Canadian builders prep for a prefab future as Ottawa pushes for affordability

On a 44-acre property northeast of Brockville, Ont., CABN, a net-zero builder known for its energy-efficient cottages, is aiming to develop a rural community that fuses ecological design with a high-tech construction approach that relies on factory-made prefabricated components.

The 67-unit Augusta Township project, situated within Ottawa’s commuter-shed, features clusters of duplexes and five-plexes fitted out with renewable energy technology, stormwater recycling and internal pedestrian-only connections. Two-thirds of the site will remain undeveloped, with trails and woodlands accessible to residents.