OnePoint Association of REALTORS® Launch 'Foundations for the Future', a $146,000 Regional Program Supporting Skilled Trades, Youth and Housing
- Mar 27
- 4 min read
New initiative will deliver hands-on learning experiences, scholarships and community partnerships across nine regions in Ontario.
GUELPH, ON, March 27, 2026 — Today, 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.
Today’s 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 to help prepare the space ahead of Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington’s 25th anniversary open house. 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.”
About the Organization 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 for their 25th Anniversary open house celebration on Saturday, March 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for complimentary refreshments, giveaways and draws, and 25% off everything in store.
