Posted On: June 17th, 2026, Posted By: Durham Region, Original Article.
Durham Region has an urgent need for affordable housing and supportive housing.
In June 2023, Durham Regional Council approved funding for a Whitby-based site; a chance to support those who are vulnerable in our community. As a former long-term care home, this site is an ideal location for wrap-around supports.
In July 2020, Durham Regional Council voted to expedite the development of two new projects to help address the needs of Durham’s unsheltered residents; needs that were highlighted during the COVID-19 crisis: a modular housing project in Beaverton, and a micro-homes pilot project in Oshawa.
Learn about the:
1635 Dundas: Meeting immediate and long-term needs to Durham citizens without a home
1635 Dundas Street East is a multi-phase initiative aimed at providing safe and inclusive housing support solutions to help individuals and families who need it most.
Durham Region welcomed the first occupants to 1635 Dundas Street East shelter on March 20, 2024. The shelter has provided a safe and supportive environment to more than 300 unique individuals. The occupancy rate has been at or near capacity since opening.
Phase 2 now focuses on implementing what we heard from community engagement in Phase 1 by creating housing units with health and social supports and services. Durham Region values the insights and suggestions from our community members in informing the design and implementation of this facility that meets the needs of our residents.
On January 22, 2026, the federal government announced a $40 million investment, through the Affordable Housing Fund, to support Phase 2 of 1635 Dundas Street East. In Phase 2, the second and third floors of 1635 Dundas Street East will become supportive, transitional housing units, with a total of 104 beds and wraparounds supports to help people transition from homelessness into permanent housing. It will include addictions recovery, palliative care support for homeless seniors, a medical clinic, as well as administrative and service spaces.
Check out this virtual tour of 1635 Dundas: https://youtu.be/hCq2XO3avOw?si=0Ba_fTkyRoNWaCEC
Beaverton Heights
Beaverton Heights is a 47-unit transitional housing residence that provides accommodation and access to wraparound services to help promote life stabilization. A new Community Hub is located at the front of the property to facilitate services and activities for all residents in north Durham.
Blue Door is the service operator for the residence. Blue Door 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 that promote life stabilization. These support services allow for people to get the assistance they need, close to home. This helps to improve their overall quality of life and increases opportunities for success. For more information about transitional housing operated by Blue Door, visit the Blue Door website.
Priority access for Beaverton Heights is given to residents of north Durham experiencing – or at risk of – homelessness, who need extra support to overcome barriers to housing. Barriers to housing can be unique to each person but often include limited income, employment-related barriers, past experiences of trauma and/or health-related barriers.
Transitional housing
Transitional housing aims to bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing. It is temporary housing with supports that provide experience, tools and knowledge to help people overcome barriers to housing.
Participants must actively engage in the program, which includes case management and support services to help with health, education, employment or gaining access to income assistance, and planning to move into permanent housing.
The difference between transitional housing and permanent supportive housing is that occupancy in transitional housing is time limited. While both include wraparound supports, program participants in transitional housing don’t sign a lease, but sign the agreements below:
The purpose of transitional housing is to support people to obtain and maintain more permanent housing at the end of the four-year program. While the program is designed to be supportive and to meet participants where they are at, it also requires participation and holds participants accountable if they are in violation of the agreements signed.
Building design
Beaverton Heights was designed to complement the surrounding community and provide residents of the building with indoor and outdoor amenity spaces. The design has won both national and international awards, including the 2021 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence. The project was also designed to run on solar energy and electric power to reduce greenhouse (GHG) emissions and support the Region’s commitment to protect the environment through leadership in sustainability.
Beaverton Heights includes a community hub space, outdoor garden areas, a sports court and inviting indoor spaces:
Resident journeys
Blue Door’s Health Hub Open House
Beaverton Heights Community Liaison Committee
The Beaverton Heights Community Liaison Committee shares information, identifies concerns and brainstorms solutions to support the successful opening of this project into the broader community.
“Having this facility in our local community allows those in need to access these supports while staying in the community they are familiar with, and also have family and friends close by.”
Oshawa micro-homes pilot project
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 more permanent site.
The micro-home units were manufactured indoors and brought to the site for final installation.
This project was approved by Regional Council for expedited development on July 29, 2020 due to an urgent need for affordable and supportive housing.