Veterans’ House will be a three-storey, 40-unit supportive housing development for homeless Veterans, on the former CFB Rockcliffe Airbase. In response to the growing recognition of homelessness among Veterans of the Canadian Forces, this project includes innovative design features developed in consultation with homeless veterans’ peer mentoring groups, PTSD experts, mental health experts, and a number of military organizations, to address the specific needs of this clientele.

All 40 units will be self-contained bachelor suites, with their own kitchen and bathroom. All eight units on the ground floor will be fully barrier-free, with the site and balance of the building designed to meet Universal Accessibility standards. The building will feature one central elevator, and an inviting main stairwell with natural lighting to encourage active living. The ground level of the building will include a variety of communal amenity and support service spaces, including a multi-purpose “mess hall”, a learning kitchen, a fitness room and quiet room.  The project also includes a comprehensive landscape design that incorporates an outdoor BBQ patio area adjacent the multi-purpose space, a healing garden designed with PTSD sensitivities in mind, a dog run area for support service dogs, and an edible garden to encourage community building among tenants.