Shipping container housing for LGBTQ youth in Windsor, Ont., opening after 2-year delay

The concept of transforming eight shipping containers into residential units should have been relatively quick, but the Family Services Windsor-Essex (FSWE) project in southwestern Ontario is being completed this month — two years after it started.

Finding contractors during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues are the main reasons the project fell behind schedule, according to FSWE executive director Joyce Zuk. Construction started in April 2020 and was set to finish by the summer of that same year.

The six-unit building on Watkins Street in Windsor's west end will house 10 LGBTQ youth between ages 16 and 24. FSWE found the young people on what's known as a by-names list shared between all community organizations.

"We were looking to do something that was innovative and we were looking to do something that was fast." said Zuk. "It's taken us way longer than we actually thought."

Pandemic-related delays aside, Zuk hopes this will be viewed as a "demonstration project" for others to use shipping containers to build much-needed housing.

We need to look at any ways at getting more housing into the market.- Joyce Zuk, Family Services Windsor-Essex 

"We need to look at any ways at getting more housing into the market," said Zuk.

The housing project cost $1.2 million to build, with FSWE paying for 25 per cent of the tab and money from the Ontario government covering the rest.

An outdated Ontario Building Code that doesn't take into account container home construction forced FSWE to take a few extra steps that may not have been necessary, Zuk said. They had to put concrete fire suppression between the containers that are already made out of metal. Contractors also had to install metal cladding on the exterior of the shipping containers.

Zuk said this is the first time shipping containers have been used to make homes in Windsor-Essex and it's one of the first projects in Ontario.

For Dorian Moore, an architect and urban designer at Archive Design Studio in Detroit, he sees shipping containers used more frequently as retail locations.

Toronto is home to the Stackt Market, 120 shipping containers used as stores taking up the footprint of two city blocks. In London, England, BOXPARK, which has existed since 2011, has been providing people with dining and shopping options.

When comparing container homes to traditional ones, Moore said it doesn't always add up.

"What we've seen is that the cost of cutting holes in containers for windows, and doors and providing structure and insulation, the cost savings weren't necessarily there."

Even with the speed of traditional home construction nowadays, Moore said finishing a container home is relatively comparable.

But Moore said he doesn't feel container homes will be a "significant part" in addressing the ongoing housing crisis.

He envisions container homes being beneficial for subsidized living or to help address homelessness, similar to what FSWE is doing.

LGBTQ youth moving in this month

When looking at all youth in Windsor-Essex without a home, Zuk said there's an "unusually high" percentage of them who identity as LGBTQ.

"We thought if we really want to reach those youth who are least likely to secure permanent housing on their own, we should have a focus on trying to house youth who identify as LGBTQ."

FSWE is partnering with the Community Housing Corporation (CHC) to build more housing for people experiencing homelessness. Once two projects are finished on Crawford Avenue and Meadowbrook Lane, even more youth will become housed, Zuk said.

"In the next short while, we're going to do our best to take a huge bite out of youth homelessness in Windsor and Essex County," said Zuk.