Durham charity opens affordable housing on Pickering farm

Members of a charity have taken it upon themselves to supply affordable housing in the Greater Toronto Area — by opening transitional housing in old farmhouse. 

The Dedicated Advocacy Resource Support (DARS) charity, along with Pickering regional councillor Maurice Brenner, began working on the project in early 2024. The house officially opened its doors on Oct. 10.

The farmhouse, located at 690 Third Concession Rd., was a part of the Greenbelt that was opened up to development by the Doug Ford government in 2022, but after those plans were reversed it made way for the charity to turn the site into affordable housing after it was leased to the agency by TACC Developments.

The house is now home to seven people experiencing homelessness. 

"What we are trying to do is set up a hobby farm where the residents can take care of animals, as well as we take care of them, so hopefully they can move forward in their life," said Margaret Eskins, executive director of DARS. 

Eskins says rent for tenants in the house will only consist of the rent portion of their income supplement, which is 58 per cent. 

"So for example somebody who is on Ontario Works pays $410," she said. 

The farmhouse takes on a unique component by incorporating agricultural work into the residents' transition into permanent housing. 

Eskins said residents will be tending to animals on the farm which includes goats and chickens, as well as farming their own food. Because of these components she's calling the project a "first in Canada." 

Eskins said residents will now be able to save portions of their income on food. 

"It helps them get through the end of the month," she said. 

Eskins said a lot of volunteer work and community support went into repairs and opening the house. 

Eskins said the project was funded through capital grants which include $75,000 from Durham Region and $50,000 from the City of Pickering's casino revenues. 

Eskins said the charity won't have to pay rent to TACC Developments for 10 years, which equals around $70,000.

'Shelters are not the solution,' councillor says 

According to Durham Region there are currently six emergency shelters in the region, offering a total of 190 beds. 

While the shelters offer some relief, Brenner said "shelters are not the solution," to ending homelessness.

"They're exposed to mental health issues, alcoholism, drug addiction, and there's no stability," he said. "You're given a warm meal but you have to leave." 

That message is being echoed by tenants of the house like Allan Phillips, who says he spent a few years being homeless in Durham Region before being offered a space in the house.

"You're off the streets but there's not really a lot of help in some of the shelters for you," he said.

Phillips was the first tenant to move into the home. He now manages the house. 

"This is heaven for me," he said. 

Eskins says DARS is already looking into continuing the work by turning other farmhouses into transitional housing. 

She says she hopes governments will take a look at the work that's been done and invest funds into similar projects to help end homelessness.