The federal government is planning to revive an old post-war CMHC programme to create a list of pre-approved housing designs as a way of speeding up the construction of new housing. The aim is to have these available for builders by the end of 2024, with various sizes and options available, in the hopes that it makes zoning and permitting decisions run smoother and faster.
One of the things this shows is that the government is listening to experts, who have been calling for this as a way for the federal government to use what levers they have to demonstrate leadership, and that’s a pretty good start. One would also have to wonder if this couldn’t also spur a movement to pre-manufacture components of these designs in order to make construction go even faster, particularly if there is an element of modularity to these designs. There does also need to be a recognition that these shouldn’t be limited to single-family dwellings, but to multi-family units including four-plexes, now that the rules around those are being relaxed in many municipalities as part of the Housing Accelerator Fund conditions, and rules around use of these designs could be conditions for future funds.
Meanwhile, check out this thread from Mike Moffatt on this particular policy move (which he was an early champion of), and we’ll see what elements the government announces as part of it later today.
https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt/status/1734354682837918043
Ukraine Dispatch:
Russia attacked Kyiv with eight ballistic missiles before dawn on Monday, which were all shot down but debris did injury people. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be in Washington today to try and convince Republicans to vote for the aid package as time runs out for Ukraine.
#Avdiivka now. Gloomy and severely wounded.
Russian invaders don't give up on the attempts to take the town. The 'meat-grinder' assaults don't cease from the Russian side.
Ukrainian warriors are bravely defending the town. The conditions are arduous.
📸 – @Liberov pic.twitter.com/VjzIj2mi8s
— UkraineWorld (@ukraine_world) December 11, 2023
⚡️Declaration of Zelensky staffer charged with bribery reveals huge earnings.
The 2022 asset declaration of Oleh Tatarov, a deputy head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, shows that his partner earned over 10 times more income than him by renting out property in Slovakia,…
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) December 11, 2023