Canada's Housing Design Catalogue: Ready for Use

KITCHENER, ON, Oct. 15, 2025 /CNW/ - Far too many Canadians are struggling to find homes they can afford. Solving Canada's housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape, and build homes more quickly. The Government of Canada is stepping up with a bold new approach to increase the supply of housing in Canada, and most recently launched Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency that will build and finance affordable housing at scale, while catalyzing a more productive homebuilding industry.

Today, the federal government took another important step to streamline the building process and cut red tape by releasing the full technical design packages for the Housing Design Catalogue. These practical, standardized housing designs for gentle density will help builders and communities build more homes. The Housing Design Catalogue accomplishes this by reducing the time and cost of developing construction plans, helping to accelerate approvals and construction starts. The designs make it easier to add new housing options in existing neighbourhoods and prioritize wood-frame construction that supports local jobs and grows our economy.

The announcement, made by the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, alongside the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo, Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga, Dominique O'Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, and Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor of Kitchener, highlighted the design packages which include detailed architectural and engineering drawings, energy reporting templates, a climate resiliency guide, building performance reports, cost estimate summaries, and a user guide. The catalogue features 50 standardized housing designs for rowhouses, fourplexes, sixplexes, and accessory dwelling units across the country.

The Housing Design Catalogue is part of a broader set of measures introduced by the federal government to double the rate of housing construction, restore affordability, and reduce homelessness. The Housing Design Catalogue supports standardization in the housing sector, and local governments are key partners in unlocking that potential. The designs take into consideration the different building requirements across Canada and were developed by regional architecture and engineering teams.

As of today, the following cities are committed to supporting the catalogue by pre-reviewing designs to help streamline approvals: Burnaby, Kelowna, Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, Ajax, Kitchener, Mississauga, Ottawa, Toronto, Saint John, Halifax Regional Municipality, Whitehorse, and Yellowknife. Work continues with local governments across Canada to encourage them to pre-review and support designs for their communities.

Additionally, with Build Canada Homes, the federal government will combine access to federal lands, development expertise and flexible financing under one roof to make it simpler and faster to get big projects off the ground. The new agency will prioritize non-profit housing, supporting a mix of income needs as part of a national effort to double housing construction, restore affordability, and reduce homelessness.

There are far too many barriers to homebuilding in Canada. Canada's new government is working to dismantle these barriers so we can build homes at a rate and scale not seen in generations, so that everyone has a place to call home.

Budget 2025, to be tabled next month, will build on this momentum with further measures to lower costs for builders, catalyze private capital, and double the pace of homebuilding across Canada. Budget 2025 will spend less on government operations and reduce waste, so we can invest more to grow our economy, build more homes, and make life more affordable for you.

Quotes:

"Canada's new government is stepping up with a bold new approach to increase the supply of housing in Canada, and with today's release of the Housing Design Catalogue's full technical designs, we are taking another important step to empower local builders to get shovels in the ground. By drawing on the expertise of Canadian architects, engineers, and designers--and collaborating closely with other orders of government--we are cutting red tape and helping to speed up approvals." – The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada

"Like many cities across Canada, Waterloo is growing fast and the housing supply needs to keep pace. The Housing Design Catalogue provides a comprehensive set of tools to quickly create homes in existing neighbourhoods--homes that meet families' needs, whether that's an accessory dwelling for a family member, or a six-plex in the city centre." – The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo

"This catalogue is designed to streamline building and encourage the kind of gentle density we urgently need, while taking into account local and regional needs throughout Canada. I'm proud that Kitchener--Conestoga is a leader in putting this into action." – Tim Louis, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy and Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga

"As a partner with Canada's new government, the City of Kitchener is proud to host today's announcement for the new Housing Design Catalogue. We're Building Kitchener Together, with tools like our flexible planning framework, streamlined approval processes and resources such as Canada's new housing catalogue. Thanks to the federal government we're making it easier to build more housing across our city and ensuring more residents have a home to live in." – Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, City of Kitchener

Quick Facts:

• The full technical design packages launched today consist of architectural and engineering drawings and specifications, including accessible-ready and enhanced-accessible layouts, energy reporting documents and templates, building performance reports, and a user guide. Regional construction cost summaries and guidance on climate resilience and material selection are also now available. 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 Northern territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut). 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.
• In January 2024, the Government of Canada began conducting targeted engagements with industry professionals and technical experts, homebuilders, nonprofit housing providers and all orders of government to inform the types of designs, features and amenities in the catalogue, to discuss how it can be adopted and implemented in various regions across the country.
• 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.
• The federal government will continue to engage provinces and territories under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, including collaborating on the Housing Design Catalogue and standardized designs.
• 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 is part of a broader set of measures by the federal government to double the rate of housing construction, restore affordability and reduce homelessness.
• Launched in September, Build Canada Homes is a new federal agency that will build and finance affordable housing, at scale, while catalyzing a more productive homebuilding industry.
• Alongside this effort, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will continue to deliver on its mandate to contribute to the well-being of Canada's housing system through existing programs such as the Apartment Construction Loan Program and Mortgage Loan Insurance products.

Additional Information:

• Learn more about the Housing Design Catalogue
• Learn more about local government partners supporting the Housing Design Catalogue
• Learn more about Build Canada Homes
• Visit canada.ca/housing for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information.
• CMHC plays a critical role as a national facilitator to promote stability and sustainability in Canada's housing finance system. Our mortgage insurance products support access to homeownership and the creation and maintenance of rental supply. We also actively support the Government of Canada in delivering on its commitment to make housing more affordable. Our research and data help inform housing policy. By facilitating cooperation between all levels of government, private and non-profit sectors, we contribute to advancing housing affordability, equity, and climate compatibility. Follow us on X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Backgrounder:

About the Housing Design Catalogue

• The Housing Design Catalogue provides standardized designs that can help builders and communities in Canada build homes faster. It can help reduce construction costs and timelines as well as barriers to entry in the homebuilding sector.
• The technical design packages include:
  • Architectural and engineering drawings (PDF, CAD, BIM)
  • Energy reporting documents and templates (PDF, Excel, and HOT2000)
  • Building Performance Reports (PDF)
  • User Guide (PDF)
  • Catalogue Terms and Conditions (PDF)
• Some of the files provided in the technical design package will require specific software to open and modify them.
• The downloadable designs include a digital drawing set that allows users to finalize the design for their project, including modifications for site-specific features as well as design flexibility or variations for each model.
• The final technical design packages also include guidance on site-related issues.
• End users are responsible for hiring a local qualified professional, such as a licensed architect, engineer or designer, to adapt the designs, ensure they meet local bylaws and building codes, and finalize the site plan and other design elements.
• Additional resources, such as the Materials Guide, Climate Resilience Guide, Construction Cost Estimate Summaries are also available. These resources have been prepared by third-party professionals and provide technical guidance for users adapting the designs to a specific project and site. Site Design Examples will be available in the coming months.
• The Housing Design Catalogue features designs that prioritize energy performance, adaptability and accessibility, financial feasibility, and climate resilience.
• The designs were developed by regional architecture and engineering teams to align with regional building codes, planning rules, climate zones, construction methods, and materials.
• The federal government is working with provinces, territories, and municipalities on opportunities to streamline the development and building permit approval process for standardized designs. Local governments are encouraged to consider becoming local partners and pre-review some, or all, designs from the Housing Design Catalogue to support streamlined development review processes.
• The Housing Design Catalogue can be utilized in communities that are not yet local partners. Users must consult their local zoning bylaw and other applicable laws to determine applicability and work with a qualified professional to modify the designs, as needed, to comply with local zoning requirements in these communities.

More information is available in the FAQs on the website: Housing Design Catalogue webpage

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

Contacts: Renée LeBlanc Proctor, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]