County of Brant Partners with Central Ontario Co-operative Housing Federation for project in St. George

The County of Brant is pleased to share that it has entered into a partnership with Central Ontario Co-operative Housing Federation (COCHF) to bring a 35-unit, affordable seniors’ housing development to the Village of St. George.

Located at 50 High Street, behind the Russell Heights seniors housing complex, this project will create the first co-operative housing complex in the County of Brant.

“I am incredibly proud to be part of this announcement for the County of Brant in the Village of St. George,” said County of Brant Mayor David Bailey. “As I near the end of my term as Mayor, knowing that this project is proceeding and will provide important affordable housing opportunities to support seniors in our community brings me great joy.”

The development builds on earlier work to explore additional seniors’ housing at the Russell Heights site. The County previously sought community input on a potential Phase Two development in 2021. While that proposal was paused following an unsuccessful funding application, the County continued to explore opportunities to bring additional affordable housing to the site.

The County is providing the land at 50 High Street, as well as a $950,000 contribution towards construction costs. The Central Ontario Co-operative Housing Federation is the developer and operator for the project.

Along with 35 residential units, the building will be designed to meet high environmental standards (Tier 3, NECB 2020) and provide features, such as an elevator, to support aging seniors. The exterior will complement the existing Russell Heights seniors’ residence, with careful attention given to landscaping to create an environmentally sensitive, beautiful and functional space for residents to enjoy.

This important partnership with COCHF brings forward more affordable housing options and is in line with the Brantford-Brant Housing Master Plan and the Mayors’ Housing Partnerships Task Force Affordable Housing Action Plan, which outlined a need for 337 additional units of non-profit and co-operative housing units to be constructed in the Brant-Brantford area by 2031.

“Establishing new co-op housing for Seniors in the County of Brant not only meets the need for affordable housing but also, by establishing the first housing co-op in Brant, brings a successful housing model which provides resident input and democratic control in the running of the housing,” said Elana Harte, Executive Director of Central Ontario Co-operative Housing Federation.

Community Information Open House  

The community is invited to attend an information open house to learn more about the project, including timelines, construction considerations, and more information on co-operative housing. 

County of Brant staff and representatives from the Central Ontario Co-operative Housing Federation will be available to answer questions.

Date and time: Monday, October 19, 2026, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Location: Gaukel Memorial Community Centre, 7 Gaukel Drive, St. George

Format: Drop-in; no registration required; no formal presentation 

Construction at 50 High Street is expected to begin by the spring of 2027, with occupancy expected by the fall of 2028. These timelines are subject to change as planning and project details are finalized. Updates will be shared as timelines are confirmed.

More information about this project is available at EngageBrant.ca/HighStreet.

About Central Ontario Co-Operative Housing Federation (COCHF)

COCHF promotes long-term sustainability and development of new non-profit housing co-operatives in Canada. Has supported housing co-ops since 1992 by helping them connect and share resources. Supports 42 member organizations across Brant-Brantford, Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener and Waterloo, which is roughly 3,000 units of member controlled co-operative housing. Learn more at /cochf.coop