Well folks, it’s been 80 years, but we’re finally bringing back a program that built thousands of pre-designed homes from the 1940s-1970s. Amazing news from our federal government, and a first class example of learning from the past!
Federal minister Sean Fraser announced yesterday that they will be looking for a lot of design options for different types of homes from secondary/backyard suites to seniors to student housing. They’ll produce a catalogue of these housing types, which can be built quickly across the country because they could be mass produced and help fast-track approvals processes at the municipal level. We have many pre-fab and modular housing companies, including a brand new plant being built up in Arviat, Nunavut, which could vastly ramp up housing production in Canada.
Let’s hope the current government continues to look backward for “new” policy and program ideas…the 1940s-1970s had some of the most innovative solutions to housing we’ve ever seen. We just need to make sure that local communities’ needs and concerns are met so we don’t repeat some of the mistakes we made then–like poorly designed and isolated public housing communities. Producing templates to quickly produce housing, and promoting locally-owned businesses like modular and pre-fabricated housing companies is a win-win.
