OnePoint Association of REALTORS® officially launched Foundations for the Future, a new annual $146,000 regional investment supporting youth, skilled trades and housing across OnePoint’s Ontario region. The program kicked off in Guelph with a $20,000 contribution to Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington, one of several community partnerships that will help bring the program to life across Ontario.
Created and supported by local REALTOR® members through OnePoint Association of REALTORS®, and delivered in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP),
Foundations for the Future connects education, employment and housing through hands-on skilled trades
learning experiences and scholarships. The initiative is designed to help address these issues by investing in
young people and building awareness of skilled trades career pathways.
The launch in Guelph marked the first of 12 learning experiences planned for 2026, with more than 200 students expected to participate across the region this year. Students from John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational
Institute spent the day at the Guelph ReStore, working in small groups on practical projects, some helped prepare the space ahead of Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington’s 25th anniversary open house which recently took place. One group continued framing work to create a new storage closet and door, with drywall installation also underway. A second group installed interior walls and attached flooring for display purposes, while additional tasks were assigned on-site as needed. The experience gave students a practical introduction to skilled trades, building systems and the kind of work involved in preparing and improving a community space. During the event, Dillon Fraser, President-Elect of OnePoint Association of REALTORS®, spoke with students about career opportunities in the trades, housing supply, and the growing need for more people to build and maintain homes in Ontario.
While the Guelph kickoff focused on preparing the ReStore for Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington’s 25th
Anniversary open house, Foundations for the Future will take different forms across OnePoint’s region
depending on local programming and community needs. Students may take part in ReStore Days, Build Days,
or in-class building workshops, including practical projects such as picnic tables that can be sold in ReStores to help fund future builds when no active build is underway locally.
In Guelph and Wellington County, Foundations for the Future represents a total investment of $26,000 in local
youth and housing initiatives. That includes the donation presented at today’s launch, as well as $6,000 in
scholarships that will be awarded in June to students from 12 local high schools pursuing pathways into the
skilled trades. The remaining $120,000 will be distributed throughout the other regions in OnePoint’s
jurisdiction, including Grey, Bruce, Huron, Perth, Muskoka, Haliburton, Parry Sound, and Simcoe.
“We’re grateful for the support of OnePoint Association of REALTORS® and its REALTOR® members through
Foundations for the Future,” said Sarah Spry, incoming CEO of Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington.
“Partnerships like this create value well beyond a single day. They give students a chance to build practical
skills and see firsthand that skilled trades work can make a real difference. These experiences often spark
lasting volunteer engagement, and that ongoing connection is incredibly meaningful for our organization and
the communities we serve.”
The program responds to urgent challenges facing communities across the province. Housing insecurity is
rising, with nearly 85,000 Canadians experiencing homelessness in 2025, up about 50% from 2022, and
education disruptions can significantly impact this. Data shows that more than 53% of unhoused youth had
dropped out of school, compared with a national dropout rate of just 9%.
At the same time, home ownership is becoming less attainable for younger adults, and Ontario’s goal of
building 1.5 million homes by 2031 will require major growth in the residential construction workforce. Demand
is increasing just as many skilled trades workers approach retirement. In the Waterloo-Wellington-Dufferin
region, employers are already struggling to fill construction and skilled trades roles, and by 2028, 1 in 5 job
openings is expected to be in the skilled trades.
In addition to supporting the creation of affordable local housing through Habitat for Humanity’s work, the
program helps create awareness of skilled trades and encourages students to consider careers that will play
an important role in building and maintaining homes across Ontario.
“Foundations for the Future reflects the kind of local collaboration our communities need right now,” said
Jennifer Morley, President of OnePoint Association of REALTORS®. “If we want a stronger housing future, we
need to support the next generation of skilled trades professionals who will build it and create more pathways
for young people to succeed. Through partnerships like this one, we can help strengthen communities while
supporting practical solutions to Ontario’s housing challenges.”
OnePoint Association of REALTORS® is a not-for-profit organization representing over 2700 real estate
professionals across the regions of Wellington, Huron, Perth, Grey, Bruce, Simcoe, Parry Sound, Haliburton
and Muskoka. As a regional association, its coverage area includes 51 Ontario secondary schools, six Habitat
for Humanity affiliates and 13 ReStore locations.
Members of the public are invited to visit the Guelph and Fergus ReStores and experience their wonderful locations, meet the ReStore for Habitat for Humanity teams and shop for value.
SOURCE, ONEPOINT ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
To learn more, visit ONEPOINT ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
