When Sarah Cipkar broke ground on her 430-square-foot backyard home in Windsor, Ontario in August 2020, she couldn’t have predicted it would lead to creating what would become Canada’s only nationwide backyard home marketplace. But that personal project, sparked by a 2019 bylaw change allowing detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs), would eventually evolve into Resimate, a pioneering platform that’s revolutionizing how Canadians approach property development.
With a background in community development and neighborhood revitalization, Cipkar approached her backyard project with both personal and professional interest. “The intention really was to have a flexible space that I could have a second income from, and also eventually have available for my parents.” This personal interest would later inform Resimate’s market positioning.
The transition from personal project to national platform began with a research grant funding ADU Search, a sophisticated mapping tool analyzing zoning bylaws and setbacks to determine buildable areas. The success of this initial project revealed significant market potential: analysis of over 1.5 million parcels across Canada showed approximately 40% are immediately suitable for ADU development, with another 30% potentially viable with additional requirements.
Today, Resimate’s unique technology platform offers unprecedented capabilities for property owners and developers across 18 Canadian cities. Resimate’s mission is clear: helping homeowners achieve the potential of their backyard and create additional housing that meets their specific needs. The marketplace features over 30 backyard home models ranging from 200 to 1,000 square feet, with prices typically ranging from $150,000 to $300,000 depending on size and finishes.
All of this builds on the company’s technology base. The platform’s proprietary technology combines 3D scanning, virtual placement tools, and detailed site assessments to streamline the development process end-to-end. “We can do an on-site assessment where we essentially do a 3D scan of their lot, and then our team produces a report that says yes or no if they’re able to have a backyard home, what the process would look like, and what the cost would be with a particular unit,” Cipkar explains.
Today, market demand spans multiple segments. Multi-generational living leads the way, with families seeking solutions that balance proximity and independence. “One of the big needs that we’ve noticed is that people want to live near their family members,” Cipkar notes. “They want proximity but still have privacy, and they don’t necessarily want to share bathrooms or kitchens.”
Beyond family housing, property owners are drawn to ADUs for rental income potential, home office space, and short-term rental opportunities. “The thread that runs through a lot of the units is the flexibility that they bring,” Cipkar explains. “You could use it for several different things – maybe it’s just for short-term rentals when your family visits, and then you can rent it out the rest of the year.”
The potential impact on Canada’s housing market is significant, particularly given the country’s predominantly low-density suburban landscape. Cipkar provides compelling metrics: “In Windsor alone, there are 60,000 lots that are eligible. If one in 10 added a backyard home, that’s 6,000 units. To provide context, Windsor had 1,900 housing starts last year.” This incremental approach could add significant housing supply to existing neighborhoods, without requiring major urban redevelopment.
Looking ahead, Resimate is actively developing solutions to address the two primary barriers to ADU adoption: cost and complexity. While ADUSearch serves as the research foundation, Resimate has evolved as the company’s primary solution, offering a comprehensive marketplace for ADU development. The company is pursuing financial partnerships and shared equity arrangements to make funding more accessible, particularly important given the unique challenges of financing off-site manufactured units.
“Our vision is to have backyard home options that are built on demand from off-site manufacturers,” Cipkar shares. “Similarly to the way people go into car dealerships and pick out a new car, someone could go to a demo unit, put an order in, and then in six to eight weeks, have that home in their backyard.”
To achieve this vision, Resimate is already working on a series of demonstration units and developing virtual touring capabilities, including a virtual tiny home show that will allow potential buyers to take 3D live-stream tours of available models. By serving as an advocate and intermediary between homeowners, manufacturers, contractors, and municipalities, Resimate is steadily working to transform the ADU market from a complex development process into a streamlined, consumer-friendly experience.
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