In the Media

Intended Consequences Podcast by StrategyCorp Institute of Public Policy and Economy | May 5, 2022

The Politics of Development Podcast

For the launch of its fifth season, Intended Consequences returns with an episode dedicated to a major concern for Ontarians going into the upcoming provincial election: housing and the politics of development. 

Novae Res Urbis - Toronto, Vol | May 3, 2022

Talking Mass Timber: City to Pilot Eight to Ten-Storey Mass Timber Affordable Rental Housing Development

Posted with permission of the publisher of NRU Publishing Inc. Original article first appeared in Novae Res Urbis Toronto, Vol. 26, No. 17, Friday, April 29, 2022.

City of Toronto | April 26, 2022

Mayor John Tory announces new mass timber pilot program for affordable rental housing

Today, Mayor John Tory, joined by Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão (Davenport), Chair, Planning and Housing Committee and Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York) announced a pilot program that will bring new affordable rental housing to the City-owned site at 1113-1117 Dundas St. W. (Dundas Street West and Ossington Avenue), currently operating as a Toronto Parking Authority parking lot.

Daily Commercial News | April 21, 2022

Mass timber Passive House condo project looks to be an industry game-changer

Plans are in the works for the first-ever mass timber Passive House condo project in Toronto, a venture between R-Hauz, Windmill Developments and Leader Lane that will include three six-storey residential buildings.

Green Building and Design | April 20, 2022

Why Cross-Laminated Timber in Ontario Makes for Great Buildings

We recently built the first (of many, we hope) mass timber residential buildings in Ontario. The six-story avenue townhome is a new building typology for Ontario—and it’s one that offers an opportunity to build faster and more sustainably while giving residents a beautiful, functional living space.

City News Toronto | April 19, 2022

Pre-fabricated buildings could help Toronto housing crisis SharePlay Video Pre-fabricated buildings could help Toronto housing crisis

Smaller condo projects built off-site can be quicker and more cost-effective according one company with projects in the works. Mark McAllister looks at the impact they could have on the market.

CBC | April 13, 2022

Prefabricated modular condos can help address Toronto’s housing shortage, builders say

People searching for an affordable home in Toronto could soon have a choice never seen before in Canada’s largest city: prefabricated modular condos. Inspired by a style of building found in parts of Scandinavia, Germany and elsewhere in Europe, a trio of companies is hoping to construct three mid-rise condo buildings and do so quickly and sustainably, says Michael Barker, co-founder of R-Hauz Solutions, a firm that builds prefabricated homes.

Novae Res Urbis - Toronto, Vol 24 | April 8, 2022

Hits and Misses: Stakeholders Weigh in on Merits and Deficiencies of Province’s Bill to Increase Housing Supply

An overview of the new bill through the lens of industry stakeholders, who comment on the advantages, disadvantages and implications of the More Homes For Everyone Act if passed.

Cision | April 1, 2022

R-Hauz supports new provincial housing legislation which would increase opportunities for mass timber building construction

The provincial government released new housing legislation entitled the More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022. This is a very encouraging announcement for accelerating the construction of critically needed new housing supply in Ontario. R-Hauz, a real estate company developing mid-rise mass timber and laneway housing products is especially encouraged with the aspects of the bill that focus on changes to the building code.

Novae Res Urbis - Toronto, Vol. 26 | March 3, 2022

Path of Least Resistance: Partnership to Bring Toronto its First Mass Timber Condominium Project

A new development partnership will bring Toronto the latest iteration of mass timber construction technology, with project proponents promising to develop the first mass timber condominium project in the city, helping to address the city’s need for missing middle housing affordably and within reasonable timelines.

Turnkey Toronto | February 14, 2022

Laneway Expert Series: R-Hauz

We recently sat down with Turnkey to discuss our humble beginnings, innovative spirit, and growth within the industry in their new laneway expert blog series..

BlogTO | January 17, 2022

A Toronto Laneway House that went up in one single day will provide affordable housing

This was a pilot laneway home for R-Hauz… R-Hauz has two prefabricated laneway homes to choose from. As a prefabricated home, it comes pre-designed and constructed in a factory then assembled on site. “Can you imagine like your neighbour, you left in the morning and see these guys backing a truck down the lane and then you come home at night was the house there?” Moore laughs. The foundation was already laid and the interior drywalling and finishing is done later on site.

The Innovation Day Podcast | January 8, 2022

Leith Moore on Fast, Repeatable and Sustainable homes for the future of our cities

In big cities around the world, housing, especially in a downtown core, has become financially out of reach for many. Add to that the disruption of development on those in a neighbourhood, and the environmental impact of building and we are truly facing a multi-faceted housing crisis. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Leith Moore envisioned a future where houses and land can be used more efficiently, and developments can be built quickly, more affordably and significantly more sustainably. That vision has formed the foundation of his Toronto-based firm R-Hauz, and in this episode Leith shares with us that vision, and the reality of building at a more human scale.

Toronto Life | September 16, 2021

Laneway houses are this man’s business—and business is booming

His name is Leith Moore, and his modular suites take 10 to 12 weeks to build at a cost of $400 per square foot..

Sotheby's Realty: Insight Magazine | September 12, 2021

Prefab-ulous: Future of Prefabricated Building

In Toronto’s east end, R-Hauz recently completed a prefab pilot project with major implications for the city’s housing crunch. R-Town is intended to offer a solution to Toronto’s “missing middle” — the lack of modern, purpose-built housing for people who don’t want to live in a high-rise and can’t afford to buy a single-family home. “We’re in a housing crisis, and prefab isn’t the only solution, but it’s an important part of the solution,” says Catherine Krug, R-Hauz’s product director.

The Toronto Star | July 12, 2021

Innovation is the Future of Housing in the GGH

R-Labs CEO George Carras discusses why everything we now do in housing needs to improve, calling for an unprecedented level of collaboration between industry, consumers, and government.

The Toronto Star | June 30, 2021

Debut of Toronto’s 1st wooden midrise residential building

“We’re scaling the concept in Toronto, building for non-profits and rentals. They have the land and we’re faster, more cost-effective and zero carbon (compared to conventional construction). With home ownership unaffordable for many, we focus on attractive, energy-efficient rentals that people can enjoy living in for the long-term.” Leith Moore

The National Post | February 1, 2021

Family Matters

Homes that work for the long haul, transitioning to accommodate adult children and aging parents are gaining in popularity.

Ontario Home Builder Magazine | January 13, 2021

Cut Above

R-Hauz’s pilot project could signal a new era for mid-rise wood..

Apeiron Construction | January 8, 2021

Finding The Missing Middle

When communities found themselves squeezed out of city living, town planners in Toronto were forced to meet the challenge head on. With innovation at its core, the Missing Middle is now becoming an exciting new opportunity for development.

Y Magazine by OPPI | November 30, 2020

COVID-19: The wake-up call to do better

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the Ontario economy and impacted the short-term livelihood of millions of families. The immediate recovery imperative will be to fast track projects. It is hard to argue that getting Ontarians back to work should not be a government priority. Getting the cranes moving again on already approved projects is a positive step; construction is a leading employer in our province, and it will be a significant leader in job recovery.

Cision - Press Release | November 10, 2020

R-Hauz Solutions Inc. Secures $4.5M in Seed Funding

R-Hauz secures funding to increase capabilities in product delivery and technology, invest in supply chain expertise and expand infrastructure in strategic markets.

The National Post | October 24, 2020

Creative Spaces

Homeowners are turning to stand-alone additions to address their burning desire for more room. “I realized I could built it faster, for less money, and also to the highest standards we have for energy, thermal and sustainability. That was the lightbulb moment for me!” Leith Moore, veteran builder and co-founder of R-Hauz.

Toronto Life | October 20, 2020

Reasons to Love Toronto No. 12: Because prefab is fab

Lockdown pushed families into home-expansion panic mode, with parents forced to turn every forgotten corner into usable space: unfinished basements became makeshift offices, kids’ bedrooms became ad hoc dance studios and bathrooms became the only place to find a quiet escape for conference calls. To the rescue came prefabricated construction, a practical, affordable and quick way for cramped residents to squeeze every last inch out of their square footage. It’s a speedy solution for maxed-out households looking to keep extended family close—but not too close.

Smart Density: How We Built This Toronto | October 6, 2020

How We Built This Toronto with Leith Moore, R-Hauz

A digital mastermind series profiling Toronto’s top city-building innovators and the stories behind the movements they built. Join us for the next episode of the How We Built This Toronto mastermind series and hear about Leith Moore’s ascent into one of Canada’s preeminent creators, developers and builders of innovative housing solutions involving wood construction and factory built panelized solutions. Leith’s story starts with deep roots in the traditional real estate industry with 30+ years of development experience and evolved into a mission to solve the missing middle conundrum. They said it couldn’t be done, but Leith continued to persevere. A story that we are very excited to share.

Daily Commercial News by Construct Connect | September 22, 2020

Ontario’s first six-storey mass timber residential rental build could be a trendsetter

Ontario’s first six-storey mass timber residential rental building in Toronto is underway on Queen Street East. The largely prefabricated CLT structure will be assembled in less than six weeks, after the foundation has been completed. The mass timber design consists of a 20-foot-wide six-plex and a 40-foot 12-plex.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation | September 18, 2020

Partnership to help create 5,000 new affordable homes across Canada

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Thanks to investments made by the Government of Canada and a unique partnership with the United Church of Canada, up to 5,000 new affordable housing units will be built across the country over the next 15 years. The announcement was held at 1598 Queen Street East in Toronto, the site of the first R-Hauz all-mass timber residential building in Toronto. The environmentally sustainable building represents UPRC’s commitment to fill the “missing middle” in housing across the country and advocate for progressive real estate models that are environmental and financially sustainable.

Toronto Star | August 30, 2020

Main attraction

Toronto’s main drags were hit hard by the lockdown. But the pandemic also spurred fresh ideas that could lead to vibrant streets of the future. After cataclysm often comes change. The pandemic has overturned our lives and our assumptions. In this occasional series, the Star looks at what lessons we might take and what future we might build.

Novae Res Urbis - Toronto, Vol. 24 | August 21, 2020

Faster, Cheaper, Simpler: Piloting New Housing Design

Posted with permission of the publisher of NRU Publishing Inc. Original article first appeared in Novae Res Urbis – Toronto, Vol. 24, No. 33, Friday, August 21, 2020.

The Toronto Star | June 22, 2020

Multi-generational housing is a growing trend that’s back, with a new twist

A growing trend in home use is rising from a tradition that was once just the way we lived: multi-generational housing. Even before the pandemic’s world-changing effects, 20 per cent of Canadians were living in multi-generational housing, according to a Pew Research Center study. Canadian Census data indicates an increase of 37.5 per cent in multi-generational housing from 2001 to 2016, with the highest proportion — 17 per cent — in Toronto.

Urban Land Institute Toronto x Ryerson City Building Institute | June 11, 2020

Video: Expanding Housing Options In Toronto

We were pleased to collaborate with Ryerson CBI and Urban Land Institute Toronto on this video featuring local city builders speaking to the challenge of housing affordability and options in Toronto. The aim was to provide a summary of current challenges, and some innovative solutions for multi-family, “Missing Middle” housing in residential neighbourhoods and along our avenues.

Newsletter | May 7, 2020

Covid-19 and R-New Normal

Business is not as usual – but we haven’t hit pause. Embracing this new state of being has allowed us to focus on perfecting our process, designs and creating content we hope you love…

Canadian Architect | April 2, 2020

Home Products: R-Hauz, Toronto, Ontario and Intelligent City, Vancouver, British Columbia

Canadian architects and designers have also been realizing the potential of prefab construction beyond the scale of modular homes. Potentially, some of the most impactful work is in mid-rise, infill housing—the “missing middle” that is considered crucial for densifying Canada’s cities. Bringing mass timber into the mix—a natural fit, in that mass timber products are fabricated to spec—has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of the resulting buildings.

Canadian Architect | April 1, 2020

Canadian Architect R-Hauz Home Products

Construction is a field ripe for efficiency improvements: notwithstanding improvements in materials and in building science, a building takes roughly the same amount of time and labour to be built today as it did seventy years ago…

NOVÆ RES URBIS | April 1, 2020

Spurring Innovation: COVID-19 Impacts On The Real Estate Industry

As of 11:59 p.m. on March 24, all non-essential workplaces across Ontario were ordered to shut down indefinitely or have employees work from home wherever possible…

Ontario Home Builders' Association | September 20, 2019

Homes of the future – Planning for the future of toronto

In the urban centres of the Ontario of tomorrow, how will we live? Three to five decades from now, will autonomous cars and a seamless transit systems whisk us wherever we need to go? Perhaps robots or drones will deliver our packages and meals…

National Post | September 4, 2019

The $500,000 Toronto house is real — just look to the laneways

It’s only been a year since Toronto finally approved “as-of-right” zoning for laneway housing. But there have already been 100 inquiries — and as similar zoning is extended to the suburbs, as many as 47,000 sites may be eligible for new builds…

The Toronto Star | July 30, 2019

Firm bets prefab housing is city’s future

What if you could go to Ikea and purchase an entire house – flat-packed, ready to assemble? That is the basic idea behind R-Hauz Solutions. Inc., founded by veteran Toronto builder Leith Moore…

Reno & Decor | May 22, 2019

Laneways are now more than just vehicles

Toronto has a housing problem; some call it a crisis. One of the levers Council is pulling at to increase more urban housing options (a pilot project) is to construct laneway houses in rear yards that abut public lanes…

The Globe and Mail | March 11, 2019

A new push for housing density

Y Magazine | March 1, 2019

Affordable, mid-density housing that’s energy efficient to build and live in

Leith Moore has worked in land development and home construction since 1981. As president of Waverley Projects Inc., his focus is creative ground-oriented infil1 development and mid-rise transit-oriented development in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area…

NOVÆ RES URBIS | November 9, 2018

Regulations Falling Behind

City planning and building policies are starting to fall behind private sector innovation as the development industry accelerates its adoption of new technology, say industry professionals…