Building fast, affordable, and healthy housing in Muskoka is no longer a problem —just ask the team at Tooketree.
Read the article on the Huntsville Doppler.
HUNTSVILLE, ON – Did you know about the advanced modular housing factory in Baysville that is home to affordable housing experts and produces state-of-the-art panels for multi-dwelling construction?
After a 2025 tour of the Tooketree Factory in Lake of Bays, Matt Richter, Muskoka-Parry Sound Green candidate, took to socials to say, “It’s always inspiring to see innovative, sensible solutions to the housing crisis—especially ones that make so much long-term sense…Over time, these homes save serious money…With energy costs climbing and landfill space shrinking, it’s clear that building smarter is a win for people, the planet, and the bottom line.”
Tooketree is an award-winning leader in sustainable, prefabricated, and Passive House construction and is a mission-driven social enterprise committed to collaborating with government agencies and NGOs to deliver high-quality, affordable housing solutions essential for addressing Muskoka’s housing challenges. In addition to being experts on managing the design-build process, Tooketree produces its highly acclaimed construction product, SEED panels. Learn more about Tooketree from Melinda and Rick themselves!
“We slash build times by more than half for developers, offer one of the healthiest building products, and understand the political and public landscape when it comes to housing the most vulnerable and at-risk residents. We want everyone, regardless of household income, to have a healthy residence, not just fast and affordable, but using healthy materials and built to endure decades,” states Rick Zytaruk, CFO.
Fabricated entirely in Baysville, Tooketree’s SEED panels are delivered ready to assemble, significantly reducing construction timelines for multi-unit projects. Each panel not only exceeds Ontario building code requirements but also aligns with advanced building science standards, ensuring long-term insurability. The result: an airtight, exceptionally insulated, energy-efficient home that is healthy for its occupants and lasts for generations. Tooketree’s SEED roof, floor, and wall panels are made by our skilled team with 98% Canadian materials. SEED panels integrate Ontario Wood, industry-leading German-engineered vapour barriers, Ontario-made dense-pack cellulose insulation, Quebec-engineered woodfibre board, and high-performance weather protection into a single, precision-built unit. Learn all about SEED prefabricated building panels.
“Our company has had the opportunity to work with their team on projects involving the supply and installation of prefabricated wall panels, and our experience has been consistently positive,” explains Chris Dobbins, Owner/Operator of CDH Carpentry. “Throughout our work together, they have demonstrated a strong commitment to quality. Their wall panels have been manufactured to a high standard, delivered as specified, and have contributed to an efficient installation process…They work well alongside general contractors, consultants, and other trades, focusing on practical solutions that optimize value for the client while maintaining project schedules and quality expectations.”
"This isn't a new idea we're floating—it's a proven solution we've had ready and waiting for years," said Melinda Zytaruk, co-founder of Tooketree. "We've brought SEED panels to the table again and again for developers, municipalities, and non-profits looking to solve the housing crisis, because we believe the answer has been sitting right here in Muskoka the whole time. Once again, we're opening our doors and putting it in front of the community—come see it, ask questions, and decide for yourselves what's possible." Read Tooketree’s May 2025 article detailing their tour for Nate Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities for Canada, plus Geordie Sabbagh, Muskoka-Parry Sound 2025 Liberal candidate, and his team.
Multi-dwelling projects built with precision-engineered panels that meet Passive House standards are substantially more energy efficient than traditional stick-frame structures, resulting in greater long-term affordability. Developers, non-profit organizations, NGOs, and municipalities seeking reliable, high-performance construction solutions need look no further than their own backyard for the answer.
You’re invited to experience the future of building!
Tooketree welcomes residents and representatives from Huntsville Council, Muskoka District, neighbouring municipalities, the public, and the prospective business community to tour its Baysville factory and discover the innovation behind SEED panels firsthand. Interested parties are encouraged to register for one of our two upcoming factory tours on Friday, August 14 at 1 PM or Friday, August 21, 2026 at 1 PM.
Tooketree was co-founded by local daughter-and-father team Melinda Zytaruk, MES, CPHB, and Rick Zytaruk, P.Eng., CPHB. Melinda is a Certified Passive House Builder and BCIN designer with a master’s in environmental studies, an avid volunteer for local events and organizations, and an in-demand speaker and board advisor. Rick partnered with Melinda in 2018, bringing decades of expertise as an engineer and business consultant, with a focus on leveraging technology and process optimization to drive efficiency and effectiveness. Together with their highly skilled local team, they design and manufacture SEED (Sustainable, Ecological, Efficient, Durable) Building Systems. Their team’s innovation and leadership have been recognized nationally, having been recently named one of Canada’s most investable cleantech ventures by Foresight Canada and awarded the Innovation in Industry Award at the 2024 Ontario Embodied Carbon Awards.
