CMHC’s latest report marks an important shift in how Canada understands and measures housing need. By focusing on restoring 2019-level affordability by 2035 and introducing a rolling 10-year planning horizon, the report provides a more grounded and practical view of the housing supply challenge.
It also outlines the scale of what’s required: nearly doubling annual housing starts, with a significant portion of that supply needed in the ownership market. These insights offer valuable context for anyone working to increase housing options within existing neighbourhoods—including through small-scale and homeowner-led development.
We encourage all Toolbox users to explore the report and understand the updated figures. It provides a timely and data-rich foundation for shaping local housing strategies.
Vous songez à offrir davantage d’options de logement à votre communauté ? Les Considérations réglementaires relatives à la densification douce – élaborées par Small Housing et la SCHL – est votre feuille de route pour y parvenir.
Cette ressource présente l’histoire de l’habitat à densification douce et propose des mesures aux communautés locales, aux urbanistes, aux élus et aux défenseurs du logement. Qu’il s’agisse d’entamer la conversation ou d’affiner les politiques, ce guide offre des conseils clairs et pratiques pour aider à façonner des quartiers plus inclusifs et plus agréables à vivre.
Qu’y a-t-il à l’intérieur ?
Qu’est-ce que la densification douce ? Découvrez comment les communautés définissent et mettent en œuvre ce type d’habitation à petite taille.
Stratégies d’engagement communautaire – Obtenez des outils pour entamer des conversations productives et répondre à des préoccupations communes.
Plan de travail étape par étape – Suivez une approche structurée pour évaluer les besoins en logement et planifier une densification douce.
Modèles de statuts et meilleures pratiques – Découvrez des exemples et des modèles de politiques pour simplifier votre processus.
Ressources supplémentaires et études de cas – Découvrez comment différentes municipalités font de la densification douce une réalité.
Pourquoi ce guide ?
Pratique et actionnable – Conçue pour aider les communautés locales à mettre en œuvre le changement dès maintenant.
Centré sur la communauté – Il s’agit de rendre le logement plus accessible sans perturber le caractère du quartier.
Facile à utiliser – Un format structuré, étape par étape, vous permet de vous y plonger à n’importe quel stade de votre parcours..
Prêt à passer à l’étape suivante ?
Téléchargez le guide pour commencer à façonner l’avenir de votre communauté dès aujourd’hui !
Thinking about bringing more housing options to your community? The Gentle Density Bylaw Guide—developed by Small Housing and CMHC—is your roadmap to making it happen.
This resource captures the “story so far” of gentle density housing and provides actionable steps for local governments, planners, elected officials, and housing advocates. Whether you’re just starting the conversation or refining policies, this guide offers clear, practical advice to help shape more inclusive, livable neighborhoods.
What’s Inside?
What is Gentle Density? Learn how communities define and implement small-scale, multi-unit housing.
Community Engagement Strategies – Get tools to start productive conversations and address common concerns.
Step-by-Step Workplan – Follow a structured approach to assess housing needs and plan for gentle density.
Model Bylaws & Best Practices – Explore real-world examples and policy templates to simplify your process.
Additional Resources & Case Studies – See how different municipalities are making gentle density a reality.
Why This Guide?
Practical & Actionable – Designed to help local governments implement change now.
Community-Centered – Focused on making housing more accessible without disrupting neighborhood character.
Easy to Use – A structured, step-by-step format means you can dive in at any stage of your journey.
In November of 2023, the province of British Columbia released their “Homes for People Plan” that drastically reduced zoning and municipal barriers to the creation of gentle density homes. In summary, new legislation requires all local governments in British Columbia to update their zoning bylaws to allow up to three to four units in all single-family zones and up to six units for properties with frequent bus service.
This resource, developed by the province, is intended to help local governments and their community members understand the legislative changes introduced related to small-scale, multi-unit housing (SSMUH).
Note: The information in this tool kit is for guidance only and is not a substitute for provincial legislation. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on for that purpose.
Discover organizations from across Canada, and the rest of the world, who are contributing towards the gentle density movement and the delivery of homes that people want, need & deserve.
Name: Smallworks
About: For the last 16 years, Smallworks has been the heart of laneway housing in North America and we have operated with a simple mission, to empower homeowners to create housing solutions that work for them.
The organisation strongly believe in this form of housing; infill housing provides gentle density, while preserving the neighbourhoods we’ve come to know and love.
Having built nearly 400 homes, they take pride in being able to use experience to accurately project both cost and timeline, ensuring that their homes are built on time, on budget, and with no surprises.
This report investigates the potential for infill development in Mississauga to accommodate the region’s population growth projections and ensure that new development does not infringe on the urban greenbelt.
The report outlines:
Mississauga could add approximately 174,000 new residential units (at an average unit size of over 1,000 sq.ft.) via low- and medium-density intensification.
Through this approach, Mississauga could accommodate 435,000 new residents.
This is enough housing to support Mississauga’s growth projects, and to also accommodate approximately 85% of Peel Region’s assigned growththrough to 2041.
This housing can be delivered without the consumption of new greenfield land, reducing the need to encroach into the Greenbelt
This report is authored by Graham Haines and Brianna Aird of Toronto Metropolitan University.
On this useful resource page from the City of San Jose, users can explore a comprehensive resource library to support research and insights into the city’s promotion of ADUs as a means of addressing housing challenges.
Key insights:
ADUs are an affordable type of home to construct in California because they do not require paying for land, major new infrastructure, structured parking, or elevators.
ADUs can provide a source of income for homeowners.
ADUs are built with cost-effective wood frame construction, which is significantly less costly than homes in new multifamily infill buildings.
ADUs allow extended families to be near one another while maintaining privacy.
ADUs can provide as much living space as many newly-built apartments and condominiums, and they’re suited well for couples, small families, friends, young people, and seniors.
ADUs give homeowners the flexibility to share independent living areas with family members and others, allowing seniors to age in place as they require more care.
Squamish’s Expanding Gentle Density: From Duplexes to Cottage Clusters With a 22% population increase since 2016, the District of Squamish has long permitted duplexes in much of the community. Since 2015, zoning changes have added accessory dwelling units and secondary suites, with recent expansions to triplexes and cottage clusters.
Neighbourhood planning processes are opening more missing middle housing options through infill, while future strategies may include density bonuses to further diversify housing supply.
Discover how Squamish is scaling gentle density across neighbourhoods.
Burnaby’s Secondary Suites and Housing Choices Program With a 7% population increase between 2016 and 2021, Burnaby has seen strong demand for secondary suites, driven by family ties and housing pressures. This demand led to thousands of unauthorized suites by 2014, prompting the City to adopt a policy that supports authorized suites for safety and compliance.
Today, Burnaby has nearly 1,800 permitted suites and over 4,000 unpermitted units, with new initiatives like the Housing Choices program exploring options between single-family homes and apartments.
See how Burnaby is formalizing suites and broadening gentle density options.
Montreal’s Iconic Plex: How Building Code Exemptions Revived a Classic Housing Model In Montreal’s older central neighbourhoods, narrow-lot “plex” buildings — duplexes and triplexes stacked vertically, each with its own front and back door — created some of Canada’s densest, most livable urban areas without relying on high-rises.
This case study explores how post-war building regulations nearly erased this housing type, and how public demand led to key building code exemptions that brought the plex back. It’s a story of density, affordability, and conservation working in harmony.
Discover how smart code flexibility can reintroduce housing forms that meet today’s gentle density needs.
Keywords: Montreal plex; duplex housing; triplex housing; gentle density housing; building code exemptions; small-scale multi-unit housing; affordable housing Montreal; urban density solutions; missing middle housing Canada; heritage housing models
