34 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

In an effort to accelerate housing construction and address Canada’s ongoing housing crisis, the federal government will launch the first iteration of its standardized housing design catalogue in December 2024. The catalogue will feature up to 50 conceptual designs, including row houses, fourplexes, sixplexes, and accessory dwelling units. However, permit-ready designs won’t be available until early 2025.

 

Part of a broader initiative to standardize and streamline the homebuilding process, the designs are expected to help expedite construction approvals and reduce costs. The federal government first announced the project in December 2023 as part of a revised version of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) initiative used during post-World War II housing shortages. Known as “victory homes” or “strawberry box homes,” these earlier efforts provided fast, affordable housing for thousands of Canadians.

 

“The Housing Design Catalogue will help get us there by expediting approval processes and building times, and reducing the cost of building,” said Minister of Housing Sean Fraser, who is expected to announce the initiative in a formal statement. The government hopes that this streamlined process will ensure more Canadians have access to affordable homes faster.

 

Designs and Collaborations

 

The initial catalogue will contain floor plans, drawings, and basic information about the proposed housing options. More detailed, permit-ready designs, fully compliant with regional building codes and construction specifications, will be available in early 2025. These packages will also include estimated construction costs, making it easier for builders to assess project feasibility.

 

MGA | Michael Green Architecture has been selected to design housing for British Columbia, while LGA Architectural Partners Ltd. will handle designs for other regions, including Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces. In addition, the government has opened submissions for prefabricated and modular housing designs from industry stakeholders, with a submission deadline set for November 8, 2024.

 

https://woodindustry...ns-in-december/

 

 

 

 

 

 

The government first announced the project in December 2023, saying then that it was launching consultations in January 2024 with housing sector stakeholders to revive a revised version(opens in a new tab) of a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CHMC) initiative enacted after the Second World War. 

 

At the time, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sean Fraser was aiming to have the catalogue of pre-approved blueprints ready for builders to see by the fall of 2024.

Known as "victory homes" or "strawberry box homes," the sizable federal effort undertaken between the 1950s and 1970s was key to addressing the housing shortages and construction capacity challenges of the time. Many of these homes remain standing across Canada.

 

"We need to build more homes, faster to end Canada's housing crisis and ensure that everyone has a safe and affordable place to call their own," Fraser said in a statement that will accompany the minister's announcement.

 

"The Housing Design Catalogue will help get us there by expediting approval processes and building times, and reducing the cost of building," he said.

 

 

https://www.ctvnews....-2025-1.7071659

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 11 December 2024 - 01:34 AM.

[Mike K.]

After a century of modern home building, do designers and architects actually struggle to design homes, on their own, according to the wishes of their clients?

I don’t think this will reduce the cost of building. How can it? Each plan will have to be modified for the site, local codes, unique restrictions, demands of the owner or developer, local market needs, and so on.

[max.bravo]

What might actually speed home building is a government subsidized “home store” - with plans and all building materials available to those wishing to build. Similar to the old sears catalogue bungalows.

Of course you’d have to remove the municipal red tape back to where it was in the 1910s too. But thats a side benefit.

http://www.searsarch...s/1908-1914.htm

Edited by max.bravo, 11 December 2024 - 08:57 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Ya that’s not bad.

[lanforod]

Could this help remove some red tape if preapprovals are in place for things that are typically needed for building - engineering, inspections etc.? Or at least streamline/fast track some of those?

Can the feds override some provincial/municipal red tape deliberately (and legally?)?

[Mike K.]

Not charging GST and PST on homebuilding supplies would help more than anything else the governments can do.

 

12% instant savings, without bureaucracy.

[Matt R.]

Do we need another modular build catalogue? Is that really the holdup here or is it cost of land, and lack of trades to swing hammers?

[Mike K.]

According to the people who make modular build catalogues, yes it was the hold up.

[Victoria Watcher]

It's nearly the end of December, where are these designs?

[max.bravo]

Nothing happens in government between Dec 2-Jan 15

[Victoria Watcher]

It's nearly the end of December, where are these designs?

 

Better late than never, I guess.

 

 

 

 

Federal government unveils designs as part of the Housing Design Catalogue

 

The catalogue features about 50 standardized housing designs for rowhouses, fourplexes, sixplexes, and accessory dwelling units across the country.

 

https://www.canadian...sign-catalogue/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 March 2025 - 03:48 AM.

[m3m]

I feel like the Feds might be punishing Alberta with those designs …

[Victoria Watcher]

I feel like the Feds might be punishing Alberta with those designs …

 

 

Like a dunce cap on every house.  

[Victoria Watcher]

The BC ones are basically the same but with vertical siding instead of whatever that Alberta hat material is.

 

Not enough variety here.

[dasmo]

How much money was laundered by this?

[Victoria Watcher]

Ya it doesn’t make much sense. You can buy designs like this for $595 and use as much as you like.

[Victoria Watcher]

Budget 2024 provided $11.6 million in 2024-25 to support the development of the Housing Design Catalogue for up to 50 designs to simplify and accelerate housing approvals and builds.

https://www.canada.c...-catalogue.html

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 March 2025 - 06:03 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

$232,000 per design.

You can get any architect to make these for $25,000 to $35,000. Tops.

[dasmo]

They could have gotten you for free.

[dasmo]

That’s insane. Those aren’t architectural designs. You can get a house designer to do that for $10K each as they are all derivative. They would still make a ton of money. We are being brutalized by these bandits.