New Habitat CEO Hopes For More Frontenac Builds

Oct 30, 2013

Ron Ruttan is just six weeks into his new job as CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Greater Kingston and Frontenac and since he has roots in Central, North and South Frontenac, no one is happier than he is to see Habitat's first home build taking shape in Tichborne.

Ruttan grew up near Godfrey on the north end of Second Depot Lake and was a member of the Hinchinbrooke fire department before amalgamation. Now a captain with the City of Kingston's Volunteer Department, Ruttan said his time spent in Frontenac is “a source of pride and helped shape the man he is today.”

Ruttan also has special ties to Tichborne. “I have old pictures of my aunt Audrey, who lived in the little blue house here in town. She was the post master for Bud Goodfellow and her parents (my grandfather) and her uncle worked on the railway here.”

The Tichborne build is currently under construction through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity and Corrections Canada (CORCAN). A CORCAN supervisor is heading up the current portion of the build and was there supervising three minimum security inmates from the Frontenac Institution who are participants in the construction skills development training program there, which is run by St. Lawrence College. On the day I visited with Ruttan, the four were busy closing in the three bedroom 1000 square foot bungalow and getting it ready to windows to be installed. The plumbing and electrical work that will take place in the next few days. The home is expected to be ready for occupation by mid-January and the family that will be purchasing it will be announced in the next week or two. Habitat appoints a special family selection committee of their own who work closely with local families who have applied to qualify for the Tichborne home, and Ruttan said he is relieved not to have to be the person selecting the family himself. “If it were up to me I'd build 100 homes here but that is not financially possible.”

Ruttan hopes that the build will not be the last in the local area. Prior to landing the job as CEO, he had volunteered his skills at a number of Habitat home builds in Kingston. He was contacted by the Habitat Kingston Re-store about the CEO job. Ruttan is a millwright by trade and worked at Dupont Canada prior to working with the Limestone District School Board for nine years as a consultant with the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), a program that became very successful all across the province.

He said he still works very closely with the school board and is hoping to partner with them to have students take part in future Habitat projects. “I'd love to see students from Granite Ridge and other local area schools take part in some of these builds,” he said.

The Tichborne home was fabricated by a crew of 12 inmates at the Pittsburgh Institution and was later transported to the site. Once on site, a supervisor and 3-man inmate crew built the ICF foundation and poured then concrete. The crew crew began working on site in September and since then they have worked on foundation, hoist, crane and truss work, as well as on the weeping tile and more basic construction techniques.

Kyle, one of the three builders, said he “enjoyed the opportunity of giving back and doing something positive for the community.” He added that the work has given him the confidence and hands on experience he needs when he will be applying for construction jobs in the near future.

The Tichborne home, like all Habitat builds, is built to EnergyStar guidelines and will be warrantied by Tarion.

Once this crew is finished their work, Tarasick Carpentry will be taking over on site and will be heading up a Habitat corporate build day that is scheduled to take place November 1. On that day local corporations and/or businesses will be able to donate to the build by sending their employees to work on the site.

Once it is finished the home will be appraised at market value and will be sold to the selected family, who will be required to put 500 hours of labor into it. The family's mortgage payments are what enable Habitat to fund other builds.

“The family who qualifies for this particular home will be getting a good quality, safe home with no down payment and an interest-free mortgage. So what in fact we are doing is helping families to move on by being able to own their own home,” said Ron Ruttan.

He said that many local building service providers have offered their time and skills for the Tichborne build. Anyone wanting to volunteer can visit Habitat for Humanity's website, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613-548-8763. Ruttan expects the next Habitat build will take place in Kingston but said that after that he is hoping to see another build in the area.