Canada announces Shelburne as new Local Partner committed to using the Housing Design Catalogue

at PR Newswire

SHELBURNE, NS, July 22, 2026 /CNW/ — Far too many Canadians are struggling to find homes they can afford. Solving Canada’s housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape, and build homes more quickly. The Government of Canada is stepping up with a bold new approach to build affordable housing across the country. We are focused on building great neighbourhoods that Canadians want to, and can afford to live in. 

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The Housing Design Catalogue is part of a broader set of measures introduced by the federal government to double the rate of housing construction, restore affordability, and reduce homelessness. The Catalogue supports standardization in the housing sector, and local governments are key partners in unlocking that potential, through a library of over 50 pre-approved low-rise housing plans to accelerate “gentle density” nationwide, that’s free to use for all Canadians. The designs take into consideration the different building requirements across Canada and were developed by regional architecture and engineering teams.

Today, Jessica Fancy, Member of Parliament for South Shore–St. Margarets, alongside the Warden of Municipality of Shelburne, Penny Smith, announced that Shelburne has endorsed the Housing Design Catalogue and has become the latest municipality to join dozens more across the country as an official Local Partner. Shelburne is proactively supporting the Catalogue by pre-reviewing all Atlantic designs to support streamlined approvals–making it easier for builders and homeowners to plan their projects. Shelburne, also a Housing Accelerator Fund community, has taken numerous steps to improve the delivery of housing setting the stage for Catalogue adoption and promotion. Shelburne provides grants and fee waivers for Catalogue homes and created a combined permit process which aims for approval timelines in five days or less. 

Work continues with local governments across Canada to encourage them to support the Housing Design Catalogue.

The Government of Canada is making the housing investments that will help strengthen Canadian supply chains and create good jobs at every step of the homebuilding process – helping to build more homes and a stronger Canadian economy at the same time.

Quotes:

“Today, as partners, we’re building a stronger Canada. Looking around me, I know that while each of us has different solutions to share, we share the same goal: to increase residential construction and ensure that everyone in Canada has a place to live.” – Jessica Fancy, Member of Parliament for South Shore–St. Margarets 

“The Municipality of the District of Shelburne is proud to join CMHC Housing Design Catalogue Initiative as a local partner. For rural communities like ours, practical tools that help streamline housing development are essential. This partnership supports our ongoing commitment to increasing housing opportunities for residents and building a stronger future for our community.” – Penny Smith, Warden of Municipality of Shelburne

Quick Facts:

  • List of Local Partners: Housing Catalogue support for local governments
  • Homeowners, builders, and communities interested in receiving updates can sign up on the Housing Design Catalogue webpage.
  • The full technical design packages launched in October 2025 consist of architectural and engineering drawings and specifications, including accessible-ready and enhanced-accessible layouts, energy reporting documents and templates, building performance reports, and a user guide. Regional construction cost summaries and guidance on climate resilience and material selection are also now available. The designs cover all regions of the country: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), and the Northern territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut). Designs were developed by regional architecture and engineering teams, and focus on creating gentle density and infill development in existing neighbourhoods in all regions of the country.
  • The federal government will continue to engage provinces and territories under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, including collaborating on the Housing Design Catalogue and standardized designs.
  • The federal government is drawing inspiration from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)’s post-war housing design catalogues developed between the 1940s and 1970s.
  • Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will continue to deliver on its mandate to contribute to the well-being of Canada’s housing system through existing programs such as the Apartment Construction Loan Program and Mortgage Loan Insurance products.

Additional Information:

  • Visit canada.ca/housing for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information. 
  • Build Canada Homes is ready to partner with organizations committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing across Canada. Learn more about the portal and the Investment Policy Framework.
  • Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is a federal Crown corporation and the foundation of Canada’s housing system. For over 80 years, CMHC has supported the functioning of housing markets across the country through housing finance solutions — including mortgage loan insurance and securitization — while providing trusted, unbiased data, research and market intelligence to inform policy and decision making. Through its national presence, deep expertise in housing economics and finance, and a system-wide perspective, CMHC helps foster a more stable, well-functioning housing market that supports households, communities and the broader economy.

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SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)