Housing Design Catalogue: Federal government provides update

Canada NewsWire

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 14, 2024

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 14, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, provided an update on progress to date for the Housing Design Catalogue. This new initiative under Canada's Housing Plan will provide standardized designs and reduce the time required for design, approvals, and construction of new housing.

Minister Fraser announced that the first iteration of the catalogue will be launched in December and include up to 50 conceptual designs commissioned by the federal government through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. These designs will include row housing, fourplexes, sixplexes, and accessory dwelling units that builders will be able to use to simplify and speed up the delivery of housing across the country.

The successful proponents of the RFP process, who will create the low-rise designs, are:

MGA | Michael Green Architecture, who will deliver designs covering the British Columbia region; and,
LGA Architectural Partners Ltd., who will work with five other teams of regional experts to deliver designs covering the regions of Alberta, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic, and the North.

In the first iteration of the catalogue, the government will also look to include designs selected through an open submission process, launched today. The Prefabricated Housing Industry Design Submission is inviting industry members to submit existing prefabricated housing designs. It is also seeking information on the current products, capabilities, and technologies in the industry – as well as the role of prefabricated and other innovative homebuilding techniques in speeding up the pace of construction – to support the federal government's work in tackling the housing crisis.

Companies building modular, panelized, and 3D printed houses have until November 8, 2024, to respond to the submission.

In November, the federal government will also launch a competition to source innovative designs for mid-rise buildings that will help inform the next iteration of the catalogue.

The federal government is working with provinces, territories, and municipalities to expedite approvals for standardized designs. Accessing federal dollars under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund is also conditional on provinces and territories collaborating with the federal government to adopt designs from the Housing Design Catalogue.

To create additional efficiencies, the federal government is also integrating other programs and initiatives with the Housing Design Catalogue.

Quote
"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. The Housing Design Catalogue will help get us there by expediting approval processes and building times, and reducing the cost of building."
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Quick facts

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 government launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to seek design services for the development of low-rise designs as part of the Housing Design Catalogue. The RFP closed on August 7, 2024.
Based in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, MGA | Michael Green Architecture designs and builds innovative and sustainable projects in Canada and around the world.
LGA Architectural Partners Ltd. is a Toronto-based team of architects, building scientists, and technologists who has focused extensively on accessory dwelling units and various types and scales of multi-unit residential housing.
- LGA Architectural Partners Ltd. will be working with five other teams of regional experts to ensure a national approach to the catalogue that reflects the needs of each region: Dub Architects (Alberta), 5468796 Architecture (Prairies), KANVA (Quebec), Abbott Brown Architects (Atlantic), and Taylor Architecture Group (North). LGA Architectural Partners will be covering Ontario.
The Prefabricated Housing Industry Design Submission will also support an Industrial Strategy for Homebuilding that will help further expedite homebuilding, provide additional ideas on how homes can be built, and bring down housing costs for Canadians.
As part of the first iteration of the catalogue, conceptual designs will be available in December 2024 and include floor plans, illustrative drawings, and basic information about each of the proposed designs. This will be followed by permit-ready design packages in early 2025, which will include all the necessary drawings, specifications, and documents for how each design will be constructed and perform. The packages will also include detailed construction cost estimates. Regional packages will be fully compliant with building code requirements.

Associated links

SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities