Â鶹´«Ã½

Politics

'We are living in a housing crisis': Canada consulting on reviving 'wartime housing' design catalogue

Share

In its latest efforts to address Canada's housing crisis, the federal government is launching consultations to revive a revised version of a wartime housing effort: a standardized pre-approved design catalogue, with the aim of helping speed up construction.

"We are living in a housing crisis, but it's not the first time Canada has been here. After the Second World War when many thousands of soldiers were returning home to be reunited with their families at once, Canada faced enormous housing crunches," Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sean Fraser said Tuesday.

"One of the tools that was deployed at the time to respond to the challenges they faced… was the development of simple pre-approved designs… We intend to take these lessons from our history books and bring them into the 21st century."

The consultations with housing sector stakeholders on the new catalogue will begin in January, focusing first on establishing a series of standardized low-rise construction designs including modular and prefabricated homes before expanding to potential high-density construction plans.

Fraser said the federal government will be focusing on home designs that are "cost effective, labour efficient, and energy efficient."

This move is hearkening back to a post-Second World War Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CHMC) initiative that saw the federal Crown corporation create a series of housing design catalogues to help build more homes faster, for returning veterans.

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

But, Fraser said this revival initiative will differ from the post-war era builds in a few ways, including offering a series of different kinds of home designs within each category such as garden suites and laneway homes, as well as multiplexes that could be used for student housing or seniors' residences.

"It's important that we have multiple designs in each of these categories, so communities have some agency in determining what their communities look like," Fraser said. The builds will be aligned with existing building codes so that the pre-approved designs will move more rapidly through the approval processes, potentially leveraging new technologies such as 3D printing.

"We want to create designs that can actually be built quickly and can be built cheaply without compromising on quality or sustainability," the minister said. "It's also going to ensure that people who live in these homes have reduced power bills month-to-month, and can continue to manage with the cost of living."

Mike Moffatt, an economist and founding director of the PLACE Centre at the Smart Prosperity Institute, advised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet this fall that the current housing crunch needed a war-time response, suggesting specifically re-offering a free catalogue of designs. 

Reacting to the news that the Liberals will be heeding this call, "has the potential to be massively beneficial," if the implementation is well-executed.

Fraser said he is aiming to have the catalogue of pre-approved blueprints ready for builders to see by the fall of 2024, but the minister could not provide an estimate of how many new housing units he expects to see built through this program. 

"We expect to get an estimate over the course of the consultation," Fraser said. "I have seen estimates from experts in the field indicating this could cut up to one year off the time for construction on a project, so more than just getting more units, getting units built more quickly will also be part of the advantage."

With files from Â鶹´«Ã½' Rachel Hanes 

IN DEPTH

Opinion

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

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

A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

Canada

  • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

  • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

  • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

  • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province’s police watchdog.

World

Politics

  • Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

Health

Sci-Tech

Entertainment

Business

Lifestyle

Sports

Autos

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

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.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

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.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

  • LIVE

    LIVE

    Thousands of people are gathered in downtown Vancouver to observe the city’s 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

  • A suspect was arrested for allegedly brandishing a knife outside a Vancouver elementary school on Friday – just as the young students were heading home for the day.

  • The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.

  • Several hundred people gathered outside the Ontario legislature in Toronto to honour veterans and remember those who died fighting for their country.

  • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

  • A man believed to be in his 40s has been rushed to a trauma centre following a stabbing in downtown Toronto.

  • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

  • July 2025 may seem like it’s in the distant future, but for the St. Luke playground committee time is ticking to fundraise the $340,000 they still need to build a new playground.

  • Getting out to the mountains is even easier with a new bus route from a growing Germany-based service.

  • Crowds gathered in Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Monday to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of Canada.

  • CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

  • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

  • A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats to a woman is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.

  • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

  • Montreal Metro passengers can now flag a safety concern by texting a new phone number launched by the STM.

  • A member of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton participated in the national Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa on Monday.

  • WEATHER

    WEATHER

    This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

  • Thousands of Maritimers turned out in wet weather Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

  • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

  • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

  • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

  • A pillar in Canada’s history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

  • One Manitoba veteran is on a mission to commemorate and honour those who served our country, and not just on Remembrance Day.

  • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

  • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

  • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

  • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

  • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

  • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

  • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

  • The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

  • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

  • A Barrie man is at the centre of an alleged $2.2 million stolen used car scheme.

  • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

  • Barrie residents gathered on Monday to honour Canada’s veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

  • Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

  • Windsor Paralympic champion, Danielle Campo, has been crowned the number one Inspirational Speaker of the Year for 2024 at the Inspirational Speaking Finals.

  • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

  • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

  • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

  • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

  • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

  • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

  • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

  • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

  • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

  • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

  • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

  • Police say that a 16-year-old was attacked with a sword Nov. 3 in Cobalt, Ont., in a case of intimate partner violence.

  • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

N.L.

Stay Connected
Follow Â鶹´«Ã½