Windmill Developments plans to use mass-timber construction in many of its future projects, says the company’s new CEO.

Any project up to 18 storeys is now being designed with that approach in mind Jeremy Reeds told Connect in an interview.

Reeds said a “large portion” of the affordable-housing specialist’s future portfolio will focus on cross-laminated timber (CLT) and mass-timber construction as the company expands its use of prefabricated building systems developed with B.C.-based Intelligent City.

Windmill has been working with Intelligent City on prefabricated floor and exterior wall systems that integrate structural, electrical and HVAC components off-site before being delivered to construction sites. Reeds said the approach can significantly shorten construction timelines while reducing buildings’ embodied carbon, improving their operational efficiency and reducing costs tied to project scheduling and delivery.

He pointed to Windmill’s 230 Royal York project in Toronto as one example of the company’s growing use of mass timber. The nine-storey, 60-unit rental building is scheduled to begin occupancy in August.

Reeds also highlighted several other major projects in Windmill’s pipeline, including the redevelopment of the Korean church site in Ottawa.

The approximately 200,000-square-foot project will include 296 rental units, with about 25% designated as affordable housing. The development will retain portions of the church façade while integrating them into the new podium structure.

Reeds said the project reflects Windmill’s longstanding approach of partnering with churches and non-profit organizations to help them unlock value from aging properties while maintaining community uses.

Another Ottawa-area project, Parkway House, involves a partnership with a non-profit organization supporting adults with disabilities. The first phase will include 266 units that will be owned and operated by local non-profit Nesting Ground.

Windmill officially appointed Reeds as CEO in April, promoting from his former position of president. He succeeded Jonathan Westeinde, the company’s founder, who transitioned to the role of executive chair.

“For myself, from a personal standpoint, [the promotion] feels like the culmination of a lot of different things I focused on in my life coming together in fruition from a skill set and interest perspective,” Reeds said.

Reeds was promoted to president in 2024 as part of the company’s succession-planning process. But he only serves as CEO now. Windmill has not traditionally had a president, but Reeds said the role was specifically created for him, know that the position would only exist until he became CEO, so the company will not name a new president.

Reeds joined Windmill in 2019 as finance director and has also served as a partner, CFO and chief operating officer since then.

Over the short term, he wants Windmill to develop more partnerships and drive more innovation across the non-profit residential sector.

Reeds said his long-term goals are to leverage Windmill’s two-decades-plus history as a leader in the sustainable-development space and expand the company’s national operations.

“When we look at the next five to 10 years, we’re definitely looking very closely at other key markets [than Ontario] across the country that we intend to get back to developing or start to develop in as well,” he said. “And, a key part of that is very aligned partnerships. This just comes back to our sustainability approach. For us, anything that we can do to continue to grow and expand is not just what we accomplish internally, but how we impact the industry and help to catalyze that change in the industry.”

To help achieve that goal, Windmill will use mass-timber construction on many developments outside of Ontario.

Pictured: Korean Church redevelopment project in Ottawa.

Rendering: Courtesy of Windmill Developments

Canada’s commercial real estate market is evolving fast—be in the room where it all comes together. On June 25 in Toronto, Connect CRE Canada brings together the leaders actively shaping the market. Join an influential audience of 200 investors, developers, brokers, lenders, and owners for high-level networking and timely discussions on the trends impacting today’s market. Hear from leaders at TD Asset Management, Starlight, Woodbourne Capital Management, REMAX, Fengate Asset Management, Stonebridge Financial, Yardi, and more. Register today to stay ahead of the market and build valuable industry connections.