, representative vision for the neighborhood.</li><li>CLTs are part of a broader movement for decolonization and social justice: KMCLT and other members of the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts are increasingly centring land back, decolonization, and racial justice—redefining community ownership as mutual aid, local power, and long‑term resistance to displacement and gentrification.</li></ul>Chapters: 00:00 – Intro & Episode Overview 00:39 – Introducing Dominique Russell & Kensington Market CLT 01:25 – What Is a Community Land Trust? CLTs vs. Nonprofit Housing 04:13 – Why Kensington? Neighbourhood Preservation and Mission 04:39 – KMCLT’s Buildings on Kensington and Spadina 07:30 – From Anti‑Walmart Campaign to Community Land Trust 10:54 – Organizing Before Funding: Building a Representative CLT 11:04 – Acquisition, MURA, and Protecting Vulnerable Rental Housing 14:23 – Community Bonds and Financing Community Ownership 16:40 – Community Support, Short‑Term Rentals, and Displacement 19:24 – Advice for Communities Wanting to Start a CLT 21:20 – Future of KMCLT: Leadership Transition and Decolonizing Practice 23:30 – Relationship to Chinatown and Business Ecology 26:25 – Love of Place as the Emotional Core of CLT Work 28:58 – Local Organizing and the Wider CLT Movement 29:45 – Reflections & Key Lessons from Kensington Market 30:18 – Outro, Show Notes, and Credits Learn more about the Kensington Market Community Land Trust here: https://kmclt.ca/New Housing Alternatives is made possible with the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Explore our Vision & Objectives and Research Clusters & Projects, and subscribe to our blog at the link below:<a href="https://newhousingalternatives.ca/blog"> https://newhousingalternatives.ca/blog</a>

10 total episodes available

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What is New Housing Alternatives?: What if the solutions to Canada’s housing crisis are already out there, just hidden in plain sight? New Housing Alternatives Podcast digs deeper to uncover what really works in solving the affordability issue.

Despite dominant narratives claiming our housing crisis can be solved by simply building more market-rate supply, nearly half of Canadian households can’t afford average rents today. The crisis is deeper than a numbers game; it’s about who we’re building for, who gets left out, and what kind of communities we want to live in.

Join hosts Ren Thomas and Cherise Burda as they explore real solutions to this once-in-a-generation housing crisis and cut through the noise on Canada’s housing affordability crisis to spotlight real solutions that already exist, and the people making them happen.

New Housing Alternatives is made possible with the support of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Partnership Grant, a partnership that is co-directed by Alan Walks and Susannah Bunce and based at the University of Toronto.

In this series, we talk to the people doing the work: nonprofit and co-operative developers, community organizers, and researchers reimagining housing not as a commodity, but as a human right. These are the underdogs creating affordable homes against the odds, proving it’s possible to build housing for people, not profit.

You’ll hear from: -Ground-breaking developers creating alternative models of co-ownership and co-ops -Policy experts who challenge the supply-only narrative -Economists and data experts unpack how affordability vanishes, and how to bring it back -Community leaders who are preserving existing homes and building new ones in ways that centre dignity and access

Whether you're a policymaker, housing advocate, or simply someone trying to make rent, this podcast brings you stories and insights that show a different future is not only possible, it’s already being built.
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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