Atlantic, federal housing ministers agree factory produced homes offer way forward

The federal and Atlantic provinces’ housing ministers say they’re looking at ways to boost more factory built housing for the East Coast, as the region’s population keeps rising at a rapid pace. The ministers said today after a meeting in Halifax that one chapter in the federal housing design catalogue will be specifically aimed at the Atlantic region, with pre approved designs taking into account regulations, climate and available materials in the region.

Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser has been promoting the housing catalogue and more factory built homes as a modernized version of efforts from the post Second World War era, when the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. developed simple blueprints to accelerate housing construction. Get the latest National news.

Sent to your email, every day. The housing ministers told journalists after their meeting they’re also eager to see an increase in production of modular housing — homes built in segments in factories and transported to a building site for completion. Story continues below advertisement However, Fraser said at this point the move to mass produced housing for the region is a “framework,” and details of specific, additional funding and programs haven’t been fleshed out.

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The CMHC has estimated that 3.5 million more housing units are needed by 2030 in order to start dealing with the housing affordability issue. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2024. More on Canada Canadians to receive first carbon pricing rebate of 2024. Here’s how much you could get El Niño winters are typically mild.

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