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HOUSING CATALOGUE SEARCH TOOL
Discover What’s Buildable—If Policy Matched Potential
A tool for imagining a future where zoning is consistent, predictable, and unlocks mid-density low-rise infill housing catalogue designs across Canada. Find out what you could build on any lot, if BuildingIN's Toolkit recommendations were implemented by your local municipality.
01
Why catalogues alone aren't enough
Housing catalogues with as-of-right permissions are helpful, but they have their limits. In most Canadian municipalities, varying parking rules and engineering requirements create a patchwork of standards. Every municipality—and often every neighbourhood—layers different regulations on top of each other.
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To build even a simple catalogue home, a builder must still untangle local approvals, parking programs, zoning requirements, stormwater and fireflow requirements, and much more. That makes it very complicated to find a catalogue design that actually works on a specific site, let alone understand where it could be built across the whole country.
​Inconsistent parking and permit requirements
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Stormwater requirements
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Fireflow requirements
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Zoning requirements​
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No clear picture of buildable locations at scale
02
A different future for housing
The BuildingIN Housing Catalogue Search Tool helps us imagine a different future. It shows which low-rise, multi-unit designs would be buildable on a given lot if your municipality adopted BuildingIN's template zoning and reforms.
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Under that framework, zoning becomes predictable and consistent rather than fragmented and uncertain. Builders see new opportunities fast. Policymakers can see exactly how small, targeted changes to zoning could unlock smarter, ground-oriented homes across Canada.
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For designs from the CMHC Housing Design Catalogue, please consult the User Guide and FAQs.
THE OPPORTUNITY AHEAD
1,000s
of designs envisioned as 100s of catalogue spring up across Canada
DESIGN PROGRESS
40
different low-rise multi-unit designs drawing from two housing design catalogues so far
Looking ahead: We envision the tool eventually referencing hundreds or thousands of designs from catalogues across Canada and beyond—giving builders and modular producers an unprecedented view of what's possible on any given lot.​​
TEMPLATE REGULATIONS
BuildingIN's Tookit Recommendations
At the core of this tool is a question: what if zoning and other related rules and operations worked the same way everywhere? BuildingIN's Toolkit proposes a consistent, replicable set of rules for mid-density low-rise housing—designed to make catalogue homes predictably buildable across municipalities.
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Rather than navigating a maze of local amendments, template zoning gives builders a clear, stable framework, and gives municipalities a tested model they can adopt with confidence.
One consistent zoning framework.
Predictable approvals.
Endless possibilities for housing.
Lot Sizes, Height & Setbacks
Neighbourhood Social Dynamics
Parking
Engineering and Servicing Factors
Financially-Viable Development Factors
And More
The BuildingIN Housing Catalogue Search Tool
​Fill out the information below to find out which catalogue design(s) you could build on your lot if your municipality implemented BuildingIN's Toolkit.
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Min. 8.5m (2 Storeys)
Title
Gross Floor Area (ft²):
NaN%
Unit Count:
NaN%
Building Width (m):
width
Building Length (m):
length
Number of Storeys:
NaN%
Bedrooms:
NaN%
Gross Leasable Area (ft²):
NaN%
Lot Coverage:
NaN%
Architect:
NaN%
Catalogue:
NaN%
Hmm, looks like none of our designs fit this lot yet.
Quick Tips:
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At the smallest catalogue design lot width of 12m, and a depth of at least 31m is required. For corner lots, lot sizes may need to be even larger.
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If the average front yard of the immediate neighbours is very large, you will need a deeper lot to accommodate a larger front setback.
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The minimum height cannot be less than 8.5m (2 storeys).
Note: ​The calculator does not account for multiple buildings being able to fit on a very large lot if severed. If your property is over 24m (78.74ft) wide, it could likely fit two smaller buildings or one larger one.