A major housing proposal in Barrie could reshape the city’s skyline and signal a shift in how large residential projects are built in Canada.
Vancouver-based Intelligent City has partnered with Toronto’s Sustainable Development Group (SDG) to build roughly 1,000 rental units at 29 and 35 Sperling Dr., the site of the former Barrie Police headquarters.
If completed, the development would be the largest announced mass-timber and prefabricated residential project in Canada by unit count. The plan calls for four 18-storey towers set atop a two-storey concrete podium.
The project uses mass-timber and automated prefabrication systems, an emerging approach that has drawn increasing attention in the housing sector for its potential to reduce construction timelines, cut emissions and deliver high-quality units fast.
“This partnership is a turning point for housing construction in Canada,” said Oliver David, president of Intelligent City in a news release.
“By combining our construction technologies with SDG’s development vision, we can deliver homes faster and more sustainably — demonstrating what’s possible for cities across the country.”
Kartik Singla, partner at SDG, said the project aligns with Barrie’s growing demand for housing and reflects the momentum around sustainable building.
“Barrie will be home to a project that not only addresses the urgent need for housing but also showcases Canadian leadership in innovation,” he said.
The site received full municipal approval in mid-2024. The land, originally zoned Highway Industrial, was re-designated and rezoned for mixed-use residential development. Construction could begin in 2027, with completion expected in 2029.
Coun. Ann-Marie Kungl, who represents the area, did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
Mass timber is an engineered wood product made by layering solid pieces of wood and bonding them together with adhesives, nails or dowels to form large, durable structural elements such as beams, columns and panels.
