- Recipient: Grand River Modular (GRM)
- Region: Brantford
"FedDev Ontario's support was instrumental in enabling Grand River Modular to develop the Minisi prototype and bring it to a market-ready state. Our efforts, which include having established a dedicated manufacturing facility, have resulted in us being poised to scale production, create new jobs, and continue making meaningful contributions to addressing Ontario's housing crisis."
Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. To address pressures within the current housing market, the Government of Canada has committed $50 million over two years to support innovation in homebuilding across the country.
In alignment with Canada's Housing Plan to build more attainable and affordable homes, FedDev Ontario is committed to supporting businesses and organizations that are advancing innovative methods for building new homes and sustainable solutions that enhance productivity, supply chains and construction techniques.
Grand River Modular (GRM) is an Indigenous-owned business based in Brantford that specializes in the design and manufacturing of affordable modular homes. Modular construction is the process of constructing "modules" offsite before transporting and assembling the units into a fully fabricated building on the final site. Since launching in 2022, GRM has been working towards transforming home construction with its Minisi product—also known as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) or tiny homes—which provides a versatile and secondary housing option situated on the grounds of an existing home. GRM's advanced modular designs and renovation services are a result of the company's passion for building sustainable, affordable homes through innovative modular construction.
In February 2024, GRM received a Government of Canada investment of up to $190,000 to support developing and commercializing its prototype Minisi modular home design. The 400-square-foot one-bedroom self-contained unit is designed specifically for the affordable housing sector. With this funding, GRM secured manufacturing space and purchased materials to produce the prototype, and received certification to produce and sell the units across Ontario in an expedited manner. The company expects to scale-up production of the Minisi—an Ojibwe term for "island"— and in the coming years will bring new models to market.
Supporting investments that help build more homes, faster is vital to addressing the current demand for affordable and sustainable housing. Grand River Modular and other companies across the construction sector are making remarkable strides as they bring new homebuilding-related technologies and/or housing alternatives to market. FedDev Ontario will continue to support innovative homebuilding solutions and manufacturers that contribute to increasing the supply of attainable homes, creating a brighter future for all Canadians.