Local builder makes mobile homes for people experiencing homelessness

As Toronto continues to deal with a homelessness crisis, one local builder is turning an idea into a reality that could help those who are unhoused have a roof over their head.

Ryan Donais works in construction. He said he was partially inspired to build temporary homes by Khaleel Seivwright who was trying to help people find shelter during the pandemic.

“During COVID, we had a lot of people who were displaced. When the pandemic finished, we didn’t get people back inside.”

Donais started getting to work and would end up using his own money for his first mobile home prototype which he finished in July. 

“This is the second one that I have built. The first was a prototype. This is version two. [It’s] is going to a woman in Kitchener on Saturday,” said Donais.

It takes Donais about 100 hours to build one mobile home. The portable unit is also furnished with all the basics.

“You’ve got 12-cubit feet of storage underneath the bed, when you’re ready to go to sleep, you take the back off the bed, slides down, this one goes here and it’s a little bit bigger than a single bed. When you want to eat, you got a table right here, this table also has a shelf back here. We got LED lights in here, they got dimmers, they change light, and ventilation to keep it cool in the summertime,” he explained.

There is also an area for a cooktop, more storage, sink with rechargeable faucet, USB ports and a thermostat. For anyone living on the streets, these necessities, feel like luxury.

“This is a temporary gap to permanent housing. I shouldn’t even need to build something like this,” said Donais. “I couldn’t imagine people being outside with rainfalls, record rainfalls or in the wintertime minus 20, we need to house people in a more dignified way.”

Homelessness in Toronto continues to be a major concern. According to numbers from 2023, the city sheltered nearly 11,000 people, 9,000 of whom are in the shelter system. About 275 people who needed housing were unmatched every night in Toronto.

Donais said he can’t keep up with the demand. “I didn’t expect the response. I get a hundred emails a day about tiny tiny homes. It’s very overwhelming.”

It isn’t cheap to build these units. It’s currently quite costly, but once the homes are in production, Ryan hopes the costs will be around $5,000 a unit. 

“I’m hoping to get funding anyway, so far it’s come from the private sector, I would love to get some city funding.”

The non-profit will be taking applications and once more homes are ready to be delivered, the organization’s board of directors will vote on who will get the temporary home.

“I find that there is not enough compassion out there for society. You don’t know somebody’s story, you don’t know what they’ve been through, probably 50 percent of us are a few paycheques away from being homeless.”