Whitby marked a major step toward easing its housing crunch on May 12, 2026, as Habitat for Humanity GTA broke ground on its first-ever affordable home community in the town. The project will bring 46 affordable homes to the intersection of Hickory Street South and Dunlop Street East in Downtown Whitby, with the first families expected to move in by 2028.
The Town of Whitby donated two parcels of land for the build, valued at more than $5 million, at the Hickory Street South site (north of Dunlop Street East) and the Gilbert Street site (south of Dunlop Street East). On top of the land donation, the Town committed another $25,000 through the Mayor’s Community Development Fund.
The project is part of a bigger push to tackle rising housing costs in Whitby. The average home price in town now tops $960,000, nearly double what it was a decade ago, requiring a household income of almost $200,000 to buy. Habitat GTA offers a different path: partner families can buy with no down payment and a mortgage initially set at no more than 32 per cent of their income, plus they pitch in 500 volunteer hours.
Construction is set to start this year, with the 46 stacked townhouse units to include one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts and several accessible homes. Habitat GTA is working to raise $7 million to complete construction, supported by a new volunteer group, the Whitby Housing Action Committee, which is rallying community awareness, volunteers, and donations.
The effort also got a lift from the federal government, which provided nearly $25 million through the Housing Accelerator Fund to help Whitby fast-track 656 new homes over three years. Mayor Elizabeth Roy said the project shows what can happen when governments, community groups, donors, and volunteers pull together toward a common goal.
