OTTAWA, ON, March 7, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the federal government released the final renderings, floor plan layouts, and key building details as part of the Housing Design Catalogue, an initiative under Canada's Housing Plan. The catalogue features some 50 standardized housing designs for rowhouses, fourplexes, sixplexes, and accessory dwelling units across the country.
Today's release provides a head start for homeowners, builders, and communities in their planning processes. The designs were developed by regional architecture and engineering teams, and focus on creating gentle density and infill development in existing neighbourhoods in all regions of the country. The final architectural design packages will be released this spring.
To help ensure the Housing Design Catalogue supports the goals of Canada's housing system, numerous principles were considered during the development phase. These principles include adaptability and accessibility, energy efficiency, financial feasibility, use of regional construction methods and materials, and compliance with local regulations and building codes.
Once the final architectural design packages are ready, the Housing Design Catalogue will help builders streamline the process from concept to construction, cutting costs and speeding up housing delivery. The catalogue simplifies design, ensures compliance with building codes, and helps estimate costs—so homes can be built faster.
"These standardized designs will help smaller homebuilders cut through the complexity, speeding up the time between concept and construction and lowering costs of building."
The Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Quick facts
- Homeowners, builders, and communities interested in receiving updates can sign up on the Housing Design Catalogue webpage.
- The designs cover all regions of the country: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), and the territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut).
- The final architectural design packages will consist of architectural and engineering drawings and specifications, including accessible-ready and enhanced-accessible layouts; technical guidance on topics such as site considerations and energy modeling; and, construction cost summaries for each housing design in regions across the country.
- The federal government continues to work with provinces, territories, and municipalities to streamline and fast-track approvals for the standardized designs included in the Housing Design Catalogue.
- 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.
- In January 2024, the Government of Canada began targeted engagements with key stakeholders, partners, and experts to inform the types of designs, features, and amenities in the Housing Design Catalogue.
- In July 2024, the federal government launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for the development of low-rise designs as part of the Housing Design Catalogue. The successful proponents of the RFP process were:
- MGA | Michael Green Architecture for the British Columbia region; and,
- LGA Architectural Partners Ltd., who worked with five other teams of regional experts: Dub Architects (Alberta), 5468796 Architecture (Manitoba and Saskatchewan), KANVA (Quebec), Abbott Brown Architects (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), and Taylor Architecture Group (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut). LGA Architectural Partners covered the region of Ontario.
- In October and November 2024, the federal government invited companies building modular, panelized, and 3D printed houses to submit existing prefabricated housing designs to help inform the Housing Design Catalogue. The submission also supported the Industrial Strategy for Homebuilding by collecting information on the current products, capabilities, and technologies in the industry.
- Accessing federal dollars under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund is conditional on provinces and territories collaborating with the federal government to support the adoption of standardized designs from the Housing Design Catalogue.
- The federal government is drawing inspiration from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)'s post-war housing design catalogues developed between the 1940s and 1970s. The Housing Design Catalogue draws on lessons from the past and applies them to the housing challenges of today.
Associated links
- Housing Design Catalogue - Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
- Housing Design Catalogue - Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
- Solving the Housing Crisis: Canada's Housing Plan
- Budget 2024: Fairness for every generation
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Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Sofia Ouslis, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Media Relations: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), [email protected]
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