Three local families are one step closer to having an affordable place to call home after Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) broke ground on three new single-family homes in Norwood on Tuesday (July 14).
The detached three-bedroom homes are being built at 22 Birch Street and are expected to be ready for their new owners in the winter of 2026-27.
The homes will include energy-efficient construction, universal design features, and spacious outdoor areas. They will be purchased through Habitat PKR’s affordable homeownership program, which requires no down payment and provides mortgages geared to each family’s income.
The future homeowners include an intergenerational family, a single-parent family, and a young family with two children.
“A healthy community isn’t defined only by who moves in,” said Habitat PKR CEO Susan Zambonin in a media release. “It’s also defined by who has the opportunity to stay.”
“Across Peterborough, the Kawarthas, and Haliburton County, we meet families every day who are contributing to their communities, raising children, building careers, and doing everything they can to move forward. Yet for many, homeownership feels further away than ever.”
Habitat for Humanity Canada research conducted with Deloitte found 80 per cent of Habitat homeowners would not have been able to purchase a home without the organization’s affordable homeownership program.
The research also found that affordable homeownership creates opportunities that extend beyond shelter, with homeowners also showing improvements in employment, financial security, health, and overall well-being. For example, 41 per cent of Habitat homeowners pursued additional education after buying their homes.
“These homes are about more than putting up walls,” Zambonin said. “They’re about creating stability, opportunity, and ensuring young families can continue living, working, and investing in communities like Norwood.”
Habitat PKR’s Norwood project is the first to receive support through Peterborough County’s new Open Door Program, which was established to accelerate the development of affordable housing in the county.
“Peterborough County is proud to partner with Habitat on this first Open Door project in Norwood,” said county warden Bonnie Clark. “Projects like this create opportunities for families to achieve homeownership while strengthening the fabric of our rural communities.”
The program provides financial incentives to eligible non-profit housing developments, including construction financing and the waiving of municipal fees.
“We are incredibly grateful to Peterborough County for the Open Door Program, which has paved the way to enabling these builds, and to county staff for their generous support of this project,” said Habitat PKR operations general manager Natalie Raponi.
“Community support plays an important role in helping families achieve strength, stability, and independence through affordable homeownership.”
At Tuesday’s ground-breaking event, Peterborough County also presented Habitat PKR with a $600 donation, representing funds raised during an annual staff barbecue.
“Our staff are proud to contribute to projects like this that make a meaningful difference for local families and help create stronger, more connected communities across Peterborough County,” said county CEO Sheridan Graham. “We look forward to having a staff team roll up our sleeves and help build these homes as well.”
Along with Habitat PKR and Peterborough County representatives, other attendees at the ground-breaking event included Asphodel-Norwood Township mayor Patrick Wilford, donors, volunteers, trade partners and other project supporters, and members of the community.
An architectural rendering of one of the future homes, designed by Marshall Design Studios, was displayed alongside a drawing by eight-year-old Nora, who will be moving into one of the new homes along with her mother and grandmother.
The land for the Norwood project was donated by Crowley Farms. Other project partners include Alf Curtis Home Improvements, Plumbing by Doug, R&M Smith Contracting, and Lifestyle Home Products.
Since 2002, Habitat PKR has helped more than 100 local families become homeowners. For more informatio about the Norwood project and opportunities to donate or volunteer, visit habitatpkr.ca.
