Dr. Marcia Wallace underscored the City of Ottawa’s bold new plans, championed by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, to remove barriers to development and accelerate the creation of affordable housing. She spoke to the importance of modernizing processes and aligning planning priorities with the urgent housing needs of the city.

Jason Burggraaf emphasized that affordability is only one part of the puzzle. He highlighted the need for a cultural shift in housing conversations to include a wider range of living arrangements, acceptable housing types, and creative solutions. He also advocated the need for strong leadership in job creation and wage growth to ensure affordability remains within reach.

Dr. Helen Tang presented her vision for prefabricated housing models that extend far beyond cost savings. Her forward-thinking designs integrate self-sufficient systems that enable easy adoption into existing communities while also offering the potential for off-grid living with solar, battery storage, greenhouse and wastewater solutions. These models highlight how sustainable, efficient, and resilient homes can transform the way communities grow and thrive.

Dr. Bruce M Firestone inspired the audience with an in-depth exploration of tiny homes as a practical and exciting solution to affordability challenges. He illustrated how these compact, sustainable living spaces can elevate both living standards and quality of life—for young professionals seeking independence, as well as for older generations looking for flexible, dignified housing options.