About LCCH
Limestone City Co-operative Housing (LCCH) is a non-profit housing co-operative building secure, green, inclusive communities sustainably nourished by urban farming — addressing Kingston's urgent need for affordable housing while tackling interconnected crises in food security, climate, and community well-being.
Vision
Building secure, green, inclusive, co-operative housing communities sustainably nourished by urban farming.
Mission
LCCH builds and operates co-operative housing that is affordable and environmentally sustainable. Our buildings address food and housing insecurity by integrating eco-friendly vertical farming and low-emission, green design in community-based models of living.
Big goal — 2028
Complete Canada's first affordable, non-profit, co-operative housing community with integrated vertical farming — net-zero in energy use, low in greenhouse gas emissions, and designed for a 200-year lifespan.
The project
Our first development is a 248-unit biophilic, climate-smart residential community with a co-op-run indoor farm at its heart — providing fresh food, shared purpose, and a lasting sense of place for residents and the surrounding neighbourhood.
On February 4, 2024, the City of Kingston committed its property at 900 Division Street to LCCH for one year, giving us time to work with our design partner, Planetary Harvest Projects, to create detailed plans, arrange financing, and collaborate with community partners.
Members will co-own and self-govern the co-op, sharing responsibility, resources, and decision-making. The building integrates large-scale vertical farming, green technology, and biophilic design into a resilient, community-first model of living.
Current status
In March 2025, Kingston City Council voted not to proceed with selling the land to LCCH, choosing instead to place the property on the open market. This was a significant setback for the project and for the community members who would have benefited from it.
We are actively looking for new sites. The LCCH vision remains: a housing model that benefits not just its residents, but the surrounding neighbourhood — through gardens, local amenities, and a steady supply of fresh, year-round produce.
The project directly advances each of the Five Pillars of Kingston's Council Strategic Plan 2023–2026:
Who we serve
Our first development is designed to serve groups most affected by Kingston's housing crisis, in a mixed-income model that supports long-term affordability and community diversity.
Younger seniors
Residents seeking security, connection, and an active community without the burden of home ownership.
Young families
Households priced out of ownership who still want stability, space, and a voice in how their home is run.
Students & entry-level workers
People beginning their adult lives in Kingston who need attainable, safe, community-rooted housing.
A limited number of Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) units will be subsidized by LCCH itself, keeping housing charges permanently below comparable market rates for all members.
Philosophical principles
We design our spaces to spark connection and build trust. Shared kitchens, gardens, and gathering areas create natural opportunities to meet, collaborate, and celebrate together. At LCCH, belonging means more than living in the same building — it means feeling truly at home in a community that knows, values, and supports you.
We make food production a shared purpose, weaving agriculture directly into co-op life. From planning crops to tending soil and sharing the harvest, every step is part of our collective effort toward near self-sufficiency — nurturing community, mental well-being, and consistent access to fresh food.
Our design brings the outdoors in, using sustainable, tactile elements — wood, stone, and living plants — to create spaces that feel warm, grounding, and alive. Terraces and rooftop gardens provide space to grow food, relax in the sun, and watch the seasons change.
Practical principles
We design for the long view — an aspirational 200-year operational life. Every decision, from foundation to finish, considers the full life cycle of the structure, ensuring the co-op remains strong, beautiful, and functional for centuries to come.
We envision a building that stops people in their tracks — one that conveys safety, comfort, and vitality while inspiring curiosity and joy. More than visually appealing, it will feel like a true home: reassuring in its presence, welcoming in its spaces.
We embrace Jane Jacobs' vision of the "ballet of the good city sidewalk." Benches, trellises, and welcoming connections between building and street turn surrounding sidewalks into vibrant community spaces where daily life strengthens safety and neighbourliness.
As a co-operative, we draw strength from members' skills and dedication. Our indoor farm is intentionally more hands-on and less dependent on complex systems — reducing costs, building shared knowledge, and giving members ownership in the daily life of the community.
Food and climate
Among Kingston's four major greenhouse gas sectors, food is the most difficult to decarbonize. Only about 2% of food consumed in Kingston is currently produced locally.
LCCH's approach integrates green building design, high density, proximity to transit, and space for ridesharing to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. The building will also capture CO₂-enriched air from residents and channel it into the vertical farm, where it helps plants grow in a nutrient-rich atmosphere.
For structural materials, we will likely use low-carbon "green concrete" to reduce the environmental impact of construction while maintaining strength and durability. These choices align with our not-for-profit model — lowering long-term costs, passing savings directly to members, and supporting the public interest in moving toward sustainable building practices.
LCCH's model is believed to be the first in Canada to combine non-profit co-operative housing with a full-scale, commercially viable indoor farm — contributing to a healthier, more equitable society, stimulating the local economy, and boosting climate resilience.
