The Northern Ontario Home Builders’ Association suggests that while smaller homebuilders and homeowners may benefit from the City of Greater Sudbury’s adoption of the new federal Housing Design Catalogue, larger, more established homebuilders are less likely to see significant advantages. Developed by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the catalogue offers pre-approved housing designs that can be utilized by any homebuilder at no cost, and nearly 30 municipalities nationwide have embraced these designs.
Recently, on Aug. 10, the City of Greater Sudbury joined the program. Melissa Riou, the city’s director of planning services, mentioned that Greater Sudbury now permits two accessory dwelling unit designs, known as granny suites, and two fourplex designs from the catalogue. According to Riou, choosing one of the designs can expedite the approval process for applicants and homeowners, saving time during the design phase as they can utilize or adapt the plans. However, applicants will still need to engage a professional to make specific modifications tailored to their property, such as grading and foundation drawings.
Morgan Rouleau, CEO of the Northern Ontario Home Builders’ Association, explained via email to CBC News that established homebuilders typically have their own proven designs, making the Housing Design Catalogue more beneficial for smaller companies lacking such resources. Rouleau emphasized the potential popularity of the catalogue among homeowners looking to incorporate the available accessory dwelling unit designs on their property.
Rouleau highlighted the importance of municipalities allowing builders to maintain a repeat plan registry, similar to the CMHC catalogue, to streamline the submission process. While the Housing Design Catalogue could benefit smaller companies and homeowners, Rouleau noted that the demand for fourplex designs is site-specific and influenced by factors like land costs and zoning compatibility.
In addition, Rouleau expressed her members’ interest in addressing deficiencies in the housing application process to enhance efficiency and consistency. She also mentioned the association’s monitoring of Greater Sudbury’s implementation of artificial intelligence to aid in reviewing building permit applications for accuracy, aiming to expedite development processes.
