CMHC Features Renewal Development in Two-Part Series on Home Relocation

Our work is grounded in a simple but powerful question: What if we stopped demolishing perfectly good homes?

This question—and the innovative practices it has inspired—are at the heart of a two-part series by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which explores how relocation and reuse can offer real solutions to the housing crisis, environmental degradation, and community displacement.

We’re honoured to be featured in both parts of this national spotlight, which highlights the practical, emotional, and policy-level impacts of saving homes from the landfill. The stories include interviews with our team, our collaborators, and homeowners who have chosen to give their homes a second life.

📘 Part 1: Saving Single-Family Homes from the Landfill (Part 1 of 2)
This feature introduces the concept of home relocation, the motivations behind it, and the real people and partnerships driving change.

Part 2: Saving Single-Family Homes from the Landfill (Part 2 of 2)
In the second installment, CMHC explores the challenges, policy opportunities, and deeper benefits of home reuse—featuring insights from Renewal Development’s founder, Glyn Lewis.

“When you save a home from the landfill, you’re not just saving building materials. You’re saving embodied carbon, you’re creating affordable housing, and you’re preserving the character and stories that are embedded in our neighbourhoods.” – Glyn Lewis, Renewal Development

Together, these articles and accompanying videos represent an important step in normalizing home reuse as part of Canada’s broader housing and climate conversation. They reflect what we know to be true: that meaningful solutions already exist—and they often begin with using what we already have.

We invite you to read and share both pieces, and to join us in rethinking what’s possible for our homes, our neighbourhoods, and our future.