The City of Brantford is moving forward with several housing developments designed to increase the local supply of affordable homes. These projects, which include both temporary and permanent options, represent a significant effort toward reaching the goals outlined in the Brantford-Brant Municipal Housing Master Plan.
The largest of these initiatives is the redevelopment of the former Fox Ridge Community Care facility at 389 West Street. The city purchased the 4.82-acre site for approximately $11.47 million using a combination of city reserves and provincial funds. This location is being transformed into a housing hub in three phases. The first phase, which will provide 50 emergency shelter units for families, couples, women, and vulnerable individuals, is expected to be ready by October 1, 2026. A portion of the site is currently being used to temporarily house elders from the Six Nations of the Grand River community following the 2025 closure of the Iroquois Lodge.
Future plans for the Fox Ridge site include transitional and supportive housing in the second phase, followed by permanent housing in the third phase. Preliminary designs suggest the final phase could eventually add between 72 and 144 units to the city’s housing inventory.
In addition to the West Street hub, two other developments are currently underway. Jaycees Brantford Non-Profit Homes is building a 24-unit complex at 32 Bridge Street, supported by a $1.5 million municipal subsidy. This project is intended to provide safe housing for women and women-led families and is expected to open in 2026. Meanwhile, Brantford Native Housing is constructing 18 units at 247-253 West Street specifically for Indigenous families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, with completion anticipated in 2027.
These efforts are part of a broader ten-year strategy to create 843 affordable units by 2030. As of mid-2024, more than 1,000 households were on the local waiting list for rent-geared-to-income housing, with a portion of those applicants classified as having urgent, homeless priority status.
