Modular housing has the potential to address Canada’s housing crisis — faster, smarter, and more affordably. At full production, a modular factory can build one module per day, and as operations ramp up, that can increase to one module every 3 hours.
That’s not just efficiency, that’s scalability.
Once a factory is up and running, it functions like a product line: repeatable, predictable, and cost-effective. The more modules it produces, the more the cost per unit goes down. But here’s the catch; the system only works if the permitting process keeps pace.
Currently, the time it takes to get municipal approvals, whether for a single-family home or a fourplex, can stretch 6 to 9 months. For a factory that’s built to produce continuously, that delay can grind production to a halt. Starting a factory to deliver 4 homes, only to wait months for the next green light, simply isn’t viable.
This is where policy has the power to unlock real progress.
Municipalities could implement pre-approved modular designs, rigorously reviewed for code compliance ahead of time. With this in place, planners would only need to check for site-specific factors when a project comes across their desk.
The result? Faster approvals. More consistent builds. Lower costs. And ultimately, more homes delivered when they’re needed most.
Modular construction is ready to meet the challenge. We just need policy to catch up.
