The competition was spirited, friendly and all for a good cause today as teams from across the region squared off at the Rideau Centre in Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) eighth annual gingerbread house build in support of Habitat for Humanity National Capital Region (NCR).

Several prizes were awarded, but the main winners will be local families whose dreams of homeownership will move closer to reality because of the event.

“Habitat for Humanity is a great organization that does amazing work here in Ottawa, across Canada and around the world,” said Ed Komarnicki, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour. “I am delighted that CMHC is working with the local organization again this year to help raise money to build homes for families in the National Capital Region.”

In the competition’s professional category, local restaurants, bakeries and culinary schools competed to design and decorate gingerbread houses that evoke the holiday spirit. The top prize of $1,000 went to a stunning creation made by Fairmont Château Laurier. The second place prize of $500 was awarded to Cité collégiale, and third place went to Decadent Cakes with a $250 prize.

New to this year’s competition was an amateur category, which saw teams of families, friends and other ‘rookies’ compete to come up with the most tantalizing creation. The first prize of $500 went to Intempo Design Studio; second prize ($250) was awarded to Design First Interiors; and third prize ($100) went to Erskine Dredge & Associates Architects Inc.

A highlight of the annual event is the media competition, in which local media personalities compete against each other — and against the clock — in a live gingerbread house build. This year, teams from Virgin Radio, the Ottawa Citizen, the Ottawa Sun, 24 Hours Ottawa, A-Channel and CJOH CTV – Ottawa participated, and were presented with a certificate of appreciation by MP Komarnicki.

“CMHC has a special relationship with Habitat for Humanity, and we are pleased to be supporting them with today’s event,” said Karen Kinsley, President and CEO of CMHC. “This is a time of year when Canadians are looking to share their good fortune with others. Proceeds from CMHC’s gingerbread house competition will enable Habitat for Humanity to continue building safe and affordable homes for low-income working families in the National Capital Region.”

“Habitat for Humanity NCR is proud to partner with CMHC again this year for another excellent community event,” said Donna Hicks, Habitat NCR’s CEO. “Everyone is a winner in this event, especially the local families who will be helped by your generosity.”

The gingerbread homes will be on display at the Rideau Centre in the West Bay Bridge (near Grand & Toy) all weekend. Visitors are invited to tour the gingerbread village and bid on their favourite homes in a silent auction. All proceeds from the silent auction will go to support the home building programs of Habitat for Humanity NCR.

Habitat for Humanity NCR’s mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting home ownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. Habitat has built 35 homes in the National Capital Region since 1993.

With some 1,850 new homes expected to be started in both 2009 and 2010, new home construction is expected to remain relatively stable. This is mostly due to a weak rebound of single-detached home construction,which is expected to increase by only 50 units from the 2009 level.

The weak rebound in single-detached home construction is mostly due to competition from the resale market, especially from the nearly new category (homes of 1-5 year vintage). Strong growth in new single-detached home construction before 2006 created a large stock, and some of them are being offered for sale in the resale market. These homes are very popular among doctors, nurses or other health care or natural sciences related professionals. During the past few years, they tended to purchase new from builders because the resale market was tight. However, with a larger offering of nearly new homes on the market, they tend to find what they want in the resale market. With listings of resale homes expected to remain high, these professionals will tend to purchase from resale than directly from builders.

There are reports that some builders may be building up inventories in order to better compete with the resale market, by being able to have homes ready for customers to move into as soon as the transaction closes. However, at the end of September, the level of completed and unabsorbed homes dropped to 99 units, down from nearly 200 units earlier this year.

Apartment construction will be relatively strong in 2009 and 2010. Overall apartment starts will reach 850 units in 2009, and 800 units in 2010.Many of them will continue to be in the high-end rental category. Empty nesters and retirees who like the convenience of an apartment lifestyle are the key customer group for these apartments.

Condominium apartments are also becoming a factor in the London housing market. The popularity of high-end rental apartments among empty nesters and retirees has resulted in some showing interest in ownership. Developers are beginning to build high rise condominiums to satisfy this demand.