Bygda Builders
The Village Builders
We help build vibrant Canadian communities.
What we do
We build housing that attracts people to live in your town.
We help build neighbourhood and community through engagement.
We pay income to local investors.
When we sell our buildings, we donate the net proceeds to local charties.
New high quality rental apartments in small and medium-sized communities.
Community-supported: only what the existing community wants, needs, and supports.
Community-building: more neighbour to neighbour engagement, more vibrant communities.
Income to local investors. Net proceeds to local charities.
Why we do it
Our social purpose
Bygdda is a social-purpose company. The goal of Bygda is not to make profit, it is to help build communities.
We believe that many communities struggle to attract and retain people, especially young workers, because of a lack of suitable rental accomodation. This is especially relevant to fields like healthcare and construction and leads to less vibrant, less self-sufficient communities with less ability to 'look after their own'.
We also believe that many established residents of these communities are keen to be support initiatives that build their community but they struggle to find a financially-viable way to channel their energies productively.
We believe that it is advantageous for people to invest close to home, and that from rental accomodation should be repaid to local investors.
We believe that charities are enormously valuable to their communities, and that they need financial support.
Bygda's goal is strong villages - more housing, more active community members, more income kept in the community, more support for local charities.
How we do it
- Small buildings
- High quality
- Accessible units
- Suitable for singles, couples and sharing
- Ideal for young workers, couples, and retirees
Bygda is ensures that its buildings are properly managed and maintained and contribute to their communities and therefore will be a longterm owner of the buildings.
If Bygda sells a building it will donate the net proceeds to a local charity.
This donation is likely to equal or exceed the full amount of the investment by the Village Builders.
We handle all development and construction, at our financial risk.
After completion and occupancy, our buildings are supported by local 'Village Builders'.
Village Builders are members of the local community who make a 5-year investment (this is a loan, not a gift or charitable donation). Usually 10-20 people, they collectively invest 10-20% of the value of the building. These investor receive regular interest on their investment at very attractive rates (much better than GICs) and full repayment of principal at the end of 5 years (they can extend if they wish).
We also encourage Village Builders to take an active role in supporting their neighbours and their town; we provide regular updates on the building and social gatherings for Village Builders and tenants.
Help build your village
You can help build your community and we want to help you do it.
We welcome contributions and support of all levels.
Energy and enthusiasam are more important than money, although we welcome money too.
If you think your community would benefit from a Bygda building, want to invest or help us work with other engaged members of your community, please reach out. We would love to hear from you.
Who we are
Neil Milton
The power of villages
I am the founder of Bygda Builders. I am passionate about building communities - which obviously includes buildings but also the people in them, and their sense of self and purpose.
Small and medium-sized towns in Canada need people and housing but most importantly, they need a little help to regain their mojo.
I was born and raised in a small town in eastern Ontario, and I fully appreciate the value of real community and the ability of small communities to make big things happen when people work together. I am not a believer that we should all wait for 'someone else to do something'. I am a believer that real communities are built by local folks who take action to meet the challenges before them.
I have had almost ridiculously good fortune at almost every stage of my life. Bygda is an effort to make a sustainable difference and to give back in a truly impactful way to communities of all sizes across Ontario and Canada.
I want to help your village do great things, and I look forward to hearing from you.
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