Welcome to Mary’s Ark!
Empowering homeowners to create affordable housing on their property for family and community. We help homeowners unlock space on their property to build safe, legal secondary suites and accessory dwellings that support family, caregivers, and community housing needs. Call us today to unlock the hidden value in your property!
Convert your empty backyard and/or underutilised basement into a new home!
Invest in your property, your family and your community!
Achieve your housing needs and desires!
By-laws now allow you to build a new home in your backyard and/or within your principal residence without asking or telling a neighbour! This new home can be up to 1,000 square feet in size and be built to generate significant monthly income and/or meet your current and future housing needs and desires!
Our Story
Mary’s Ark is a social enterprise focused on over thirty years of providing affordable housing solutions to the community. Garth Brown established a rooming house providing transitional housing for women in Kitchener in 1990. Within days he realized how a fixed address and affordable rent for dignified space can transform lives. Over the past decade, Garth built several legal secondary suites to provide homes for families on the housing wait list, often single mothers and their children. The relief on their faces as they were handed the keys to their safe secure home and their bright future reinforced the possibilities.
"A Home for Everyone"
Call for your free consultation today and discover your property’s true potential!
We look forward to speaking with you!
What We Can do
How it works
With a growing team of consultants across Ontario, we meet with homeowners by phone, virtually or in person to discuss their housing needs and ambitions. Municipal by-laws now permit one or more legal secondary suites (also known as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s), Additional Residential Units (ARU's), Laneway Suites, Granny Suites , Carriage Houses, basement apartments, etc.) on almost every property!
Zoning & Property Analysis
We study zoning and by-law allowances on your property to determine what options will achieve your immediate and future goals!
Discover additional savings!
We will also explore what financial incentives, tax deductions and other opportunities will ensure the return on your investment is maximized.
Trusted Builder Connections
We then connect you to our network of trusted builders who have a proven track record of meeting and exceeding homeowners’ expectations while being on time and on budget.
Why CHoose Us
FAMILY HOUSING NEEDS
Aging in place!
Mature homeowners are considering their next chapter in life. Do they sell their home and move away from family, friends, medical professionals and the community they have enjoyed over the past decades?
Do they consider apartment buildings, retirement homes or eventually long term care facilities? Or can they create a comfortable ground floor home in their backyard?
Complete with a layout customized to meet their current and future lifestyle and mobility needs, lots of natural light and a ‘right-sizing’ move that offers a comfortable lifestyle for years to come!
Many homeowners we meet with are choosing to invest in this option and investing in their future! They stay close to their loved ones and local services, generate rental income for years to come, increase their property’s equity and Multigenerational housing needs!
Multigenerational housing needs: Housing for your parents and/or children!
Do you have family members struggling to find affordable housing? Are they challenged with mobility and other issues in their lives? Let’s explore your property and home to determine what solutions exist that will help your family members benefit from the potential of your property!
Caregiving needs!
Families who care for adults with development needs are building legal secondary suites for their loved ones to give them autonomy but still be an arms length away from those providing them with care. The layout of your home and property help us determine what option(s) that can work best for your family’s caregiving needs. Contact us today to arrange for your free consultation.
Home Ownership!
Families who care for adults with development needs are building legal secondary suites for their loved ones to give them autonomy but still be an arms length away from those providing them with care. The layout of your home and property help us determine what option(s) that can work best for your family’s caregiving needs. Contact us today to arrange for your free consultation.
Homes to serve community needs
Housing agencies support families and individuals who are ready to transition to a home they can build their future in! By creating a secondary suite on your property you open the door to a bright future for one of these thankful households! Often the agencies will take responsibility for a ‘head lease’ where they pay you rent directly, cover any vacancy period and provide other benefits. This results in greater peace of mind for you. Some of the growing number of agencies we are aligned with are shown below. Contact us today to explore how your home can be part of Canada’s housing solution!
Discover Halton Region’s Haven to Home program supporting women and their children escaping abusive relationships!
Aligned with great agencies such as:
Inquiries
Consultant’s access
Provide marketing materials (PDF’s and slide decks), builder information, stats of referrals and remuneration.
Homeowners Inquiries
Homeowners Inquiries
Agency inquiries
If you are a housing agency with a need for additional housing for those you serve, please contact Mary's Ark. We have been developing housing solutions for agencies since 1990 and are leveraging new by-laws and benefits to homeowners to create homes for your clients ready for autonomous living. In many cases agencies take on a head lease with the homeowner to ensure flexibility with the tenants and to secure a long term relationships with the homeowners they partner with! Please contact us to explore how this unique approach can help your agency meet and exceed your housing needs.
Builder Inquiries
Mary's Ark has aligned with trusted builders throughout Ontario and beyond who are focused on creating new legal secondary suites in existing homes and on properties while meeting and exceeding homeowners' budget and timeline expectations. If you share this passion please contact us to explore how we can collaborate to build the future of housing in the neighbourhoods you serve!
Consultant inquiries
Join Canada's fastest growing network of consultants helping inform and inspire homeowners to help themselves, their family members and their community with housing solutions customized to their needs and ambitions! If you have a passion for people and want to "be the change you want to see in the world" please contact us today to discuss your role and remuneration!
Gallery
Mary's Ark Projects
Explore a collection of projects that reflect Mary’s Ark’s commitment to creating safe, supportive, and uplifting spaces for those in need. Each project showcases the care, collaboration, and community spirit at the heart of our mission. From essential home improvements to complete transformations, these examples highlight how our dedicated partners and generous supporters help us bring comfort, dignity, and hope to individuals and families seeking stability.
Browse our diverse range of housing solutions and then contact us to customize a solution that will best serve you, your family and/or your community! We look forward to speaking with you!