For a new development in Innisfil being described as a the first of its kind in Canada, elected officials, local dignitaries and representatives from Mattamy Homes and Parkbridge gathered Monday at the Lakehaven Sales Centre on Ireton Street for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Model homes officially opened for sale and public viewing on June 5, stemming from the "innovative partnership" formed by Mattamy Homes and Parkbridge, which will conclude in the building of more than 2,000 homes as part of a mixed-use community projected for completion in the coming decade.
“Innisfil is a growing community and projects like this will help to meet the housing needs of those moving to the community or those looking for other housing options,” said Mayor Lynn Dollin.
“This new development of townhomes and detached homes will be a welcome addition to Innisfil and is perfectly situated for owners to enjoy all the fabulous amenities offered in the town," she added.
Parkbridge's Dale Anders said phase one, which includes the construction of 500 homes, is expected to conclude at the end of next year.
“Some of them will be townhomes, some of them (will be) detached, but what’s unique is that some are your typical freehold homes, so you buy it outright, but others are land-leased homes," Anders told InnisfilToday. "And what that does is that it excludes the price of the land and makes the house price cheaper, but you pay a monthly lease fee. So your carrying costs month-to-month is much lower than if you bought the home outright as a freehold home.
"This is the first time in Canada it's going to be mixed together," he added.
Anders also said the company sticks around once the project is complete.
“Our professional staff maintain the grounds in the public spaces," he said. "There's going to be a recreational centre that we’ll have available for all the residents. So, we are a part of the community and that's normal for Parkbridge’s land-leased communities. So they typically have dog parks and rec centres and they'll have hubs that farm together in the community.
"This is that kind of community where you could literally start with a starter home ... evolve to a bigger home with your children as they age, and then scale back down to a smaller home, all while staying in the exact same community," Anders added.
Dollin says it is becoming "increasingly important" to provide housing options that meet the diverse needs of the town's residents.
“Our young adults are seeking attainable housing options that allow them to start their lives and families here," she said. "At the same time, our more senior residents desire options to downsize while maintaining the quality of life that they have come to love here in Innisfil.
"It is wonderful to see industry partners coming together to meet our various housing needs with unique developments,” the mayor added. “This collaboration is quite impressive, and I hope to see more builders and developers and industry leaders continue to collaborate and bring forward housing options that are tailored to meet the varying needs of our residents.”
Mattamy Homes Canada chief executive officer Brad Carr said the company is "deeply committed" to affordability and sustainability.
"It's vital that we build more houses in this province, in this country," he said. "We all know that we have a growing population and we have ever-increasing needs for housing supply. And it's wonderful to see areas like the town of Innisfil welcoming development and recognizing that more supply is fundamental to solving the housing affordability crisis.
"And at the same time, we can't talk about affordability without talking about sustainability. We want to do less to our planet as we accommodate more of our planet's population," Carr added.
For more information about the Lakehaven project in Innisfil, click here.
