Fort Frances, Ontario – 2025/12/19 – The District of Rainy River Services Board (DRRSB) is participating in early-stage exploratory work with the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association (NOSDA) to assess the potential for new housing development.

As part of a broader Northern Ontario effort to access provincial and federal funding for new housing, DRRSB is reviewing the feasibility of development at its Fifth and Frenette property. The site was intentionally purchased and rezoned by DRRSB in 2021 for housing development and will serve as the first phase of this exploratory work. With community partners, DRRSB is also exploring other possible locations for future phases, recognizing that housing needs exist across the district.

Across Northern Ontario, especially in rural and remote communities, the private market is not building enough attainable housing to meet local needs. High construction costs, limited developer capacity, and infrastructure challenges have widened the gap between housing supply and demand. This is most evident for working families, seniors, and professionals moving to the region who are unable to find suitable housing. Government initiatives and programs such as Build Canada Homes (BCH) are designed to address these challenges, but access to funding requires detailed, site-specific feasibility work in advance.

The Rainy River District continues to face a serious shortage of attainable and affordable housing. Demand for rental units, including family-sized homes and housing suitable for seniors, far exceeds supply. This places growing pressure on residents, employers, health and social services, and the local economy. DRRSB is taking careful steps to understand what types of housing are most critically needed and how partnerships can help move solutions forward while managing risk and enabling financial sustainability.

This work is part of a coordinated Northern Ontario approach led by NOSDA, which is completing feasibility analyses across approximately 22 sites representing almost 1,000 new homes. The goal is to provide DRRSB with reliable, site-specific information, with no obligation to build, and to help position them for federal and provincial funding programs, including Build Canada Homes and the Affordable Housing Innovation Fund.

The feasibility study for the Fifth and Frenette property is expected to begin in the new year and will include technical and financial analysis. Participation in this phase does not commit DRRSB to construction recognizing that for District Social Services Administration Boards across the north, at the current cost of housing construction, no project is likely able to proceed without federal and provincial government investment.

Once the feasibility work is complete in the spring, DRRSB will host a public information session to share the findings and outline potential next steps. DRRSB remains committed to transparency, evidence-based decision-making and responsible planning as this early exploration work moves forward.

For questions or more information, please contact DRRSB at connect@rrdssab.ca.