The Northern Ontario Home Builders’ Association stated that while smaller homebuilders and homeowners in the City of Greater Sudbury could benefit from adopting the new federal Housing Design Catalogue, larger and more established homebuilders are less likely to see significant advantages from it. Developed by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the catalogue offers pre-approved housing designs that any homebuilder can utilize at no cost, with nearly 30 municipalities across Canada already accepting these designs.

Recently, on August 10, the City of Greater Sudbury joined the program, allowing the use of two accessory dwelling unit designs and two fourplex designs from the catalogue. According to Melissa Riou, the city’s director of planning services, this move is expected to expedite the approval process for applicants and homeowners, as they can either adopt the designs directly or make modifications to suit their needs. While the city typically takes around 15 days to review a fourplex submission and 10 days for an accessory dwelling unit submission, final adjustments specific to the property, such as grading and foundation drawings, will still need to be made by a professional.

Morgan Rouleau, CEO of the Northern Ontario Home Builders’ Association, mentioned that more established homebuilders often have their own set of proven designs, suggesting that municipalities should consider allowing builders to maintain a registry of repeat plans to avoid submitting designs for full review repeatedly. Rouleau highlighted the potential benefits of the Housing Design Catalogue for smaller companies that lack a portfolio of proven designs, as well as for homeowners looking to incorporate the available accessory dwelling unit designs on their properties.

Rouleau also noted the importance of addressing deficiencies in housing applications efficiently to prevent unnecessary delays, emphasizing the need for consistency in documentation requirements and better visibility into the application process. The association is monitoring the city’s use of artificial intelligence to streamline the review of building permit applications for accuracy, with the aim of enhancing the overall development process.

The association believes that a more efficient and consistent review process could accelerate development activities in the region, benefiting both builders and homeowners alike.