The CMHC Design Catalogue is not a Construction Permit

The CMHC design catalogue is not a permit.

The Canadian housing market is stuck in a loop of high, unclear demand and low, confusing supply. In response, the CMHC (SCHL) released their housing design catalogue. The goal was clear: Help Canadians build homes faster and more efficiently by providing pre-approved plans.

But there is a clear disconnection between the PDFs and shovels going in the ground.

The catalogue is an excellent starting point; it provides people with a clear perspective on what the federal government is trying to push in each province. But that does not mean each municipality is completely on board. The catalogue introduces the aesthetic, but it fails to explain the context of how these homes actually get built.

The CMHC design catalogue is a “ready-to-go illusion”

The reality is that you cannot download a catalogue design and send it directly to your municipality for a construction permit. They are progressed for documentation, not construction. They are missing a critical layer: site adaptation.

Every single property in the world is different. The soil, the slope, the zoning, and the local bylaws create a unique set of constraints. The CMHC designs give you an idea of which design can be used on your property, but you still need to clarify with a designer to adjust the drawings to adapt to the municipal parameters. Without these modifications, the PDFs are useless.

Close the loop: From catalogue to construction.

To turn a design you love into a liveable home, you need to bridge the gap between the standardized design and your specific land.

Bucky is the tool that transforms a static design into a dynamic plan of action. We take the design you like and help you understand exactly what you can do with it on your specific property. Bucky fills the gaps that the CMHC left in their catalogue:

Gain clarity: Understand the details of the design relative to your site. Frame the Project: Determine the feasibility of your project from the beginning. Build your team: Assemble the right residential experts to execute the adaptation.

The CMHC design catalogue gives you the inspiration to start, the municipality gives you the rules, and Bucky gives you the roadmap.