First standardized housing designs coming in December, but won't be permit-ready until 'early 2025'
The first iteration of the federal government's standardized pre-approved design catalogue – a revival of a wartime housing effort – will be unveiled in December, CTV News has learned.
Promised as an initiative aimed at speeding up construction, the government will be rolling out a series of standardized construction designs including modular and prefabricated homes.
Canada's housing minister will be announcing Monday that the first batch is set to include "up to 50 conceptual housing designs" that the Liberals have commissioned.
They will include row housing, fourplexes, sixplexes, and accessory dwelling units.
According to the government, the first version of the catalogue will include floor plans, drawings, and "basic information about each of the proposed designs."
Permit-ready and regional building code-compliant design packages won't be available until early 2025.
The design packages will include the necessary specifications and documents related to the construction, as well as estimated costs of building these standardized residences.
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 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.
The government has selected two firms to deliver on the first version of low-rise designs: MGA | Michael Green Architecture, which will work on plans for British Columbia, and LGA Architectural Partners Ltd., which will cover designs for Alberta, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic, and the North.
Though, Fraser will also be launching an open submission process that is soliciting additional designs from industry members who may submit existing prefabricated housing builds. Companies who build modular, 3D printed, or panelized houses have until Nov. 8 to submit to be considered for inclusion in the first iteration of the catalogue.
The next iteration of the design catalogue will include mid-rise buildings, for which the federal government will launch a competition to source designs next month.
The 2024 federal budget allocated $11.6 million in 2024-25 to support the catalogue's development.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Lawyers allege foreign interference in high-profile Canadian mafia deportation case
Lawyers for an alleged high-ranking member of the Italian Mafia in Toronto claim evidence is being used against him that is the product of foreign interference by Italian police.
How much are Taylor Swift fans shelling out to attend her Toronto concerts?
Taylor Swift's Toronto era is nearly here. And here's how much fans shelled out to see her perform in the city.
Queen Camilla has a chest infection and will miss the U.K.'s annual Remembrance Sunday events
Queen Camilla will miss Britain's annual remembrance weekend events to honor fallen service personnel while she recovers from a chest infection, Buckingham Palace said Saturday.
Massage therapist charged with sexual assault, police searching for victims
Edmonton Police Service (EPS) have arrested and charged a 49-year-old man with four counts of sexual assault.
Super giant TVs are flying off store shelves
Televisions that measure 97 inches (and more) diagonally across – a.k.a. XXL TVs – are becoming a huge hit as the cost of giant screens sinks sharply, and viewers look to replace the screens they bought during the peak of the pandemic a few years ago.
Jail guard pleads guilty to breach of trust for smuggling drugs, cigarettes to inmates
The agreed statement of facts was read to the court on Friday in the case of Alex Williams, the 24-year-old jail guard charged last fall with smuggling cannabis and tobacco into Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene.
Minivan and school bus collide in northeast Calgary intersection, causing bus to hit building
Calgary police are investigating a crash between a minivan and a school bus on Friday.
Attacks on Israeli fans in the Netherlands prompts Dutch prime minister to cancel climate talks trip
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Saturday canceled a trip to United Nations climate talks in Azerbaijan so he can stay in the Netherlands to deal with the fallout from assaults on fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team in Amsterdam that authorities condemned as antisemitic.
‘No safety, no stability’: Recovery centre tenants forced to find new homes following court-ordered cease and desist
After less than six months, families living in a southern Winnipeg condominium development are being forced to move out.
Local Spotlight
'There was no stopping this baby from coming': Woman gives birth while on board N.L. ferry
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
B.C. man discovers 115 stuffed animals hidden behind wall, begins donating them to people around world
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
'We put love into it': Group of N.S. women gather to make quilts for those in need
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
Vancouver musician lands 'meaningful interaction' with Ed Sheeran after busking outside his show
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
10K hand-knit poppies displayed at the Dartmouth Cenotaph
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
'I put my whole life on hold': B.C. man embarks on Arctic to Antarctica trek
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
Windsor teen's shredded pepperoni pizza post goes viral
A Windsor teen’s social media post showing off a distinctive Windsor pizza topping has gone viral, drawing millions of views worldwide and sparking new curiosity about Windsor-style pizza.
'You look like me': 7-year-old who went viral for his Auston Matthews Halloween costume meets Leafs star
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
'You never know what you're going to find': Halifax junk remover shares some of his company's strangest discoveries
A Halifax junk remover shares some of his company’s strangest discoveries.