Developers are ready to build more housing. How can the federal government help?
In a small factory in Granby, Que., south of Montreal, workers are busy preparing steel-reinforced concrete panels to be shipped to construction sites. These prefabricated components come complete with insulation, windows, doors, and even a Juliet balcony. Virginie Brouillard, the vice-president of Avac Beton, describes it as “ready-to-wear” for construction. The company, founded by her family four decades ago, has now shifted its focus from unique, ornate concrete molds to components that can be used on large-scale housing developments, thanks to the vision of Daniel Goodfellow, a housing developer who joined the company’s ownership in 2021.
Goodfellow, who is also the president of Werkliv, a Montreal-based property development company specializing in student housing, saw an opportunity to revolutionize the construction industry by building homes cheaper, faster, and better. With housing costs skyrocketing in Quebec and across Canada, there is a pressing need for more efficient and affordable housing solutions. The median price of a single-family home in the greater Montreal area has more than doubled in the past decade, reaching approximately $600,000, while rents are climbing at a historic rate.
To address the housing crisis, Goodfellow believes that the government needs to treat it as a priority. Delays in obtaining permits and securing financing often result in development projects taking a decade or more to complete. Goodfellow is advocating for major changes from the next federal government to streamline the construction process and increase the supply of affordable housing. He emphasizes the importance of prefabricated housing components in making construction more efficient and cost-effective.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has estimated that Canada will need an additional 3.5 million housing units by 2030 to restore affordability to levels seen in 2004. Various political parties have put forth their housing policies in response to the crisis. Liberal Leader Mark Carney aims to double the number of homes built annually in Canada to nearly 500,000, while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre proposes increasing the number of homes built by 15 percent each year. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh plans to reserve federal Crown land for building rent-controlled homes.
At the federal level, more financing for new builds, opening up land for development, and speeding up construction are essential steps to addressing the housing shortage. A national housing strategy is needed to ensure that low-income residents have access to affordable housing. Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has urged the federal government to allocate more funding for social housing to help vulnerable individuals and struggling middle-class families.
Community groups like FRAPRU have also called for increased investment in social housing to address the lack of affordable options for low-income tenants. Goodfellow believes that the key to solving the housing crisis lies in building more homes of all types to bring down costs for everyone. By eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy and focusing on affordability, he hopes to see a significant increase in the supply of affordable housing in Quebec and beyond.
