By Jason Polonski, REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty · Last updated: October 2026
Half Moon Bay is Barrhaven’s newest and fastest-growing community, a large master-planned area south of the Jock River where builders are still adding townhomes, semi-detached and detached homes. Its population nearly doubled between the 2016 and 2021 censuses to about 15,200 people. It suits young families and first-time buyers who want a new or nearly new home in Ottawa, and who are comfortable living with ongoing construction while schools, shops and transit catch up. For the broader community, see the Barrhaven neighbourhood guide.
Where Is Half Moon Bay?
Half Moon Bay covers about 500 hectares in Barrhaven’s south end. It is bounded roughly by the Jock River to the north, Borrisokane Road to the west, Greenbank Road to the east and Barnsdale Road to the south, with Stonebridge as its neighbour to the east. Cambrian Road is its main east-west spine. It sits in the Barrhaven West ward (Ward 3).
The land was approved for development through the City’s Area 7 Secondary Plan in 1997, and the first homes went up in 2007. Half Moon Bay now has three broad sections: the original Half Moon Bay, Half Moon Bay West, which is in its final phases, and Quinn’s Pointe, which is still being actively built. Builders in the area have included Mattamy, Minto, Richcraft and Tamarack, and Monarch in earlier phases.
What Is It Like to Live in Half Moon Bay?
Half Moon Bay feels like what it is: a young community still being finished. Streets are lined with new homes and young trees, parks and playgrounds appear every few blocks, and strollers and bikes are everywhere in summer. The community has about 15 named parks, from Half Moon Bay District Park to smaller parkettes, with names like River Run and Watercolours.
The trade-offs are typical of a new suburb. There is construction traffic and noise in active phases, a commute that leans heavily on driving, and services that have lagged population growth. That gap is closing: the first major grocery store, a Food Basics, opened in October 2025 at Cambrian and the realigned Greenbank Road, with more retail planned.
Half Moon Bay also made the news on July 13, 2023, when two EF1 tornadoes damaged roughly 125 homes. Most were repaired through insurance. For buyers it is a practical point: ask whether the home was affected, what was repaired, and whether the work was permitted, and get the insurer’s view on any claims history.
Homes in Half Moon Bay
| Home type | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Freehold townhomes | The most common entry point; two- and three-storey models, many with finished basements |
| Back-to-back and stacked townhomes | Lower price points, sometimes with common-element fees; check the documents |
| Semi-detached | A middle step between a townhome and a single |
| Detached | Two-storey family homes from compact models to large executive plans near the river and in Quinn’s Pointe |
Most homes are less than 20 years old, and many are less than 10, so buyers get open-concept layouts, modern insulation and efficient mechanical systems. That does not mean they are problem-free. New homes have their own common issues: settling cracks, grading and drainage that were never corrected, attic ventilation problems, and builder deficiencies that should have been claimed under warranty.
What Jason Checks in Half Moon Bay Homes
Jason’s construction and electrical background is especially useful in a newer community, because the issues are less obvious than in a 1970s home. On a resale in Half Moon Bay he looks at:
- Remaining Tarion warranty coverage. In Ontario, new homes carry one-year, two-year and seven-year coverage. A home still inside its two-year window may have claimable items.
- Grading and window wells. These are common sources of basement water in new subdivisions.
- Basement finishing. Was it done by the builder or the owner, and with a permit from the City of Ottawa?
- Storm repairs. Any roof, siding or window work after July 2023.
- Rented equipment. Water heaters, and in some new homes furnaces or HVAC units, that transfer to the buyer as monthly contracts.
A professional home inspection is worth it on new homes too.
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New Build or Resale in Half Moon Bay?
Half Moon Bay is one of the few places in Ottawa where buyers can choose between a brand-new builder home and a nearly new resale on the next street. Each has real advantages.
Buying new from a builder means choosing finishes, full warranty coverage and a home no one has lived in. It also means waiting, sometimes a year or more, plus a builder agreement with deposit schedules, closing adjustments and possible occupancy fees, and finished basements, landscaping and window coverings that usually cost extra. Builders must be licensed by the Home Construction Regulatory Authority, whose Ontario Builder Directory shows a builder’s history.
Buying resale means moving in on a set date, with landscaping, a fence, window coverings and often a finished basement already done. A five-year-old home may still be priced below a comparable new build once those extras are counted. Buyers also lose some warranty coverage and choice of finishes.
Jason represents buyers on both, including on builder agreements, and compares the true all-in cost of each option. His new construction guide covers the builder process step by step, and the Ottawa new home builders directory profiles builders active in the city. First-time buyers purchasing a new home should also ask their lawyer about the federal GST/HST relief for first-time buyers of new homes, since eligibility rules apply.
Who Builds New Homes in Barrhaven?
Several of Ottawa’s larger builders are active in Half Moon Bay and the south end of Barrhaven. Communities and their builders include:
- Mattamy Homes: Half Moon Bay and Half Moon Bay West
- Minto Communities: Quinn’s Pointe and Anthem, with townhomes and single-family designs
- Caivan: The Conservancy and The Ridge
- Tamarack Homes: The Meadows at Half Moon Bay
- Claridge Homes: Watter’s Pointe
- Phoenix Homes: The Junction
Phases sell out and new ones open throughout the year, so check each builder’s current releases before you visit. Every new freehold home is covered by mandatory Tarion warranty protection, and builders must be licensed by the Home Construction Regulatory Authority, which publishes each builder’s record in its Ontario Builder Directory. For a wider comparison, see the best home builders in Ottawa and the Ottawa new home builders directory. Jason represents buyers on new construction, reviewing the builder agreement, deposit structure and closing adjustments before you sign.
Schools in Half Moon Bay
Schools are being built quickly to keep up with growth, but some still run over capacity:
- English public (OCDSB): Half Moon Bay Public School and Wazoson Public School. Wazoson opened in January 2024 at 989 Kilbirnie Drive and offers English and Early French Immersion from JK to Grade 6.
- English Catholic (OCSB): St. Benedict, St. Cecilia and St. Juan Diego.
- French-language: École élémentaire publique Des Visionnaires and École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Kateri.
For high school, Half Moon Bay students currently travel north to schools elsewhere in Barrhaven. In December 2025 the province committed $77.7 million for a new Ottawa-Carleton District School Board secondary school on Cambrian Road with nearly 1,500 student spaces. Families should check the board for the opening date.
Catchments in a growing community change often. Confirm the exact address with the OCDSB school locator and the Ottawa Catholic School Board before firming up. The full list is in Barrhaven schools.
Recreation, Shopping and Commute
Recreation. The Minto Recreation Complex – Barrhaven at Greenbank and Cambrian is the community’s anchor, with two pools, two rinks, a gym, a fitness centre and a walking track. It opened in 2014. Next door are Quinn’s Pointe Field, a full-size artificial-turf football field, and an Ottawa fire station.
Shopping. Food Basics opened in October 2025, with No Frills and Shoppers Drug Mart among the tenants announced for the same area. For everything else, Chapman Mills Marketplace, Barrhaven Town Centre and the Costco at CitiGate are a 10- to 15-minute drive north.
Driving. Greenbank Road, Borrisokane Road and Highway 416 carry most traffic north. Off-peak, downtown Ottawa is roughly 25 to 35 minutes away; at rush hour, the Jock River crossings are the bottleneck. The province has committed to fund a Highway 416 interchange at Barnsdale Road on the community’s southern edge, but timing has not been announced.
Transit. Half Moon Bay has limited transit today, mainly OC Transpo’s frequent route 75 and the Connexion route 275 into the Southwest Transitway. The City’s Greenbank Road realignment will change that: a new four-lane Greenbank with a bus rapid transit corridor down the middle, extending the Transitway south toward Barnsdale Road. Phase 1 main construction is scheduled for 2026 to 2028, and a later phase adds a new six-lane bridge over the Jock River (City of Ottawa project presentation). Check routes in the OC Transpo travel planner.
Who Half Moon Bay Suits
- First-time buyers who want a newer freehold townhome rather than an older home or a condo
- Young families who want parks, new elementary schools and room to grow
- Relocating buyers and military families who prefer a new or nearly new home with modern systems
- Move-up buyers within Barrhaven looking at Half Moon Bay’s larger detached models as an alternative to Stonebridge
It is a weaker fit for buyers who want mature trees and quiet, finished streets right away (consider Stonebridge or Old Barrhaven), or who need a short transit commute downtown.
The Half Moon Bay Market
Half Moon Bay is a market where resale homes compete with builder inventory. When builders offer incentives such as upgrades, closing-cost credits or price adjustments, nearby resales feel the pressure, especially townhomes. City-wide, OREB’s September 2026 townhouse benchmark was $546,500, down 2.2% year over year, and its Ottawa Suburb South submarket had 4.4 months of inventory (OREB).
For sellers, that means pricing against both recent resales and current builder price lists, and presenting what a new build does not include: a finished basement, a fence, landscaping and a firm closing date. For buyers, it means comparing true all-in costs, not list prices. The Barrhaven townhomes guide covers the segment in detail, and the Barrhaven real estate market page tracks conditions monthly. Owners thinking of selling can start with a free Barrhaven home evaluation.
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See Homes for Sale in Half Moon Bay
2412 Watercolours Way
Ottawa, Ontario
4 Bedroom
4 Bathroom
1,500 - 2,000 sqft
Bennett Property Shop Realty
606 Parnian Private
Ottawa, Ontario
3 Bedroom
2 Bathroom
1,000 - 1,199 sqft
Avenue North Realty Inc.
2455 Nutgrove Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario
2 Bedroom
2 Bathroom
1,100 - 1,500 sqft
RE/MAX Hallmark Jenna & Co. Group Realty
414 Meadowhawk Crescent
Ottawa, Ontario
3 Bedroom
3 Bathroom
1,100 - 1,500 sqft
Royal LePage Integrity Realty
878 Excursion Way
Ottawa, Ontario
4 Bedroom
4 Bathroom
2,000 - 2,500 sqft
RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Group
332 Appalachian Circle
Ottawa, Ontario
3 Bedroom
4 Bathroom
2,000 - 2,500 sqft
Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty
All Barrhaven listings are on Barrhaven homes for sale.
Before making an offer, run the numbers: Ontario’s land transfer tax applies on closing (with a refund for eligible first-time buyers), and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada explains mortgage qualification. If you are selling one home to buy in Half Moon Bay, read buying and selling at the same time.
Work With a Barrhaven REALTOR® Who Knows Half Moon Bay
Jason Polonski is a full-time REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty with more than 15 years of experience across Ottawa’s west and south ends, including Half Moon Bay’s resale and new-construction markets. He represents buyers on builder purchases as well as resales, lists homes for a 1% listing commission, and offers buyers up to $3,000 cash back at closing on qualifying purchases.
His construction and electrical trades background helps buyers see what a new home really needs, from warranty items to grading, and his Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University, with a double major in Marketing and Finance, shapes his pricing and negotiation against builder inventory. He has been named a Best in Ottawa Top REALTOR® seven years running. Call or text Jason seven days a week at (613) 601-9333, or read more on the Barrhaven REALTOR® page and his Google reviews.
Explore More of Barrhaven
Stonebridge · Chapman Mills · Longfields and Davidson Heights · Old Barrhaven · Barrhaven vs Riverside South · Stittsville vs Barrhaven
Half Moon Bay, Barrhaven FAQs
Half Moon Bay is in the south end of Barrhaven, south of the Jock River, between Borrisokane Road and Greenbank Road, with Barnsdale Road to the south.
About 15,200 people at the 2021 Census, nearly double its 2016 population, which makes it one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing communities.
Yes. The original Half Moon Bay is largely complete, Half Moon Bay West is in its final phases, and Quinn’s Pointe is still under active construction.
Not yet. In December 2025 the province committed $77.7 million for a new OCDSB secondary school on Cambrian Road with nearly 1,500 student spaces. Check the board for its opening date.
It is one of Ottawa’s main places to buy a newer freehold townhome. Compare resale prices against builder inventory, which competes directly, and check any common-element fees on back-to-back or stacked units.
Yes. The City’s Greenbank Road realignment extends the Southwest Transitway south through the area, with main construction scheduled for 2026 to 2028.
