The long-awaited Rainbow Ridge housing development has passed a milestone. The foundations of the first two homes are in place. Sadhu Johnston, Executive Director of the Cortes Housing Society, gave Cortes Currents a tour of the site and spoke about the vision, challenges, and progress to date.
Rainbow Ridge is rising in Mansons Landing, the most settled community on Cortes Island.
The audio version of this story meanders more than usual. It begins inside the community building and ends at the freshly poured foundation of the first duplex. Along the way, the track is filled with construction noises: hammering, lumber being stacked, the warning beep of a backing vehicle, and occasional voices in the background. At times our own voices echo through the empty community building, while outside the steady crunch of footsteps on earth runs through segments. The recording also includes a series of questions and answers that are not repeated in this summary.
Johnston explained, “It’s a beautiful sunny day and our solar panels are getting the rays of the sun, which is powering our entire construction site. We’ve cleared about five acres of land that will support 24 homes. Those homes will be in two-unit or three-unit buildings.”
Construction of the first duplex is underway.
“We expect these units to be open and ready for occupancy in June 2026,” Johnston said. “We’ll start the tenanting process soon and also start construction of building two. Our goal is to build one duplex or triplex at a time, as we raise the money, until all 24 units are complete.”
Buildings are oriented south to maximize solar gain. Each will have its own solar power and battery system, helping tenants cut costs while ensuring resilience during outages.
“We’re aiming for zero carbon emissions,” Johnston added.
Years of applications to government housing programs yielded little success. Larger towns were prioritized for provincial and federal funding, leaving Cortes to forge ahead alone. Rather than halting the project, the Housing Society pivoted to a grassroots model: raising money from local residents, organizations, and creative partnerships.
This independence has brought challenges, particularly around affordability.
“Because we didn’t get government funding, we don’t have rent subsidies like we do at the Seniors Village. This project needs to pay for itself, but the board is committed to subsidizing some units where we can. If we’re able to do that, it will be because we’ve raised the money on-island,” explained Johnston.
“There are a lot of people that are living here and working here that just can’t find housing they can afford to rent. They can afford to pay market rates, but there’s nothing here for them. So at this point, that’s the segment of Cortes that we are aiming to serve – people that can’t find housing. I imagine most of what we do will be below market to some extent, and we’ll try to have some units that are 20% below market.”
At the same time, independence has opened up new opportunities to build with local labour and materials.
“We’re able to use local materials and labour—like Hannu Huuskonen doing the woodwork and Scotty Martin installing the septic—instead of bringing in crews from Campbell River,” Johnston said. “At the end of the day, I want to calculate how many dollars stayed on Cortes and supported Cortes families instead of leaving the island.”
At the heart of Rainbow Ridge stands the new Community Building, which houses utilities for the first 12 units and much more. In partnership with the Cortes Women’s Centre and family services, the facility will provide laundry, showers, and water access for residents who lack these amenities at home.
“About 30% of people surveyed here said they don’t have indoor plumbing or laundry,” Johnston noted. “This will be a place that can support the broader community, not just residents at Rainbow Ridge.”
There is also a guest bedroom, for people in the Senior’s Village or the neighbourhood to rent for their friends or family coming to Cortes, and a special community space for larger gatherings.
Solar panels currently power the entire construction site, charging batteries that run pumps, wells, lights, and tools. Once homes are complete, each will have its own solar system, reducing tenants’ bills while ensuring energy security in outages.
The construction emphasizes efficiency and resilience: insulated concrete forms, radiant in-floor heating, and reused materials. Foam insulation came from a big-box store renovation, while windows, siding, and even vanities and toilets have been reclaimed.
The Housing Society’s board has made it clear that housing is its first priority—but economic development is a close second. By hiring locally, keeping contracts on-island, and training apprentices, Rainbow Ridge is not just providing homes but also livelihoods.
Johnston emphasized the project’s cooperative spirit: “It’s been amazing to see the community step up—donating materials, lumber, even doors from Vancouver. These contributions really show the creativity and generosity that’s making this project happen.”
There is much more in the podcast.
Links of Interest:
- September at Rainbow Ridge – Cortes Housing Society
- Rainbow Ridge project page – Cortes Housing Society
- Articles about, or mentioning, Rainbow Ridge – Cortes Currents
- Cortes Community Housing Society website
All photos by Roy L Hales; adapted map originates from the Rainbow Ridge Project page of the Housing Society website.
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