Whitby residents can expect 46 new affordable family homes in the downtown core, after Habitat for Humanity GTA officially broke ground on the project May 12.
The update is among several town announcements included in Mayor Elizabeth Roy's monthly newsletter, which also covers a newly secured sports field site, a community food drive and a hotel attraction program that is already drawing applicants.
According to the newsletter, the Town of Whitby donated two parcels of land for the Habitat project: one on Hickory Street north of Dunlop Street East, and one on Gilbert Street south of Dunlop Street East.
The homes will be stacked townhouses with green space between buildings, and each unit will have its own outdoor area, such as a patio or rooftop terrace. The design includes accessible units and uses cost-effective building methods to keep the homes affordable.
This is one of the strategies the Town of Whitby is using to increase the amount of housing in our community – as well as the affordability of housing.
The Mayor's Community Development Fund has announced a $25,000 grant to support the build. Habitat for Humanity GTA is working toward a $7 million fundraising goal, with construction starting this year and move-ins expected in 2028.
Land secured for future sports field complex
The Town has also secured a 60-plus acre site at Duffs Road and Brawley Road for a future outdoor sports field complex. The project would significantly expand field capacity for cricket, soccer and baseball as Whitby grows, and reflects priorities in the Community Strategic Plan and the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
The land will be developed in phases over multiple years, and further community engagement will help refine the design of a draft site concept.
Food drive runs until June 20
Councillor Niki Lundquist has organized the Great Whitby Food Drive, which runs until June 20, in response to what the mayor describes as an increase in food insecurity locally. A donation bin is available at Whitby Town Hall outside the Mayor and Council Office, with a goal of filling the shelves of every food bank in town.
Residents can also donate food or funds directly to Feed the Need in Durham. The Town partnered with the organization to open The Market food bank at Iroquois Park Sports Centre in 2024 and expanded its hours in 2025.
Hotel attraction program off to quick start
Whitby's Hotel and Conference Centre Attraction Program, which launched at the end of April, received two applicants within its first week. The program offers a deferral of the Town's development charges for the first 24 months after building permits are issued.
On May 25, Whitby Council voted to expand the program to allow up to two applicants for each of its two opportunities: one hotel and conference centre, and one stand-alone hotel. Regional Council approved a time-limited hotel development charge deferral program on May 27 aimed at attracting hotel development across Durham.
Waterfront visitor centre opens for first full season
The waterfront Visitor Centre at Shirley Scott Park, which had a soft opening in fall 2025, is now open for its first full season. The tourism hub includes seating, Indigenous art, tourism information and accessible docks for kayaks and paddleboards, and glow-in-the-dark kayak rentals will be available this summer. The project received funding from FedDev Ontario.
The mayor also reminded residents that Coffee with Mayor Roy returns for a fourth summer, with dates and locations to be shared on her social media channels and in her July newsletter.
