From Idea to Reality: Saugeen Shores Validates the Power of Pre-Approved Design

A groundbreaking initiative in Ontario is turning a powerful idea into a practical tool for building homes. As reported by CTV News London, the Municipality of Saugeen Shores has launched a program offering 14 free, pre-approved home designs to spur the development of additional dwelling units (ADUs), duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes.

This move by a forward-thinking municipality is more than a local news story—it's a direct, real-world validation of the systems-thinking approach Prefab Solutions has been championing. In our October 2025 article, "The Blueprint for Speed: Could a Pre-Approved Design Library Unlock Affordable Housing?," we argued that a standardized library of designs is the key to short-circuiting delays and de-risking projects for everyone from builders to lenders. Saugeen Shores' program proves this theory is not only correct but ready for implementation. Let's break down how their initiative mirrors our core proposals and why this approach is a game-changer for the entire country.

Solving the Bottleneck: Speed, Cost, and Certainty

Mayor Luke Charbonneau's explanation of the program’s benefits perfectly echoes the bottlenecks we identified. He states the designs are meant to speed up the approvals process and take a bit of cost away. This directly aligns with the three systemic hurdles our article outlined a pre-approved library would solve:

1. Accelerated Municipal Permitting: As we wrote, the permit process can shift 'from a technical design review to a site-specific administrative check.' Saugeen Shores has done exactly this—by pre-approving the designs, they remove the most time-consuming step for builders, turning months of uncertainty into a streamlined path forward.

2. Reduced Soft Costs: The mayor highlights removing the cost of initial architectural design. Our article emphasized that "pre-designed, cost-optimized modules eliminate design variability," providing crucial cost certainty that makes projects, especially affordable ones, financially viable.

3. Building Trust & Scale: While the CTV article focuses on the municipal process, our analysis extends the benefit to financing and insurance. A design with a track record of successful approvals and builds becomes a 'proven product' in the eyes of lenders and insurers, reducing perceived risk. This is essential for scaling up from individual ADUs to the larger multi-unit projects Saugeen Shores is also targeting.

Prefab Solutions: Ahead of the Curve with Actionable Ideas

The launch of this program demonstrates that Prefab Solutions is not just observing the housing crisis but is ahead of the curve in identifying and promoting resonating, core solutions. Our advocacy for a pre-approved design library was a call to action based on a clear diagnosis of the system's failures. While Saugeen Shores' excellent program is a fantastic start for low-rise, site-built construction, our vision at Prefab Solutions specifically extends this powerful model to the prefab and modular industry. The logic is identical but the potential impact is even greater:

• Factory Efficiency Meets Regulatory Speed: Imagine a builder being able to select a pre-approved modular design from a library, knowing it will pass muster with the city and be optimized for factory production. This marriage of regulatory certainty and manufacturing efficiency is the ultimate 'blueprint for speed.'

• The Role of Technology (PrefabIQ): Managing and deploying these standardized designs at scale requires digital tools. Our integrated housing management tool, PrefabIQ is built for this future. Its Product Configurator module allows for customization within set parameters, and Compliance Management(future module) tools can track the approval status of designs across different municipalities, turning a local solution into a scalable, national model.

A Model for Every Municipality in Canada

The most promising part of Mayor Charbonneau's statement is his openness to sharing: "We’re glad to frankly share them with whoever needs them... right across Ontario."

This collaborative spirit is exactly what is needed. We called for a coalition—led by CMHC, provincial housing ministries, and industry groups to build a national library. Saugeen Shores has now provided the blueprint and the proof of concept. The next step is for other municipalities, large and small, to adopt and adapt this model, and for provincial and federal agencies to support its expansion, especially for the factory-built homes that can deliver quality housing at the unprecedented speed Canada needs.

Saugeen Shores has moved the conversation from 'what if' to 'here's how.' They have shown the courage to implement a simple, brilliant idea that attacks delays at their source. At Prefab Solutions, we are encouraged by this validation and remain committed to advocating for the policies and tools that will help replicate this success from coast to coast.

References

1. CTV News London. (2026, January 8). Saugeen Shores offers free pre-approved home designs to spur development.

2. Prefab Solutions. (2025, October 30). The Blueprint for Speed: Could a Pre-Approved Design Library Unlock Affordable Housing? Retrieved from https://prefabsolutions.ca/themodularityblog-by-prefabsolutions-the-blueprint-for-speed.

3. PrefabIQ Platform. (n.d.). Product Configurator & Compliance Management Modules. https://prefab-iq.com