Determined to provide relief during Toronto’s harsh winters, Ryan Donais has taken action by building tiny mobile homes attached to bicycles for people experiencing homelessness. Drawing from his construction background, Donais launched this project in the summer, inspired by the city’s urgent housing crisis and approaching cold winter.
Each mobile unit costs about $10,000, funded largely through community donations. These shelters are equipped with heat, electricity, running water, and safety features such as smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Designed to comply with Ontario’s e-bike regulations, the units can be moved easily through the city’s bike lanes, potentially avoiding past conflicts like those faced by other makeshift housing efforts.
For individuals like Terra Sawler, who lived on the streets for nearly three years, these shelters have been life-changing. Sawler, who now feels safe and warm, shared that the tiny home has given her the gift of uninterrupted sleep—a rare comfort on the streets.
While Donais has registered a nonprofit, Tiny Tiny Homes, to continue his work, he stresses that these units are only a temporary solution. “It’s terrible that we’re letting people sleep outside. Housing is the answer,” he says, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable housing solutions in Toronto and beyond.