Affordable housing: Ensuring public funds produce properly built homes and go beyond the minimum of applicable Building Codes

The Issue:
Many Canadians are in need of affordable housing, and the Federal Government is responding by committing public funds for affordable housing initiatives. While this is a positive step, simply providing the funding is not enough – the Federal Government must also ensure that these public funds are well spent, and that these homes are properly built at the outset, and remain affordable in the long term.

While there are many good builders in Canada , unfortunately, there are many serious problems, e.g., Code violations, being experienced in many of the new homes being built today

Canadians for Properly Built Homes' Position:

Canadians for Properly Built Homes is calling on the Federal Government to work with the provinces/territories and municipalities and ensure that public funds used for affordable housing produce new homes that are properly built at the outset, and go beyond the minimum standards of applicable Building Codes to ensure these homes are durable and affordable in the long term. All Canadians, including those in need of affordable housing, deserve a safe and healthy place to live.

Given the state of affairs in the new home industry in Canada , as a general policy, CPBH encourages new homeowners to consider retaining a Registered Home Inspector (RHI) to act on their behalf by inspecting their new home, prior to their taking possession. We are now encouraging the Federal Government to take the same precaution related to new affordable homes. Indeed, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is currently working with the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (CAHPI*) to develop a program called the PreDelivery Inspection (PDI) Protocol, and we urge the Federal Government to ensure that these new affordable homes participate in this PDI protocol program once it is available. While these PDI inspections will not guarantee that a new home is properly built at the outset, e.g., as many problems can be hidden behind the drywall, given the number of problem builders operating in Canada , this PDI protocol could be an important safeguard for consumers.

*One of the reasons CAHPI was formed was to oversee a uniform national standard of competency for the private home inspection industry. For more information on this, go to the CMHC web-site and refer to product 63547, technical series 04-112: Canadian home inspectors and building official national initiative phase two: Development of national certification and accreditation models.

What can concerned citizens do?

• Write or telephone your Federal Member of Parliament and request that he/she ensures that the Federal Government works with the provincial/territorial and municipal governments to ensure that public funds used for affordable housing produce new homes that are properly built at the outset, and go beyond the minimum standards of applicable Building Codes to ensure these homes are durable and affordable in the long term.
   
• Write or telephone the Federal Minister responsible for CMHC: The Honourable Diane Finley, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6, E-Mail: Finley.D@parl.gc.ca, Telephone: (613) 996-4974