Amidst a landscape strained by housing shortages and rising costs across Canada, a new manufacturing facility has opened its doors in Barrie, Ontario, proposing a significant shift in how homes are built. EBS Global officially launched its plant on March 20, 2025, signalling its intent to leverage prefabrication technology and steel frame housing to accelerate construction timelines and potentially reduce expenses, addressing a critical national issue from a local base.
The key player is EBS Global, a company specializing in modular construction. Leading the initiative is EBS Global President, Fesih Zeki Mert, who explicitly linked the venture to Canada’s housing deficit. “We see the shortage of housing in Canada,” Mert stated, outlining the company’s capability to erect structures up to eight storeys rapidly using a metal start structure system developed in-house. The company has established its headquarters and primary manufacturing plant in Barrie, a decision warmly welcomed by local officials, including Mayor Alex Nuttall, who sees it as a significant gain for the city.
At its core, the operation involves constructing modular housing components – essentially sections of homes – within the controlled environment of the Barrie factory before assembly on the final site. This method, known as prefabrication technology, is central to EBS Global’s strategy. The company utilizes steel and aluminum, materials more commonly associated with commercial buildings, to create prefabricated housing frames. This approach, according to Zeki Mert, dramatically shortens the construction cycle, reducing timelines from months to mere weeks. Approximately 70 employees will initially staff the Barrie plant.
The facility marked its opening on Thursday, March 20, 2025, setting the stage for production. This timing aligns with ongoing pressures on municipalities like Barrie to meet provincially mandated housing targets. While many fell short last year, Barrie came close, qualifying for additional provincial funds. The potential for a faster building process is particularly appealing to city leadership grappling with these targets.
The location in Barrie, Ontario, positions EBS Global within a region experiencing growth and housing pressures. Mayor Nuttall emphasized the potential impact, noting, “What could take two or three weeks or two or three months, happening in two to three days, nothing that we do at city hall will ever compete with that type of revolutionary change.” This highlights the local significance of attracting such an industry.
The fundamental motivation, as articulated by Zeki Mert, is twofold: addressing the housing shortage and mitigating high costs exacerbated by inflation. By employing modular construction with steel frames, the company aims for efficiency. Furthermore, EBS Global commits to using 100 per cent Canadian steel and aluminum, a strategic choice to avoid potential tariff issues and support the domestic economy. “We want to build more houses in Canada and make sure housing prices come down,” Zeki Mert affirmed. The question inevitably arises: Is this the solution to affordable housing we’ve been looking for?
EBS Global plans to collaborate with government bodies and charitable organizations, focusing on social, affordable, and mid-rise housing projects. This signals an ambition beyond purely commercial development. The company also envisions substantial growth, aiming to expand its workforce to over 500 employees in the future, suggesting a long-term commitment to the Barrie operation and its innovative approach to construction.
The arrival of EBS Global represents a tangible effort to innovate within the construction sector, directly confronting the challenges of speed and cost that plague traditional building methods. While the long-term impact remains to be seen, the focus on modular construction and steel frame housing in Barrie offers a compelling glimpse into potential pathways for addressing Canada’s urgent need for more, and potentially more affordable, homes.
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Barrie company plans to revolutionize Canada’s housing industry
