Affordable Housing Development

This webpage is dedicated to sharing information on the progress of Durham Region's affordable housing development initiatives.

Affordable and market housing development opportunity at the former Ritson School site

The Region of Durham is inviting proposals from qualified development partners for the affordable and market housing development at the former Ritson School site in Oshawa.

Through NRFP-1032-2026, the Region is seeking proposals to develop this Region-owned site under a long-term land lease model. This transformative project will be an important part of a vibrant mixed-income community that will include affordable and market rental housing, supportive housing, enhanced public spaces, and the future renovation of the historic Ritson School building as a community hub.

Organizations with experience in developing and operating rental residential projects with an affordable housing component are encouraged to submit a proposal.

Submission deadline: October 27, 2026, at 2 p.m. (EDT)
How to submit: Submit proposals through the Region of Durham's bidding website under NRFP-1032-2026.

For project details, eligibility requirements, and submission instructions, please review the complete bid documents available on the Region's bidding website under NRFP-1032-2026 – Affordable and Market Housing Development at the Ritson School Site, Oshawa.

The Region of Durham is committed to providing a full range of safe, accessible and affordable housing in our community.

Housing Durham sites

Housing Durham (the Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation) is Regionally owned and operated affordable housing and the region's largest non-market housing provider. We are modernizing and redeveloping many of its properties. Redevelopment site will provide more units, improve designs and provide a better unit mix with more on-site amenities.

Durham Region is transforming Regionally owned community housing into vibrant, walkable, climate resilient and inclusive mix-income communities. This includes 409 Centre Street, Whitby, as well as sites on Christine Crescent, Normandy Street (Broader Hill Phase 1A), at 416-448 Malaga Road and 600 Townline Road in Oshawa. Learn about the Community Housing Redevelopment on Your Durham.

Retrofit projects

Durham Region is actively working to enhance its affordable housing stock through various retrofit projects. Notable initiatives include the 155 King Street project in Oshawa and the 655 Harwood Avenue project in Ajax. These retrofits aim to modernize existing buildings, improve energy efficiency, and ensure safe, comfortable living conditions for residents. By investing in these upgrades, Durham Region is committed to providing sustainable and affordable housing solutions that meet the needs of its growing community.

Regional partnership sites

The Region of Durham also works with partners, including developers and non-profit organizations, to support the development of affordable housing. Below are examples of partnership initiatives:

Ritson School Project, Oshawa

The Region is in the process of seeking development partners to design, develop, operate and maintain new mixed income rental housing on the Ritson School site in the City of Oshawa.

This revitalization project will create a safe, inclusive and desirable neighbourhood to live, grow, visit and stay. The first phase partnership opportunity would provide at least 200 residential units with 30 per cent affordable units.

The transformation of the site will also include new public spaces, improvements to the existing heritage designated former school building and public open space areas. Space planning, remediation and capital improvements to the heritage former school building will be undertaken by the Region to facilitate its transformation into a future community hub. In addition, a 50 unit supportive housing building will also be provided. This will be a multi-phase project. The first stages of development could commence in 2027.

For more information on this project, visit durham.ca/RitsonSchool.

650 Rossland Road East, Whitby

The Province of Ontario owns a seven-acre site in the Town of Whitby, Region of Durham, that has the municipal address of 590 Rossland Road East. It is occupied by a multi-tenant government office building, a parking lot and vacant land. Durham Region owns the adjacent 2.9 acre site at 650 Rossland Road East that contains a Regional Police and Collision Reporting Centre, a parking lot and vacant land. These lands are currently underutilized and hold great potential for redevelopment and housing opportunities.

Harwood Achilles, Ajax

The Harwood Achilles site, located in downtown Ajax, is an important opportunity to help address the need for permanent supportive housing. Currently in the predevelopment stage, this site aims to provide 50 units of supportive housing with wrap-around supports in a three storey building. The Region recently release a Request for Expression of Interest to qualified third party developers and operators for this site. This project will require site plan approval from the Town of Ajax and could commence by late 2027.

At Home Incentive Program

The At Home Incentive Program (AHIP) supports the development of purpose-built affordable rental housing in Durham Region through direct capital funding and by supporting expedited planning approvals. In the first four years of the program, Regional Council approved $38.5 million in AHIP funding to help create 457 new affordable rental units in Ajax, Brock, Clarington, Oshawa, Scugog, Uxbridge and Whitby.

At Home Incentive Program investments

Developer	Regional investment	Affordable units supported	Location
Riverbank Homes	$5,500,000	75	109 Colborne Street West, Oshawa
Otter Creek Co-operative Homes	$2,500,000	18	835 McQuay Boulevard, Whitby
Ledim Developments	$5,000,000	78	310 Kingston Road East, Ajax
Kindred Works, Uxbridge	$4,700,000	39	15-23 Main Street, Uxbridge
Muslim Welfare Canada	$5,750,000	55	1589-1603 Highway #2, Courtice
Borelia Cooperative Homes Inc.	$2,688,000	16	10 Borelia Crescent, Port Perry
1465 King Street Inc.	$4,812,000	70	1465 Highway #2, Courtice
ACA Housing Corp.	$750,000	10	82 River Street, Sunderland
Athol Green Inc.	$7,250,000	96	0 Athol Street, Oshawa
Total	$38,950,000	457

Homelessness supports

The Region of Durham supports the development of properties that help people on their journey from homelessness to permanent housing. This includes New Transitional and Supportive Housing Projects Beaverton Heights, Oshawa Micro-homes and 1635 Dundas Street East.

Beaverton Heights

Beaverton Heights is a 47-unit transitional housing residence that provides accommodation and access to wraparound services to help promote life stabilization. Blue Door, the service operator at Beaverton Heights, provides wraparound supports, including on-site meals in a dining hall, rental and tenant support, and support with life skills building, employment services, mental health and addictions, and other supports.

Oshawa Micro-homes

The micro-homes pilot project in central Oshawa features 10 units for temporary, transitional housing with supports. The micro-home units are located on land acquired by the Region for the Gibb Street and Olive Avenue road realignment and widening project at the corner of Olive Avenue and Drew Street. Once the scheduled road work commences, the units will be relocated to a permanent site.

1635 Dundas Street East

1635 Dundas Street East is a multi-phase initiative aimed at providing safe and inclusive housing support solutions. Since opening in March 2024, the shelter has provided a safe and supportive environment to over 100 individuals. Phase 2 now focuses on creating housing units with health and social supports and services.