Data centres being built in your backyard, an unlikely housing win and the Home of the Week: Canadian real estate news for the week of Oct. 16

This week: Find out whether a data centre is planned for your backyard, and what $930,000 gets you in Brampton. Plus, a controversial solution to homelessness that won over homeowners, and one property worth a look.

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On the map

Is a data centre coming to your neighbourhood?

You’ve probably heard the intense debate around building data centres in Canada, but do you know what’s going on in your own backyard? The Globe’s new dashboard lets you see how many centres are active, proposed and under construction near you, whether they power artificial intelligence and the totals across the country. Dexter McMillan, Jason Kirby and Chris Manza created the tool to help Canadians navigate the pressing issue that could affect their neighbourhoods and utility bills.

“These data centres have the potential to be tremendously impactful to the communities they’re in – creating jobs, yes, but also potentially drawing substantial power and water for cooling once they’re operational,” Dexter told me. That’s why, as Jill Mahoney reports from Centre Wellington, Ont., data centres have become a divisive issue in the upcoming municipal elections.

And you might find an unexpected data-centre-next-door through our dashboard, just like Dexter did when he was researching. “I was surprised to notice that just a few kilometres from my home in Toronto, a big expansion of an already-existing data centre has been planned, increasing the potential energy draw from 10 MW to 70 MW,” he told me. Explore our new tool and how the issue is playing out on your block.

Price Point

Brampton’s median home price has dropped by $500K. What can you get now?

In Brampton, the drop in home values is hitting hard. The median price of a detached home was $1,486,000 at the peak just four years ago in March, 2022, but in September it hit $930,000, according to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board. That more-than-half-a-million-dollar drop equates to 37.4 per cent, one of the worst decreases in the recent decline of real estate prices.

So what does the city’s median price get you now in Brampton compared to Toronto and Canada’s median prices? From a central four-bedroom likely to go below asking to a relisted home with rental suite potential, Shane Dingman offers a glimpse into the city’s market. And as he reports, the struggles of homeowners looking to sell – even at a loss – mean you can for sure get a lot more house than some other places in the GTA.

Which house do you think is the best value for money? Read about the three options and cast your vote in the poll at the end.

Local Matters

How a contested supportive housing project won over its neighbours

How would you feel if you bought a new condo on a quiet street and then found out the building next door was going to be supportive housing for people dealing with mental health and substance issues? You might have some understandable concerns, like Julia Clisshold and many other residents in Maple Ridge, B.C., did in 2022. But today, Clisshold has become an unlikely champion for the project that initially generated years of acrimony.

As Andrea Woo reports, the fire, noise, safety and disorder concerns Clisshold and many other neighbours had never materialized, and the project has become a case study in how local leaders can help overcome entrenched opposition to supportive housing and create safer communities for everyone.

One key strategy, a community advisory committee, might not seem like a radical proposal. But it made all the difference for the success of the Rivers Reach project. And as Andrea’s story illustrates, it’s an example of how communities can meaningfully address homelessness, a key issue for communities across the province in the upcoming municipal and provincial elections.

Design corner

Six essential style and design books for fall

The cooler weather has me getting cozy on the couch with a book more often – and also contemplating which design and decor changes I’d like to make at home. It’s natural to think more about your space when you’re spending more time in it, so why not curl up with a design book and get some inspiration this autumn?

Nathalie Atkinson suggests six notable books on all things style and design, including a volume on bold new cabins across Canada that piqued my interest. While not every book is explicitly about home decor, they all illustrate important design concepts with beautiful images and rich colours you’ll want to fall right into.

Home of the Week

A modernist orchard homestead

770 Millgrove Side Rd., Millgrove, Ont. – Full gallery here

In this orchard homestead north of Hamilton, the fruits of a family’s labour aren’t just on the branches. The modern architectural home is an ambitious showpiece that is both beautiful and livable. Graham McNally designed it custom for his aunt and uncle, Wendy and Chris McNally, and the personal touches still shine through.

While it may look like a low-slung country bungalow from certain angles, the 6,571-square-foot home rises like a grand two-storey mansion from others. Inside the double-height great room, clerestory windows tucked under the eaves flood the kitchen, living and dining areas with light. A Douglas-fir clad ceiling appears to almost float above, and off the kitchen, a large limestone-mantled fireplace warms the hearth room. Those natural elements and others – such as solid oak and walnut floors and lime plasterwork walls – were important to the McNallys’ vision of a warm and inviting space.

But the six-bedroom home also welcomes the surrounding nature in. A window wall and doors take you from the great room onto the balcony that runs the length of the home, a large covered gazebo sits just outside the kitchen’s breakfast nook and the primary suite has its own patio that becomes the grand staircase to the pool deck. Tucked underneath the steps, the lower floor has a massive recreation room, full gym, wine storage room and a children’s play area with glass doors to help parents keep a watchful eye.