In December 2024, the Town of Stratford commissioned a series of Permit-Ready Housing Plans aimed at addressing the shortage of “missing middle” housing typologies within the municipality. This project aligns with the Town’s broader efforts to implement zoning reforms that facilitate the development of multi-unit housing.
The primary objective of these plans is to streamline the application process, ensuring expedited approvals while providing applicants with greater certainty regarding project approval. By mitigating financial and procedural risks, these measures are expected to support small-scale developers in delivering diverse and affordable housing options.
The Permit-Ready Housing Catalogue is a collection of multi-unit housing plans that have been designed to meet the Town’s Zoning and Development Bylaw (.pdf) and the Town’s Building Bylaw (.pdf).
The designs were developed through a review of the existing housing typology in Stratford, and the design team used these characteristics and architectural elements to influence the design of the Permit-Ready Housing Catalogue.
Not all properties permit the same housing types, the Town’s Zoning Map and Zoning and Development Bylaw indicate the zone your property falls within and what is permitted on your property.
All the house plans in the catalogue have been designed to provide a selection of multi-unit housing that reflect the character of Stratford and streamline the process from an idea to a building permit.
Browse Designs – Catalogue (.pdf)
Before deciding on which type of house in the catalogue (.pdf) you would like to build, property owners should review the Town’s Zoning Map to confirm their zone and the Zoning and Development Bylaw to confirm what is permitted as-of-right. For assistance you can contact Planning staff at planning@townofstratford.ca or call into the office at (902) 569-6255.
The catalogue (.pdf) has 12 multi-unit house types from Duplex or Semi-Detached to 12 Unit Mid-Rise Apartments.
Once you have decided on which house plan you would like to build, reach out to the Planning Department to discuss your proposed project and what is required to submit a Building Permit application.
Prepare and submit your Building Permit application to Town Planning staff.
* All applications are reviewed for zoning, servicing, and Building Code compliance as part of the Town’s standard permit review process.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) recently developed a comprehensive catalogue of multi-unit housing plans in response to the housing needs and to reduce the application time. The CMHC Catalogue has a selection of regional housing plans from across Canada designed in consultation with local architects and engineers.
For questions about the plans in the Housing Design Catalogue, contact CMHC directly.
Important Note: the designs included in the CMHC Catalogue
These designs are conceptual and for illustrative purposes only. They do not guarantee compliance with all City bylaws or the BC Building Code and may not reflect site-specific considerations such as lot size, shape, slope, servicing, or environmental constraints. All designs require a full building permit review and approval. Use of a design does not result in automatic or expedited approval of a development permit and/or building permit. All proposals are reviewed case-by-case. Please refer to the Full Disclaimer below.
A: The Permit-Ready Housing Plans are free for residents to use for their building permit applications. Once a set of plans is requested someone from the Planning Department will email a copy of the plans. The applicant will still be required to apply for a building permit and follow due process.
A: The Prince Edward Island Architects Act states the following do not require an Architects stamp.
A stamp by an architect who holds a Certificate of Practice from the Architects Association of PEI is required for the following.
• Multi-unit buildings more than 3 storeys OR more than 300 sq. m building area OR over and under duplexes AND all other multi-unit buildings.
Anyone who is interested in plans from the Town should contact to confirm if an Architect is required for the proposed development.
A: Some building types may be permitted through conditional or special permit use, these applications may be submitted and require support from the Planning and Heritage Committee. The Committee will make a recommendation to Council; a final decision will be made at a Public Council meeting.
Some properties may require a land use amendment through a rezoning request.
For both options, applicants should contact the Planning Department for more information.
planning@townofstratford.ca (902) 569-6255
