Building affordable choice in housing

New Horizon Development Group is at the forefront of several affordable and attainable housing initiatives in Hamilton and beyond.

The West End Home Builders’ Association is committed to supporting housing opportunities and choice for current and future residents in the Hamilton-Halton area. From the post-World War II baby boom to navigating a post-pandemic climate, our dedicated members aim to support families and organizations with both jobs and housing.

This is the first in a series of articles that will highlight some of the forward-thinking initiatives our members are a part of and how they strive to make housing more accessible to our communities. To begin this series, we are featuring the Builder Member who was recognized with WE HBA’s Best in Housing Affordability award in 2021.

New Horizon Development Group: Building homes for everyone

New Horizon Development Group (NHDG) is a leader in building communities in the Greater Hamilton area. With award-winning designs in all varieties of residential construction, including mid-, high- and low-rise multi-family dwellings as well as single family custom homes, NHDG aims to redefine their clients’ expectations for urban and suburban living while keeping affordability and sustainability a priority.

NHDG is known for building the Bridgewater Residences and Pearle Hotel and Spa condominium/hotel development in downtown Burlington, as well as for various development applications underway with the City of Hamilton including the Country Fair Plaza on Mohawk and Upper Sherman, 310 Frances Ave. on the Stoney Creek waterfront, the Brock University campus on King Street East, and the Delta Secondary School on Main Street East.

Nearly 20 per cent of New Horizon’s over 1,200 units currently on active construction sites are considered affordable sales or rentals. This means that the units have been, or will be, sold or leased at prices lower than their market value at the time of sale or rental.

With the completion of these sites, NHDG and its partners stive to ensure home ownership is possible for all and hopes their contribution to the housing mix will help ease pressure on Greater Hamilton’s urban housing markets.

Active under construction

NHDG is building an assortment of affordable and attainable new communities within, near, and surrounding the City of Hamilton. 

195 Hespeler Rd., Cambridge
In partnership with Housing Cambridge, NHDG is redeveloping the former Satellite Motel in Cambridge. This site will soon be home to two purpose-built rental buildings with 128 residential suites. Fifty-five of these rentals will be either subsidized or below-market rentals – including some “deeply affordable” rent-geared-to-income units and are slated to be move-in ready by fall 2023.

This project would not be possible without partnerships with various public-sector organizations, including the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the Region of Waterloo and the City of Cambridge. With the help of various non-profits, government initiatives and community groups, this vision was brought to life and will benefit those in need of market-rate, attainable and affordable rental housing in the area.

870 Queenston Road, Stoney Creek
In September 2021, NHDG celebrated the groundbreaking of what will be the first open-market, multi-residential LEED-certified high-rise in the entire City of Hamilton. Partially powered by geothermal energy, this 14-storey, 219-unit rental building will maintain a significantly lower carbon footprint than traditional designs. In addition to its sustainability priorities, 20 per cent of the units at 870 Queenston will be mid-range affordable or below-market rentals.

Currently, this project is seeking support from the City of Hamilton’s Department of Planning and Economic Development through its various incentive programs. This development is eligible for assistance through the ERASE Program for contaminated land remediation, the Development Charges Deferral Program for rental housing, and the LEEDing the Way grant program for LEED-certified buildings. The concrete pour for the first floors of the building began in December 2022 and the building is scheduled to become available for occupancy in the fall of 2024.

Peachy Towns, Winona
As of February 2023, NHDG will complete the build of 60 two- and three-storey townhouses in partnership with Trillium Housing, a non-profit organization that provides payment-free mortgage assistance to new homebuyers. All homes in the development were sold at below-market rates in addition to offering financing assistance to new homebuyers. Eligibility requirements for mortgage assistance included meeting a certain annual income range as well as purchasing the home as a principal residence.

Peachy on the Mountain, Stoney Creek
As construction was wrapping up at Peachy Towns, it started up the road on Picardy Drive in Stoney Creek, where NHDG is building 71 three-storey townhouses again in partnership with Trillium Housing. The same eligibility criteria and sales price thresholds applied at this new home community.

Completed Affordable Housing
In addition to selling a variety of below-market units in a selection of condo builds throughout the Halton Region to Halton Region Housing Company, NHDG owns and manages a 37-unit affordable housing complex they built in Aldershot in 2014. NHDG partnered with the Region of Halton to develop The Westwood, a four-storey apartment building comprised only of subsidized rental units. Through careful community planning, regional partnerships, and a dedication to building a better tomorrow, New Horizon Development Group is committed to doing their part in addressing our current housing crisis.

The WE HBA is proud to support their initiatives and raise awareness about the many ways our members are working to solve issues our communities face in the current economic climate.