History of Habitat for Humanity NCR

Since 1993, the Habitat for Humanity affiliate of the National Capital Region (Habitat NCR) has built 38 houses and completed seven retrofits. We have helped give a hand up, not a hand out to more than 50 families in the National Capital Region, which includes more than 130 children.

The first Habitat NCR home was built on Roman Avenue in 1994 and shortly afterward two houses were built on Monique Street. The first ReStore was opened  in 1997 with the help of a strong volunteer force.  In 2002, the "Ed Schreyer Build Project" brought Habitat for Humanity NCR into the spotlight when hundreds of people and many, many companies came together to build eight homes in 10 days! The impact was so great, that many of those community builders are still giving their time, their expertise, plus the all important building supplies and financial support.

After the finishing touches were done on the homes of the Ed Schreyer Build, which former Governor General Ed Schreyer and his wife Lily visited, the affiliate continued building 1-2 homes each summer. In 2005, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police sponsored "Mountie House" on Pinecrest Road, and the next year "OPPI" and the "Pidgeon Family" built another double townhouse alongside it. 2006 was also significant because the affiliate was able to branch out into Aylmer, Quebec for the second time in its history.  Thanks to the The Home Depot, 3 Court Street was built that spring.

A second ReStore was opened in October 2007 at 7 Enterprise Avenue, with more square footage, parking, great deals on kitchens, and all of the regular ReStore products you would see at 2370 Walkley - doors, windows, flooring and bathware.

Women Builds in 2007 and 2008 proved to be especially infectious for the bug we call "Habititis" as over 1500 new volunteers signed up to build with us. Habitat NCR has been building nonstop since May 2008 when construction on Tillbury Avenue began and renovations started on Durocher Street. Following the completion of these projects the foundations were dug at Tulip Crescent  in November 2008 just before the ground froze. Building over the winter proved challenging. However, thanks in great part to the generous donations by Urbandale Corporation and The Home Depot Canada, the leadership of our Site Supervisor, the planning and guidance that came from the Build Committee and the diligent work of the Staff, the Abdi and Durant families moved into their new homes in June 2009! A short two weeks later, we broke ground for the Faiths Build on Appleton Drive and the family moved into their new home in January 2010.

2010 was a busy year with a retrofit finished on Kevin Avenue for a new family and the construction/renovation of "The Gift Home" in the west end. We also  finished our 36th home in Stittsville on Carp Road.

In 2011, we completed three retrofits – one on Hiawatha Park Road in Orleans, one on Pinecrest Road in Ottawa and another on Hampstead Place in Ottawa. Work also began on our first built in the Carleton Place area and we launched our ReNewIt Program in Kemptville.

In 2012, we are completing the home on King Street in Carleton Place and plans are underway to build two more homes in Carleton Place and two homes in Orleans.

Thank you to all of the individuals, land donors, volunteers, financial donors and sponsors, tradespeople, building material donors, committee members,  Builder's Club members, ReStore shoppers, third party event holders, fundraisers, can collectors, lunch donors, and HabiChat subscribers. Every one of our supporters deserves to be applauded for their role in helping to build Habitat for Humanity NCR into the busy, vibrant affliate that it has become, building foundations for the future.