Habitat for Humanity organizations across Canada recognized for their contributions to innovative housing solutions
May 14 2024 - 10:00AM
Habitat for Humanity Canada is celebrating the achievements
of twelve local Habitats in providing impactful housing solutions
to their communities across the country.
Habitats were recognized for several accomplishments in 2023,
such as: supporting members of Saugeen Ojibway Nation in Ontario
with critical renovations to housing; achieving the province’s
highest energy efficiency rating in a four-unit build in Castlegar,
British Columbia; and developing a ride-share app for future
multi-unit builds that offsets parking space requirements and helps
provide more space for homes in Peterborough, Ontario.
In addition, Habitat for Humanity Northwest Territories’ board
chair Dave Hurley and Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta’s CEO
Gerrad Oishi both received the prestigious Terry Petkau Legacy
Award for their visionary leadership, commitments to partnership
and innovation, and accomplishments in building more homes for
families.
“Congratulations to this year’s award winners,” said Julia
Deans, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada. “These
awards highlight the exceptional work of local Habitats at a time
when innovation, partnerships, and leadership are critical to
responding to Canada’s housing crisis, and to helping us fulfill
Habitat for Humanity’s vision and mission in Canada and around the
world.”
Here are this year’s award winners:
- Terry Petkau Legacy award –
Outstanding Volunteer: Dave Hurley, co-founder and
board chair, Habitat for Humanity Northwest Territories.
Since Habitat Northwest Territories’ inception in 2012, Dave’s
passion and commitment has led the organization through
transformational change. His ongoing collaboration with all levels
of government, First Nations groups, and potential partners and
funders has leveraged available resources to help this Habitat
succeed while expanding its reach. Through Dave’s visionary
leadership, Habitat Northwest Territories transitioned from
traditional builds to modular, prefabricated homes, enabling it to
build faster, more sustainably and more affordably, all while
increasing its annual number of home builds to better serve
families in the North.
- Terry Petkau Legacy award –
Outstanding Staff: Gerrad Oishi, CEO, Habitat for
Humanity Southern Alberta. Gerrad joined Habitat Southern
Alberta in 2015 and since then, his passion, perseverance,
expertise and thoughtful leadership have led to more stable housing
options for families. The organization developed a financing model
to access land trust property in the City of Calgary for
higher-density affordable housing. In 2022, Habitat Southern
Alberta completed the largest build in its history, a 32-unit
stacked townhome project. Last year, Habitat Southern Alberta
generated $6.3 million in sales through its three Habitat ReStore
locations and online store, all to build more affordable housing in
Calgary and nearby communities.
- Environment and
Sustainability winner: Habitat for Humanity
Southeast BC achieved its province’s highest energy
efficiency rating of Step Code 5 on its four-unit townhome build in
Castlegar, British Columbia. The build included acoustical sound
insulation and concrete floor topping to support lower levels of
noise transmission – a difficult area in which to achieve
sustainability, along with xeriscape landscaping to promote low
water usage.
- Expanded Impact
winner: In 2023, Habitat for Humanity Grey
Bruce partnered with 12 families – a 200% increase in
families served; assisted 34 families through its ReStore Community
Services program; and supported 77 Saugeen Ojibway Nation members
with critical renovations to ensure safe and habitable homes.
Habitat Grey Bruce also hosted 47 youth participants through 61
hands-on skill-building training events at its First Nations build
sites – engaging participants in active Reconciliation with First
Nations.
- Innovation winners:
- In 2023, Habitat for
Humanity Nova Scotia's ReStore continued to implement
innovative strategies to help make it a leading local social
enterprise retailer in its province. This included partnering with
non-profit organizations to provide meaningful employment
opportunities; redistributing surplus donations to enhance
community impact and reduce waste; forging strategic partnerships
with local recycling and junk removal companies to redirect usable
items from landfills to the ReStore; partnering with local realtors
to promote its kitchen removal program; and leveraging digital
platforms to further expand the ReStore’s reach and impact. Since
2021, Habitat Nova Scotia’s ReStore has increased its annual
revenue by 84% to more than $1.4 million in 2023, directly
translating to more proceeds to support its affordable
homeownership program.
- Habitat for Humanity
Peterborough & Kawartha Region has been successfully
working with the City of Peterborough to reduce its parking
requirements to 0.5 parking spaces per housing unit for future
higher-density developments – maximizing its ability to build more
homes. To offset this reduction in parking spots, in 2023 this
Habitat forged a partnership with students at Trent University to
develop an app for the organization’s new car-share program. The
program will provide future Habitat homeowners with access to an
on-site, Habitat-owned vehicle that can be rented by the hour or
day for a reasonable fee, reducing the homeowners’ overall
environmental footprint in local communities.
- Family Partnership
winners: Habitat homeowners are our most important
partners and ambassadors.
- Habitat for Humanity Red
Deer has robust processes in place to support homeowner
success. This includes opportunities for personal growth,
homeownership education, and financial literacy through workshops
such as Good Neighbours conflict resolution, Maintenance and
Warranties, and its Money Mentors financial courses. Habitat Red
Deer maintains steady contact with homeowners, including check-ins
to ensure families are doing well. This includes natural
relationship touchpoints such as newsletters, invitations to
special events, and regularly bringing families into the Habitat
ReStore through homeowner discounts.
- Habitat for Humanity
Southern Alberta continually refines its processes to
establish and maintain successful relationships with families who
have become true ambassadors for the Habitat brand. This includes
improving future homeowner volunteer experiences; homeowner
training on condos and board governance; follow-ups on household
warranties before expiry; quarterly homeowner newsletters on home
maintenance; homeowner surveys conducted during the first, fifth
and tenth years of occupancy; and families in mortgages receiving
ongoing support during touchpoints three times a year.
- Community Outreach winner: Habitat for
Humanity Okanagan engaged new donors and supporters
through 50/50 lotteries, raising more than $173,000 in lottery
revenue in 2023. Habitat Okanagan’s lottery revenue goes towards
programming such as volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention, and
Habitat ReStore safety, helping the organization to sustain itself
while raising money to continue to build safe and affordable
homes.
- ‘One Habitat’ award:
Habitats for Humanity Hamilton, Huronia, New Brunswick,
Okanagan and Prince Edward-Hastings for
demonstrating their commitment to Habitat’s vision of a world where
everyone has a decent place to call home. Last year these Habitats
assumed responsibilities for other local Habitats due to mergers or
to provide interim support during leadership transitions.
For a full description of each award and award winner, please
visit https://habitat.ca/en/news/twelve-local-habitats-recognized-for-their-work-as-national-award-winners-announced.
About Habitat for Humanity Canada
Founded in 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national
charitable organization working toward a world where everyone has a
decent and affordable place to call home. Habitat for Humanity
brings communities together to help families build strength,
stability and independence through affordable homeownership. With
the help of volunteers, Habitat homeowners and 45 local Habitats
working in every province and territory, we provide a solid
foundation for better, healthier lives in Canada and around the
world. Habitat for Humanity Canada is a member of Habitat for
Humanity International, which was established in 1976 and has grown
to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 70
countries. For more information, please visit www.habitat.ca.
For more information:
Whitney Rodricks Senior Manager, CommunicationsHabitat for
Humanity CanadaE: wrodricks@habitat.caC: (416) 475-3487