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Can Factory Built Homes Solve Canada Housing Crisis?

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August, 2025 – Canada is not building homes quickly enough to meet rising needs, and red tape combined with low productivity is intensifying pressure on the sector. A new report from the C.D. Howe Institute explores how innovative construction technologies could help accelerate delivery and improve efficiency – if supported by the right policy conditions. The Silo predicted this dilemma over a decade ago and highlighted some of these issues and solutions in this “Tiny House” post.

In the report titled “Building Smarter, Faster: Technology and Policy Solutions for Canada’s Housing Crisis,” Tasnim Fariha outlines how innovative construction technologies – such as modular and panelized systems and mass timber – can enhance labour productivity in residential construction. While these approaches are not a silver bullet, they may offer valuable tools for increasing housing supply and managing construction workforce constraints.  

Building Smarter, Faster: Technology and Policy Solutions for Canada’s Housing Crisis

  • Canada’s housing shortage is worsening. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) estimates that to restore 2019 affordability levels in the market, housing starts need to be doubled. CMHC is projecting a need for 430,000–480,000 housing starts annually. But the country is falling far short. Labour shortages, weak productivity in residential construction, and slow permitting processes are making it harder to meet needs.
  • Innovative construction methods – including modular, panelized, mass timber, and 3D printing – offer potential to improve productivity and accelerate housing delivery, but adoption remains limited due to high upfront costs, fragmented regulations, and insufficient data on performance in the Canadian context.
  • The federal government’s $26 billion Build Canada Homes initiative signals a strong commitment to innovation, yet without tackling regulatory, financial, and logistical obstacles, these technologies won’t scale or deliver meaningful cost savings. To realize the productivity benefits, governments must streamline permitting, harmonize building code interpretation, reduce development charges, and support workforce training, among other steps.

Introduction

Canada’s housing sector is experiencing a multifaceted crisis characterized by escalating prices, acute affordability challenges, and a critical misalignment between housing supply and population growth. Demographic pressures – such as strong population growth – combined with economic factors like elevated interest rates, soaring housing costs and land prices are reshaping Canada’s housing market. Escalating housing costs have effectively priced out many potential buyers, compelling a larger proportion of the population to enter the rental market, thereby driving increased investment in rental and multi-family housing units (Statistics Canada 2024). However, those units have become much more expensive to build, too, which is reflected in higher rents and fewer starts than necessary to meet demand.

This modal shift reflects both market adaptations to economic constraints and broader structural changes in housing demand and affordability. On top of that, long-standing restrictive regulatory frameworks, including restrictive zoning regulations, substantial development charges, and land use constraints, contribute to housing supply limitations and price escalations (Dachis and Thivierge 2018). Addressing these structural obstacles is crucial for ameliorating persistent supply shortages, rising costs, and broader affordability challenges. The industry has been raising these issues for several years now. For example, in early 2024, the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) released a comprehensive sector transition strategy identifying specific recommendations for systematic change in four areas: financial system, policy, labour, and productivity. In 2025, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) emphasized that the pace of housing starts must double to gradually restore affordability to 2019 levels.

Many countries are leveraging prefabrication technologies – such as modular construction, mass timber, panelized systems, and on-site 3D printing – to accelerate homebuilding, increase productivity in the face of tight labour markets, and improve sustainability. In Canada, however, adoption remains limited amidst industry-specific challenges, complex regulations, and insufficient incentives to support these innovations.

Despite their promise, these technologies have not consistently delivered cost savings in the Canadian context. Modular, panelization, mass timber, and 3D concrete printing methods often face higher upfront costs, insurance premiums, or material expenses. To support the adoption of these innovative construction methods in Canada, more country-specific evidence is needed to guide policymakers, regulators, and developers. While international data highlight its benefits – such as speed, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability – Canadian decision-makers require more local insights. Academic-industry partnerships can help generate this evidence by analyzing best practices, labour dynamics, project outcomes, and measurable savings within the Canadian context (Dragicevic and Riaz 2024).

This paper aims to identify the main challenges facing the adoption of innovative home-building technologies in Canada. Drawing on a range of sources – including academic research, government and industry reports, and documents from builders’ associations – it offers an introductory examination of the issues at play. It does not present innovative construction methods as the sole solution to Canada’s housing crisis, but rather as a tool to improve labour productivity and accelerate residential development, particularly when supported by stable market conditions, coordinated government action, and a supportive regulatory environment. While recognizing the potential of these technologies, the paper highlights the need for more publicly available data and independent research to benchmark their performance against traditional building methods. The key recommendations from this paper – aimed at addressing the critical barriers of risk, complexity, and inconsistency – include:

  • Financial Incentives and Risk Mitigation: Low-cost financing and tax credits to de-risk investments by builders, and construction-financing insurance for off-site construction to boost lender confidence; standardized mortgage and home insurance rules to reduce uncertainty for buyers; and tax incentives for maintenance and repairs of homes built with innovative technologies to build trust among lenders and buyers.
  • Regulatory Streamlining and Efficiency: Expedited fund disbursement by CMHC to accelerate project timelines of purpose-built rentals and affordable housing; streamlined permitting processes and fast-track approvals for innovative projects; elimination of duplicative inspections for modular builds to reduce delays; reduction of development charges and related fees to improve overall housing affordability; and further research to assess how Canada’s multi-layered regulatory framework compares with international practices and whether it may be limiting competitiveness.
  • Standardization and Harmonization Across Jurisdictions: Standardizing interpretation of building codes across municipalities to ensure consistency and avoid costly, time-consuming redesigns; standardizing – and where necessary, harmonizing – transportation regulations on modular and prefabricated components across provinces to facilitate efficient, large-scale production and delivery.

Current Challenges in the Housing Market

Supply Shortage

Currently, Canada is not building enough homes to meet its needs. In fact, the housing shortfall isn’t closing – it’s widening. When CMHC first sounded the alarm in 2022, it estimated that Canada needed to build roughly 500,000 housing units per year through 2030 to bring affordability back to early-2000s levels. Last year, the country started building just 245,000 units – less than half the target. Now, CMHC’s latest projections scale down the target but still call for 430,000 to 480,000 housing starts annually over the next decade, merely to restore affordability to 2019 levels. In regions like Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Montreal, the shortfall is even more severe.

Urban centres are disproportionately impacted by limited housing supply. Housing costs are dramatically outpacing income growth, creating substantial barriers for middle-class families, first-time buyers, and young professionals seeking homeownership. Shortage of supply and higher housing costs suppress the formation of new, smaller households, pushing more people into shared or doubled-up living arrangements. Building more housing would allow Canadians to form the types of smaller households they increasingly prefer, such as living alone or only with a partner or children (Lauster and von Bergmann 2024). A striking indicator of this supply crisis is the unprecedented decline in dwellings per 1,000 people (see Figure 1), a reversal from Canada’s historical trend of increasing housing supply. This decline highlights the pressing need for strategies to realign the housing supply with population needs.

Productivity Challenges

Residential construction productivity has not recovered in the post-pandemic period, contrasting with the gradual recovery in the broader construction industry and the overall economy (Figure 2). Recent economic analyses show the industry is expanding by increasing its share of the overall workforce while its share of output is simultaneously declining (Caranci and Marple 2024).

One contributing factor may be the construction sector’s tendency to retain its existing workforce during downturns, avoiding mass layoffs to preserve skilled labour for future booms. Despite the sluggish output growth from this sector since 2022, it continues to expand in terms of employment. For example, between 2020 and 2023, employment grew by 15 percent across all industries and 21 percent in construction overall, while residential building construction saw a 26 percent increase (Statistics Canada 2025a). While this strategy may protect long-term capacity, it can also depress short-term productivity metrics during periods of reduced construction activity. If this dynamic persists, it could have long-term consequences for Canada’s housing infrastructure and broader economic growth.

Affordability Crisis

Despite the urgent need for housing, affordability remains a barrier that limits the purchasing power of many Canadians and prevents the market from meeting housing needs. Home prices have risen nearly 40 percent since 2016, contributing to a significant decline in homeownership across the country. While recent changes to down payment rules and extended amortization periods aim to support buyers, high interest rates continue to erode affordability and heighten mortgage insecurity for both new and existing homeowners. Development taxes – including development fees, lot levies, and amenity fees – have increased by 700 percent over the past two decades and can now account for up to 25 percent of a home’s sale price (CHBA 2024). Between 2011 and 2021, the share of Canadians living in owned homes decreased by 2.5 percent, with nearly all age groups experiencing a drop in homeownership rates.

This shift has led to an increased demand for rental housing, prompting developers to prioritize the construction of more budget-friendly living spaces. According to the CMHC, 72 percent of all housing starts in the first half of 2024 were apartments, with 47 percent of these designated for rental units. However, while increased rental construction is a positive trend, it remains insufficient to close the affordability gap. More housing units for homeownership are required, too. Rising home prices, population growth, and high mortgage rates have driven rental costs higher, further exacerbating affordability challenges and placing additional strain on low-income households. The growth of corporate rental ownership by Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), as well as secondary rentals by investors, has played a notable role, too. The average rent for a typical two-bedroom unit across Canada rose by 45 percent between 2018 and 2024, according to the CMHC Rental Market Survey.1 In 2022, Statistics Canada reported that 245,900 households were on the waitlist for social and affordable housing, underscoring the critical need for increased housing supply.2

Labour-Augmenting Home Building Technologies: A Promising Tool for Easing the Housing Crisis

Technological innovation in construction may offer a promising path to improving labour productivity (see Box 1 for a comparison of conventional and innovative homebuilding methods). These labour-augmenting technologies3 have the potential to significantly enhance efficiency and accelerate the pace of homebuilding. Labour-augmenting technologies allow workers to produce more – whether in quantity, quality, or both – within the same amount of work hours. They align with the concept of increasing the capacity of human capital without expanding the workforce. Such progress can arise from various sources, including advancements in machinery, software, work processes, or the education and skills of the workforce. Research suggests that labour-augmenting technological change stimulates gross domestic product (GDP) growth and increases long-run total employment. In open, developed economies, focusing on enhancing the efficiency and productivity of skilled workers yields the greatest benefits (Ross et al. 2024).

Conventional homebuilding methods rely heavily on strenuous physical labour and are vulnerable to weather-related disruptions and higher on-site safety risks. Although specific data on the residential construction sector are limited, the construction industry as a whole remains one of the most hazardous sectors, with on-site building particularly prone to accidents due to the complex and variable nature of the work environment. In contrast, modern homebuilding technologies – such as off-site prefabrication and digital design tools – can reduce project failure rates, shorten construction timelines, enhance defect detection, and significantly improve worker safety (Patel and Kaushal 2024). Working in a stable, climate-controlled factory setting – without the disruptions of a transient worksite – can lead to greater worker satisfaction and productivity (Hoínková 2021).

Modular construction has been around for several decades, involving off-site fabrication in safe, controlled settings and reducing workers’ exposure to harsh outdoor environments. Case studies from countries like Australia, the UK, and the US suggest that modular approaches can reduce construction timelines by 20 to 50 percent compared to traditional methods (Bertram et al. 2019). In panelization, prefabricated panels are assembled quickly on-site, eliminating sequential tasks and allowing different stages of construction to occur simultaneously. This significantly reduces project completion times while minimizing safety risks and physical labour demands. Compared to modular construction, panelization is often more flexible and efficient in terms of storage, transportation, and on-site logistics, making it a more scalable solution in certain contexts. Cross-Laminated Timbers (CLT) used in mass timber construction are easier to handle and assemble. Timber is a suitable material for prefabrication, and its insulating properties create safer working conditions in cold weather. Although somewhat more expensive than other materials, mass timber is valued for its ability to store carbon, contributing to more sustainable construction practices.

Another advantage of shifting to off-site construction is a reduced reliance on labour, especially as Canada’s construction industry faces the retirement of nearly 260,000 workers (22 percent of the workforce) by 2030, requiring over 309,000 new recruits (BuildForce Canada 2021). Research on the global construction sector shows that off-site construction offers a promising solution by enabling 30 to 60 percent of project work to be completed in controlled environments, leading to a potential 5 to 10 times productivity boost through better labour management (Barbosa et al. 2017). Controlled settings also improve worker attraction and support the application of Lean Construction principles. Engaging higher-skilled labour in tasks such as integrating electrical and mechanical systems or operating automated machinery can yield significant productivity gains. Meanwhile, lower-skilled workers can still be effectively engaged in other aspects of the prefabrication process. This approach helps ease the industry’s skilled labour shortage while improving supervision, safety, quality, material efficiency, and schedule adherence (Forestry Innovation Investment 2021).

The time savings and productivity gains cited above are largely drawn from global data across the broader construction sector and may not fully reflect the experience of residential construction in Canada, where adoption of these technologies has been slower and less standardized. The wide variation in estimated time savings often stems from differences in regulatory environments, labour availability, factory capacity, and the degree of integration with on-site workflows. Still, these figures illustrate the potential of innovative construction methods to enhance efficiency. More Canadian-specific research is needed to quantify the net productivity gains – both in time and cost – across different home-building technologies.

Demographic and regional shifts strengthen the case for modular and prefabricated housing. Urban growth, ageing populations, and smaller households are driving demand for compact, denser housing in central areas where land is limited and speed is essential. Modular construction supports this need through rapidly deployable fourplexes, mid-rises, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on infill sites – smaller, self-contained homes located on the same lot as a primary residence. It has also proven effective for student housing, offering speed and flexibility. For example, Selkirk College’s residence in BC used a hybrid of modular and mass timber construction to reduce waste, lower costs, and accelerate delivery, earning high marks for energy efficiency while meeting urgent student housing needs.

Similarly, Trinity Western University’s Jacobson Hall in BC was built in just nine months, and the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) 18-storey Brock Commons Tallwood House saw a more than 10 percent reduction in build schedule, with the structure completed in under 70 days after prefabricated panels arrived on-site. In Northern and remote communities like Nunavut and Northern Ontario – where housing needs are urgent and labour shortages acute – off-site construction allows homes to be built in southern factories and rapidly assembled on-site, bypassing the logistical and workforce challenges of traditional construction.

Lastly, it is crucial to assess Canada’s position on the production possibility frontier (PPF), which represents the maximum number of homes that can be built using available resources, such as labour, materials, and technology, without overextending or underutilizing them. Canada’s litany of problems includes high construction costs, elevated mortgage rates, soaring house prices, adverse weather conditions, and regulatory barriers like zoning laws and building codes, along with a lengthy permitting process. So it is reasonable to infer that Canada is currently operating inside the PPF. This indicates productive inefficiency. The country is not fully leveraging its resources to produce the maximum number of homes possible (productive inefficiency may not be directly quantifiable in precise terms due to data limitations). However, in a more conducive environment where regulatory hurdles are reduced and permit approvals are quicker, labour-augmenting technological advancements could shift the frontier outward, increasing labour productivity. This shift could enable Canada to build more homes more quickly and efficiently, helping to address the ongoing housing shortage.

Where Does Canada Stand on Housing Innovation?

Many countries are leveraging modular construction and mass timber to accelerate homebuilding and improve sustainability. While Canada has begun to explore similar approaches to those used in the US and Australia, its adoption has been slower. The reason: structural barriers, regulatory complexities, and a lack of appropriate support. Scandinavian countries, like Sweden, have embraced off-site construction at scale, where 96 percent of homes are built off-site and 84 percent of detached homes use prefabricated elements (Modular Intelligence 2024). These countries benefit from economies of scale, smaller geographies and unified building codes, with higher volumes justifying the upfront investment in off-site manufacturing. Although a direct comparison of productivity or construction costs between Canada and Sweden is difficult due to differences in labour markets, regulations, and building types, off-site construction has proven more efficient than traditional methods within the Scandinavian context. This relative efficiency has driven greater industry uptake and enabled more advanced forms of prefabrication to emerge – supported by long-term investment, automation, and integration into mainstream housing delivery. Moreover, in Europe and Asia, prefabricated construction differs from that in North America in both the materials used and the size of modules or panels (Forestry Innovation Investment 2021). Understanding how these regions arrived at their current practices can offer valuable insights for industry leaders and policymakers.

Recognizing the urgent need for technological innovation to address the current housing crisis, the Canadian government announced a $600 million package in the 2024 budget. This includes a $50 million Homebuilding Technology and Innovation Fund to scale up and commercialize technologies like modular and prefabricated homes, $500 million to support rental housing using modular construction, and $11.6 million to develop a Housing Design Catalogue featuring standardized and efficient blueprints. The Housing Design Catalogue, released earlier this year, offers standardized low-rise designs focused on traditional construction to support gentle density and infill across Canada, with plans to include modular and prefabricated methods in future updates.

Greater potential for transformation lies in the recently announced initiative by the federal government, an agency called Build Canada Homes (BCH). It aims to catalyze the housing industry and create higher-paying jobs by offering $25 billion in debt financing and $1 billion in equity financing to support innovative Canadian prefabricated home builders. Its premise is that prefabricated and modular housing methods have the potential to reduce construction time by up to 50 percent, cut costs by 20 percent, and lower emissions by 22 percent compared to traditional building approaches. BCH also plans to issue bulk orders to manufacturers to stabilize demand, promote the use of Canadian materials like mass timber and softwood lumber, and expand apprenticeship opportunities to grow the skilled trades workforce.

It is too early to assess the impact of these initiatives. The distribution of funds involves lengthy bureaucratic processes, and the market requires time to adapt. Research and development, being inherently time-intensive, further slows immediate results. While these initiatives may hold significant promise for addressing Canada’s housing crisis – particularly in an environment with fewer structural and regulatory barriers – their effectiveness depends on first tackling the core obstacles that continue to hinder housing development and discourage investment in productivity-enhancing innovations.

Government support plays a critical role in driving a sector’s success and growth. As part of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan,4 the City of Toronto committed to creating 1,000 new modular homes. By 2021, 250 homes were approved, and since then, 216 modular homes have been completed, contributing to the city’s efforts to address housing shortages and provide affordable living spaces. A report from the Auditor General of the City of Toronto5 stated that due to incomplete data and lack of benchmarking, the effectiveness and comparability of modular construction versus traditional methods – regarding cost and speed – could not be assessed. It recommended improvements in project planning, cost monitoring, and data collection to allow for clearer evaluations in the future. Vancouver is also utilizing temporarily available space to build modular affordable housing with support from CMHC and the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency (VAHA). Calgary and Edmonton are adopting similar initiatives.

In 2020, the National Building Code of Canada (NBC) increased the limit for mass timber construction from 6 storeys to 12 storeys, reflecting advancements in technology and growing confidence in the safety and sustainability of mass timber. Last year, British Columbia updated its provincial building codes to allow mass-timber structures up to 18 storeys. However, due to higher costs, adoption has so far been largely limited to public sector projects.

Canada’s housing market is gradually adapting and embracing innovative technologies at a faster pace. A growing number of companies are now offering innovative housing solutions in Canada, providing faster, sustainable, and innovative alternatives to traditional construction methods. The Kakatoots (Siksika Nation) or Star Lodge in Alberta,6 the Leamington project in Ontario,7 and the Merritt and UBC project in British Columbia8 are some of the ongoing 3D-printed home projects designed to combat the housing crisis in areas experiencing severe labour shortages.

Key Barriers to Housing Innovation

Despite these advancements, the adoption of innovative home-building technologies continues to face substantial challenges:

  • High overhead costs, risks of investment, and workforce constraints. Modern construction methods are heavily constrained by the high initial investment and overhead costs associated with high-tech tools and equipment, such as prefabrication machinery, 3D printers, and robotics. In addition to utilizing low-skilled labour for certain tasks, some high-skilled workers trained in operating sophisticated equipment are also required, necessitating formal education and specialized skills development programs. Such training is resource-intensive, limiting its feasibility to larger firms with the financial capacity to invest in workforce development. However, in Canada, some of these larger firms have exited the modular construction space because the anticipated efficiency gains have failed to materialize. Without a consistent flow of orders, even large firms may struggle to sustain operations.
  • Depressed and volatile housing market. Canada’s housing market is marked by unpredictable boom-bust cycles and a lack of long-term stability, which discourages sustained investment. Volatility in financial markets and frequent shifts in monetary and immigration policy further heighten risks for both builders and homebuyers. Factory-built housing relies on scale and repetition to be cost-effective – firms need a steady throughput to reduce the burden of high overhead costs. However, current market instability makes it difficult to maintain consistent production. On the other hand, high development charges, land levies, and amenity fees drive up housing prices across the entire industry, further dampening affordability and demand, and in turn, restricting the supply of new homes. These also make it more difficult for innovative builders to scale up and compete effectively.
  • Financing and insurance challenges. Modular or prefabricated homes come with unique challenges compared to traditional houses. Since up to 80 percent of a modular project is completed off-site in a factory, manufacturers typically require substantial upfront payments to secure materials and begin production. However, current lending practices – both among private banks and public programs – are often structured around on-site progress payments. Hence, they rarely accommodate this model, significantly restricting access to financing for modular projects (Dragicevic and Riaz 2024). Additionally, in terms of mortgage and home insurance, modular and prefabricated homes often face inconsistent treatment across provinces, lenders, and insurers. Mortgage providers may require additional documentation, impose stricter conditions, or offer less favourable terms compared to traditional homes. For example, while CMHC does insure mortgages for modular homes, it requires that the home be permanently affixed to a foundation and comply with all local building codes – criteria that may be interpreted or enforced differently across municipalities. Some private mortgage insurers and lenders may impose further conditions or decline to finance certain factory-built or movable units, especially if they are not CSA-certified or permanently sited. On the home insurance side, modular homes may be subject to higher premiums or limited coverage due to perceived risks, misclassification, or unfamiliarity with the building method, sometimes even resulting in denied claims or coverage gaps.9
  • Financial support alone is not sufficient while structural barriers remain in place. Under the Apartment Construction Loan Program (previously known as Rental Construction Financing Initiative), all financing is subject to approval by CMHC. While there have been some improvements, the process can still take considerable time and needs to be streamlined. There are examples of firms exiting the Canadian market and shifting operations to the US, citing delays in CMHC fund disbursement as one of the contributing factors behind their decision.10 The same is true for the Housing Accelerator Fund, which flowed to municipalities from the federal government. While some major cities have significantly exceeded their annualized housing supply targets in terms of permits issued, others have permitted fewer units than projected under their baseline expectations.11 These challenges undermine the primary advantage of prefabrication: the ability to build faster.
  • Municipal permit approval is slow for all types of housing. According to the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), it also takes nearly 250 days to obtain a building permit from the municipalities or the regional authorities in Canada – three times longer than in the US – placing Canada 34th out of 35 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries in building permit timelines. In some cities, the delays are even worse. Toronto and Hamilton take approximately 25 and 31 months, respectively, to issue permits (CHBA 2025). Municipal process delays during construction can also eliminate all time advantages of off-site construction and drive up costs.
  • Inconsistency among municipalities in interpreting building codes. A major challenge for scaling up is that different municipalities, sometimes in the same province, interpret the building codes in different ways, requiring time-consuming and costly customized designs. The same can be true within one municipality, with variable interpretations between building officials. This dramatically impacts repeatability and replication that could make the process faster and more cost-effective for builders, and cheaper for homebuyers.
  • Transportation-related hurdles. Transportation is another challenge in off-site construction, particularly for modular systems, which face strict road permitting requirements that vary by jurisdiction. While flat packing is efficient for panels and CLT, modular transport is more complex, especially across provinces. For example, module widths allowed in the Prairies can reach 7.3 metres, while in BC, they are limited to 4.88 metres, creating constraints for project delivery (Forestry Innovation Investment 2021). Similar constraints apply to transportation entering Ontario. These differences further hinder the feasibility of large-scale, duplicated production.
  • Duplicative inspections create inefficiencies and difficulties, as two authorities are involved – CSA-certified bodies inspect factory-built components, while local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) handle on-site work (Forestry Innovation Investment 2021). However, many AHJs lack familiarity with off-site construction and are often unclear about their jurisdiction and the acceptability of the off-site components that should not be subjected to duplicative inspections. This confusion can delay approvals, drive up costs, and create barriers for modular and panelized projects.
  • Regulatory inefficiencies push firms out of Canada. For example, in 2024, a large modular construction company closed its Kitchener, Ontario factory, cutting 150 jobs. Citing overregulation, financing delays, and rising costs, the company moved operations to the US, where it found a more business-friendly environment.

Policy Pathways and Conclusions

Cost competitiveness and investment risk remain the two most pressing barriers to scaling innovative home-building technologies. According to Keynes’ law, the market will naturally shift toward innovative home-building technologies when sufficient demand exists, and the supply side is prepared to meet it within a business-friendly environment. However, this is not currently the case in Canada, as both demand and supply are constrained by structural inefficiencies, financing gaps, and regulatory hurdles. The goal should not be to restrict these technologies to publicly subsidized, affordable rental projects, but to encourage their widespread use in the regular market. This would enable large-scale production to reduce per-unit costs through economies of scale, achieve more competitive pricing and improve affordability.

To mitigate the challenges and to encourage more innovative home-building projects, the following policy actions and further research should be considered:

  • The federal government – and other levels of government providing financial support – should work to minimize structural barriers, such as bureaucratic complexities and delays in fund disbursement, across all housing projects. This will accelerate delivery and reduce costs, complementing broader housing goals. While all housing supply efforts deserve timely support, streamlining financing processes for innovative home-building approaches – such as modular and prefabricated construction – will help unlock productivity gains and build capacity in this developing segment of the industry.
  • To encourage builders to invest in innovative construction, the federal government should provide low-cost financing and investment tax credits. This would help them address high upfront costs and de-risk substantial investments in tools, machinery, and workforce training. Additionally, adopting output-based repayment models – rather than time-based – can help firms remain viable during housing market downturns.
  • Federal funding can help accelerate the transition to factory-built homes through targeted programming. For instance, the CHBA is advocating for Contribution Agreement Funding to establish a Factory-Built Systems Hub.12 The Hub would offer education and training for builders and officials, help address regulatory barriers, foster innovation in factory-built construction, and provide a concierge service to assist with access to government transition funding.
  • To boost traditional financial institutions’ confidence in financing off-site construction, CMHC should introduce construction financing insurance tailored to modular and prefabricated housing. While this insurance may add some initial cost, it would help address lender uncertainty and reduce risk premiums –improving affordability for buyers and predictability for builders. A key barrier is that financial institutions currently lack sufficient data to confidently compare off-site construction with traditional methods. This would provide the assurance needed to support lending for a relatively unfamiliar building process. This extra layer of security can be gradually reduced as lenders become more comfortable with these projects.
  • The federal and provincial governments should standardize the rules and eligibility requirements for mortgages and home insurance for these types of homes to eliminate regulatory uncertainty for buyers. Income tax credits for the maintenance and repair of these homes could build trust among potential buyers, lenders, and insurance companies.
  • Standardizing – and where possible, harmonizing – transportation requirements across provinces is crucial for the factory-built industry. Consistent regulations would enable cost and time savings by allowing the replication of identical units without the need for costly customization or delays due to jurisdictional differences.
  • Overall, development charges and related fees should be reduced to improve housing affordability and stimulate construction activity. A more dynamic housing market will enable the industry to benefit from economies of scale.
  • Municipalities should adopt a standardized interpretation of building codes to maintain consistency. Without this, efforts to develop a housing design catalogue for the industry will have limited value. Indeed, with standardization, existing housing catalogues that builders already have could be deployed easily.
  • Eliminating duplicative inspections would greatly streamline the construction process and avoid unnecessary costs and delays. Additionally, municipal officials need more training and education to increase their familiarity with off-site building methods and where inspection responsibilities lie.
  • All municipalities and local authorities should publicly announce clear target timeframes for residential permit approvals, inspection processes, and all municipal approval processes. The goal: to accelerate housing construction and provide much more certainty for development timelines for industry. They should introduce a fast-track permit approval system for residential construction projects utilizing innovative technologies. Time savings and productivity improvements offered by innovative construction methods will not be realized if delays and lengthy administrative procedures persist.
  • Further research is needed to benchmark Canada’s regulatory environment against peer countries and assess whether overregulation may be discouraging investment or prompting firms to relocate to more business-friendly jurisdictions. This includes studying how countries like Sweden have successfully scaled housing innovations – such as modular construction, off-site manufacturing, and mass timber – and evaluating which aspects of their experience could inform Canadian policy. While a full exploration of these international comparisons is beyond the scope of this paper, it remains a critical area for future investigation.

While some policy recommendations apply broadly to improving overall housing supply, they are essential for creating the enabling conditions that allow modular and prefabricated projects to thrive. At the same time, targeted and preferential measures specifically supporting innovative home-building technologies are also necessary to overcome their unique challenges and accelerate their adoption. Although not a panacea to the ongoing housing crisis, wider adoption of these technologies has the potential to ease pressure in the short term by accelerating construction and to improve affordability in the long term through greater efficiency and scalability. For the Silo, Tasnim Fariha Senior Policy Analyst at the C.D. Howe Institute.

The author extends gratitude to Colin Busby, Nicholas Dahir, Parisa Mahboubi, Carolyn Whitzman and several anonymous referees for valuable comments and suggestions. The author retains responsibility for any errors and the views expressed.

References

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Canadian Home Builders’ Association. 2024. Sector Transition Strategy. Ottawa: Canadian Home Builders’ Association. February 8. https://www.chba.ca/sectortransition/.

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Caranci, Beata, and James Marple. 2024.“From Bad to Worse: Canada’s Productivity Slowdown is Everyone’s Problem.” TD Economics. September 12. https://economics.td.com/ca-productivity-bad-to-worse

Dachis, Benjamin, and Vincent Thivierge. 2018. Through the Roof: The High Cost of Barriers to Building New Housing in Canadian Municipalities. Commentary 513. Toronto: C.D. Howe Institute. May. https://cdhowe.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Friday20Commentary_513.pdf.

Dragicevic, Nevena, and Kinza Riaz. 2024. Seizing the Modular Construction Opportunity. Toronto: Canadian Standards Association. https://www.csagroup.org/article/public-policy/seizing-the-modular-construction-opportunity/?srsltid=AfmBOopdqb3BvG3kMEHwIAIgKuMXALOXVm90Fi2qnvCqVe8NZEGzQvVW.

Forestry Innovation Investment. 2021. The State of Prefabrication in Canada: A Market Study of Mass Timber, Panels, and Volumetric Modular Construction. Vancouver: Forestry Innovation Investment. October. https://www.naturallywood.com/resources/the-state-of-prefabrication-in-canada/.

Hořínková, Dita. 2021. “Advantages and Disadvantages of Modular Construction, Including Environmental Impacts.” IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1203 (3): 032002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/1203/3/032002.

Lauster, Nathanael, and Jens von Bergmann. 2025. “The New Rules: Housing Shortage as an Explanation for Family and Household Change across Large Metro Areas in Canada, 1981–2021.” The History of the Family. February: 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/1081602X.2024.2448986.

Mordor Intelligence. 2024. “Scandinavia Prefabricated Housing Market Size & Share Analysis – Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025–2030).” Mordor Intelligence. June 16. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/scandinavia-prefabricated-housing-market#:~:text=This%20approach%20to%20sustainable%20construction,Australia%20(5%25%20each).

Nicol, Caroline, and Zachary Vrhovsek. 2024. “Household Formation and the Housing Stock.” Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. April 11. https://www.pbo-dpb.ca/en/publications/RP-2425-001-S–household-formation-housing-stock–formation-menages-stock-logements#heading-28.

Patel, Jainil, and Vinayak Kaushal. 2024. “Comparative Review Study of Modular Construction with Traditional On-Site Construction.” Preprints. June. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0301.v1.

Ross, Andrew G., Peter G. McGregor, and J. Kim Swales. 2024. “Labour Market Dynamics in the Era of Technological Advancements: The System-Wide Impacts of Labour Augmenting Technological Change.” Technology in Society 77: 102539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2024.102539.

Statistics Canada. 2024. “Table 17-10-0005-01: Population Estimates on July 1, by Age and Gender.” September 25. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000501.

_____________. 2025a. “Table 14-10-0202-01: Employment by Industry, Annual.” March 27. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410020201.

_____________. 2025b. “Table 34-10-0126-01: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Housing Starts, Under Construction and Completions, All Areas, Annual.” January 17. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3410012601.

_____________. 2025c. “Table 34-10-0286-01: Investment in Building Construction [Archived].” May 26. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3410028601.

The views expressed here are those of the author. The Silo/ C.D. Howe Institute does not take corporate positions on policy matters.

Sci-Tech

New Roofing Technology Trends to Watch in 2025

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The technological enhancement in our age makes our life a lot easier than we first thought. Especially in the field of real estate, technology brings us effective construction methods. Let’s think about implementing some of that new technology in our homes for a moment.

The roof in particular needs more attention than other parts of a house because it faces more rough weather contact and gets damaged slowly but surely. Saving your roof and increasing its life span is very important. Recent roofing trends may help reduce the hassle of replacing the roof with technological help. These trends are sustainable and ensure a long life span. 

Roofing technology trends

Solar Roofs:

Can you guess the type of this advanced roof?

Solar roofs are trending because they are a cheap and effective roofing technology for homeowners. Solar is sustainable and works as an alternative power source. It gives support to your house along with a solar energy source. Solar roofs have been getting popular for the last few years. People are accepting this technology for many reasons. Solar roofs are becoming physically stronger due to ever improving solar tiles and shingles. It also saves lots of extra electricity expenses and offer unlimited power backup direct from the sun. 

Green Roofs:

Green roofs are a kind of living pleasure. They will give you the feeling of living in a jungle with the latest technology. Green roofs shield directly the intense hit from the warm heat coming from the sun. They also absorb rainwater so that the roof can avoid flooding. Moreover, a green roof is eco-friendly and a suitable place for relaxing.  

Green roofs have lots of benefits. This type of roofing technology ensures more durability than other roofing. It creates a natural feel for the eye and makes the roof a perfect hangout place. It also absorbs the heat of the building. So the whole building remains cool in the warm season. 

Drone:

Drones are a surprisingly useful innovation of science and technology. These remotely controlled flying robots are handy devices that help us in many ways. In terms of real estate, drones help with the capability of Ariel observation. You can inspect your entire home along with the roof without having to climb up and down a ladder or having to physically move to every single spot. The drone will go do the inspections for you and you can observe the whole process by viewing your mobile phone screen. 

In the roofing industry, drone technology becomes a must-have tool. It is now used widely for its benefits. Roofers use them often for any kind of roof-related assistance. The high-resolution cameras give a clear and detailed intro to any problems. As mentioned earlier, since the roofer doesn’t have to climb on the roof for further inspection it helps the whole project by cutting down work time and adding an extra level of safety. 

Drone photos or videos also help the project manager and roof repair company build their project portfolio. Nowadays, every real estate company uses drones in every project because it helps the company to plan perfectly for repairing a damaged roof or installing a new one.

Mixed material roofs:

We always want to install long-lasting roofs. The reason behind this is installing a new roof or replacing shingles from time to time wastes lots of money. Why should someone spend time and money on a something that may only last 5 seasons, if they could install a more stable and longer lasting durable roof at a reasonable price? 

Nowadays, new and innovative technology takes roofing ideas into far more advanced areas. Technological improvements have introduced us to sustainable roofing options never dreamed of a few decades ago. Options like cool roofs, green roofs, solar roofs, and so on. 

We all know that metal roofs are popular for their durability.

Tech improvements have also added various style and color options so that modern roofs can better match the building structure. Because of the improvement in aesthetics, metal roofing technology is successfully gaining attention from homeowners: read more about eco-friendly metal roofs.

Recently an architectural trend called mixed material is getting popular. By mixing various materials together, roofs can be stronger than a single material. It is something like the proverb “unity makes us strong”. That’s why composite shingles and metal makes a strong and sustainable element that increases the lifespan of the roof. 

Mobile Apps:

Using mobile phones every day is a habit for all of us. We can’t live a single day without using a mobile phone. Although there are several reasons behind this, a mobile phone can help our day become efficient through the use of apps.

Mobile apps take on an important role in the roofing business. Using mobile roofing applications, we can measure the whole building and roof remotely. We can create a complete report and send them directly to the workers. 

It saves time and increases the project success rate. Roofing and building apps also help find out the estimated time for the project complication. Contractors have affirmed that all kinds of paper work and invoices are easy to handle with mobile roofing software. 

Last word

We all know “Old is Gold”. But that proverb is not suitable for every sector of human life. Particularly, in the real estate business, implementing new technology in the roofing system will increase durability. That’s why new roofing technology trends are getting popular day by day.  

Culture

How Improper Tiling Will Wreak Havoc On Home Value & Your Health

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ICYMI: Poorly installed tile can cause serious health issues due to mold, and significantly decrease  home values. Gregory Norman, founder of BathMasters, highlights the advantages of hiring a professional for tiling projects and encourages homeowners to resist cutting corners.

(Clearwater, FL) —The homeowner improvement and repair market reached $317 billion USD in 2017 alone and continued to hover around that mark right up to this year-even when factoring in Covid, (1) and the number of homeowners utilizing DIY and unlicensed contractors for renovations is also on the rise.

13% of all households undertook a bathroom remodel or replacement project in the past 5 years, and of those, 42% failed to use a licensed contractor.(2)

The risks associated with improper renovations—especially tiling—can not only slash a home’s value, but also prove hazardous for homeowners’ health, warns bathroom renovation company BathMasters.

When it comes to bathroom overhauls, homeowners are generally unprepared for surprises, such as mold or leaks that can be hiding inside walls and beneath floors.(3) Improper tiling performed by a homeowner or unlicensed contractor can inadvertently allow water to seep in, facilitating accumulation of mold spores and thereby causing serious damage to a homeowner’s house and personal health.(4) Per BathMasters founder, Greg Norman, statistics show that in all remodeling projects, tile showers are the number one botched renovation.

Norman says the room for error is vast; if the underside of the shower pan is not waterproofed, or the membrane going to the drain is improperly installed, costly leaks and mold can – and likely will – occur.

(3) And the risks are alarming: mold and water damage under shoddily-installed tiles can cause heightened asthma problems, skin rashes and even autoimmune diseases.(4) Per Norman, preserving health and the value of the home are invaluable to cutting corners on a renovation project.

“No home renovation project in the world is worth putting one’s health at risk,” said Norman. “Additionally, home renovations are intended to increase the value of a home; DIY projects or renovations done by unlicensed contractors run completely contrary to that.”

Although it may seem like homeowners can save money by not using a licensed contractor, even a small defect can significantly devalue a property. Most cities require homeowners to tear out walls, along with any ceramic wall tiles, if the renovation project wasn’t inspected by the city beforehand. Also, a home appraiser may not include a non permitted addition in the square footage for the home value, which could cost homeowners thousands of dollars.

When considering home renovation projects that include electrical work, plumbing jobs, tiling or knocking down walls, hiring a licensed contractor is key.” Norman went on to say that when hiring a contractor, homeowners need to do their homework by checking reviews and ensuring that permits are being pulled consistently.

“BathMasters regularly replaces showers that have been done incorrectly by unlicensed contractors, generally within five years of installation.

The company is dedicated to providing the highest quality work; as such, its team is equipped with specialized training from the Tile Council of North America in South Carolina, enabling its contractors to offer customers the highest standard of work for all bathroom renovations. For the Silo, Ashley Richardson.

About BathMasters:

BathMasters is a Virginia plumbing, electrical and building contractor with showrooms and warehouses in Northern Virginia and the Tampa Bay Area (Florida). BathMasters is rapidly expanding to meet the demand of its customers for high-quality, full-service bathroom renovations and tub-to-shower conversions built to withstand the test of time. With thousands of custom bathroom remodel jobs under its belt, BathMasters has become the premier choice for all bathroom renovation needs.

Co-founders and brothers Gregory and David Norman grew up in a family of masters: their father was a master plumber, and their uncles worked as a master electrician, master carpenter, and class A home builder. The Norman family legacy has always been about high-quality work, never cutting corners, and an unparalleled commitment to communication, honesty and integrity in their dealings with homeowners. It is this legacy that Gregory and David carry forward at BathMasters. Their mission is to improve the skill level of bathroom installers through their extensive workforce training programs, to the benefit of homeowners and the industry itself. Visit BathMastersVirginia.com and BathMastersFlorida.com.

  1. Donahue, Kerry. “STRONG AND STABLE GROWTH PREDICTED FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIR MARKET IN 2017.” Joint Center for Housing Studies. N.p., 19 Jan. 2017. Web.
  2. Webb, Craig. “Homeowners Hired Pros to Remodel 66% of Kitchens, 58% of Baths, NKBA Survey Finds.” Remodeling. N.p., 11 Jan. 2017. Web. 09 Mar. 2017.
  3. LaPonsie, Maryalene. “7 Reasons to Back Away From DIY Home Improvement Projects.” Money Talks News. N.p., 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 28 Feb. 2017.
  4. Is Your Home a Death Trap? How Mold Affects Your Health and Your Home’s Value. N.p., n.d. Web.
Culture

5 Home Renos That Add The Most Home Value

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Whether you wish to improve your living space or you are going to sell your home, a home renovation will add instant value to your property. 

Many home buyers are looking for homes that are ‘move in ready’ and don’t require much or any work prior to moving in. Because of this desirability, many homeowners are deciding to make upgrades to their home to increase the resale value. If you have a number of projects in mind that are on your ‘wish list’, but aren’t sure which one to start with, you might find these suggestions helpful. 

  1. Kitchen Remodel – This is probably the biggest project that you will undergo, but the one that has the most impact. The kitchen is the most used room in a house and the central hub for most activities. Thus, it makes sense to have a kitchen that is both functional and attractive. If the cabinets are old looking and the countertops are in poor condition, it is hard to overlook. For some, a major renovation might be out of reach, but there are smaller scale options that will also work to spruce up the appearance. You can add a fresh coat of paint or even just reface the cabinetry with new wood panels and hardware. Overall, you can likely recoup 60% to 80% of the cost of the kitchen remodel. 
     
  1. Garage Door Replacement – A garage door makes a great design element to your home as it is one of the first things people see when they come to your home. Although it doesn’t always top the list of most popular projects, it should not be overlooked in terms of overall home value and curb appeal. Over 80% of Realtors believe a new garage door can impact home value – all the more reason to take on this project. 
     
  1. Fiberglass Entry Door Replacement – Nothing makes a more impactful statement than the attractiveness of your front door. Replacing the standard fiberglass entry door to something more stylized to your home will add to the ‘first impression’ element of your home. There are many attractive alternatives for a front door and finding a suitable design that goes with the home will add value straight away without having to undergo a major renovation. According to a recent study, replacing your front door has an average ROI of 75%.   
     
  1. Window Replacement – Having old windows with cracked or chipped frames greatly affects the look of your home. Potential buyers will notice them and so do appraisers. If you’ve got questions about buying new windows, get the answer from a reputable company before you buy. Replacing the windows in your home can add thousands of dollars to its market value, and with an average  ROI of up to 85%, so it makes sense to consider it as a priority upgrade option, especially if you are planning on selling in the near future.  
     
  1. Deck Addition – A wood deck addition falls on the inexpensive side of remodeling projects, but it’s one of the more valuable. In fact, some experts claim that installing a deck can increase the value of your home significantly more than if you were to add another bathroom or living room at a fraction of the cost. The overall cost of installing a deck will largely depend on the size of the deck and material you use. However, most homeowners will recoup nearly 70% of the build cost after they have sold their home.  

If you want to take on any of these home improvement projects, but don’t have the immediate cash on hand to make them a reality, then a home improvement loan might be something to consider.  

3 Best Steps To Find The Best Home Renovation Contractor For Your House | listofinformation

What is a home improvement loan? 

A home improvement loan can be a home equity loan, a HELOC loan, or any loan using home equity used for home improvement purposes. Borrowers will typically use these types of loans to access the capital they need to build on their investment. 

According to a recent study, the value of residential mortgage loans from alternative lenders is steadily growing. Canadians are choosing to opt-out of traditional lenders’ extended waiting periods and paperwork and are finding that working with a mortgage broker is an easier, more streamlined process that saves time, effort and money. If you are a homeowner considering a renovation to your home, a reputable broker such as Burke Financial can help you with every stage of the process.  

Earth

Ontario Results Of November Cap And Trade Program Auction

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NEWS from The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change- Ontario has announced the results of the province’s fourth auction of greenhouse gas emission allowances, held Nov. 29, 2017.  A total of 20,898,000 current (2017) allowances were sold at a settlement price of $17.38 CAD and a total of 3,116,700 future (2020) greenhouse gas emission allowances were sold at a settlement price of $18.89 CAD. The auction generated an estimated $422,081,073 in proceeds, which by law will be invested in programs that will reduce greenhouse gas pollution and help families and businesses reduce their own emissions through the Climate Change Action Plan.

Proceeds from the province’s carbon market auctions are funding programs in 2017-18 that help people and businesses across Ontario reduce pollution, including:
 $64 million to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gases and redirect savings into patient care at 98 hospitals across the province
 Up to $377 million to establish the Green Ontario Fund to help homeowners and businesses save money and fight climate change through programs and rebates
 Up to $657 million for repairs and improvements to social housing apartment buildings over five years, contingent on carbon market proceeds
 $200 million for public school energy improvements
 Up to $100 million to support municipalities in fighting climate change through projects such as renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements
 $93 million for cycling upgrades
 $25 million to establish the Low Carbon Innovation Fund to help create and commercialize new low-carbon technologies

These recent investments build upon $100 million to help homeowners make home energy upgrades, $20 million to install a network of fast-charging electric vehicle stations, $92 million for social housing upgrades, nearly $100 million to help businesses adopt low-carbon technology, and $13 million to support clean economic growth in First Nations communities, $8 million to launch a new pilot program to help fund the purchase of electric school buses, over $1 million to improve ecosystem health in urban and rural communities across the province.

The auction was administered by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change using services contracted by the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) Inc., with oversight from an independent market monitor to ensure the integrity of the process. The summary report of the results has been made available to the public.  For the Silo, Anna Milner.    Disponible en Français.

QUOTES
” The goal of Ontario’s carbon market is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our largest
sources of pollution. The proceeds generated are being invested into Ontario’s economy
through programs and projects that will do even more to reduce greenhouse gases, and help
people in their everyday lives.”
– Chris Ballard
Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

QUICK FACTS
 On May 18, 2016, Ontario passed landmark climate change legislation that ensures the
province is accountable for responsibly and transparently investing proceeds from the
cap and trade program.
 The Climate Change Action Plan and the cap and trade program form the backbone of
Ontario’s strategy to cut greenhouse gas pollution to 15 per cent below 1990 levels by
2020.
 On September 22, 2017, Ontario signed a cap and trade linking agreement with Quebec
and California. The linkage will become effective on January 1, 2018.
 After introducing its cap and trade program and putting a price on carbon, California’s
economy grew at a pace that exceeded the growth of the rest of the U.S. economy.
 The number of jobs in California grew by almost 3.3 per cent in the first year and a half
of the program, outstripping the national rate of job creation, which was 2.5 per cent over
the same period.
 In the United States, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has invested more
than $1.3 billion of auction proceeds since 2009 in programs that include energy
efficiency, clean and renewable energy, greenhouse gas abatement and direct bill
assistance.
 RGGI investments are projected to return more than $4.67 billion in lifetime energy bill
savings to more than 4.6 million participating households and 21,400 businesses.

 

Sci-Tech

First Affordable True 4K UHD HDR Home Cinema Projector Debuts

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CineHome HT2550 Makes Stunning 4K Picture Quality Available to Any Home With Exclusive CinematicColor™ Technology
COSTA MESA, Calif. — November, 2017 — BenQ America Corp., an internationally renowned provider of visual display solutions, today announced the launch of the CineHome HT2550 DLP® projector, offering movie aficionados 4K UHD HDR cinematic quality right at home and at an incredible value. The HT2550 comes fully loaded with true 8.3-megapixel UHD 4K resolution, 96% Rec 709 CinematicColor™ accuracy and projection-optimized HDR for stunning true-to-life image quality.

“Homeowners today want to replicate the magic of the big-screen 4K digital cinema at home,” said Lars Yoder, President, BenQ America Corp. “The HT2550 makes that possible, delivering striking 4K resolution for spectacular movie nights. Engineered with advanced audio and video enhancements and HDR capabilities, it’s an incredible value for the finest home cinema experience.”

Stunning 4K Comes to Life
Producing 8.3 million distinct pixels for true 4K UHD performance, BenQ’s HT2550 projector uses 0.47″ single-DMD-chip DLP technology. This minimizes the projector’s profile for a sleek, compact design that fits modern lifestyles. Its pure, 4K-optimized optical system produces ultimate image precision and color accuracy without artifacts that are known to plague LCD projectors. In addition, it employs exclusive BenQ CinematicColor technology and a RGBRGB color wheel to meet the film industry’s highest standards of color accuracy. With over 96% coverage of Rec. 709 color gamut with precise Delta E<3 performance, it faithfully reproduces exactly what filmmakers intended.

Advanced Technology for Uncompromising Entertainment
The HT2550’s pristine 4K video quality is supercharged by high dynamic range (HDR10) support, offering greater brightness and contrast with auto image optimization to bring out every lifelike detail and breathtaking realism for cinematic enjoyment. Powered by the same durable 2015 Academy Award of Merit Oscar®-winning DLP technology used in 90% of the world’s digital cinemas, HT2550 delivers long-lasting picture quality with precise colors and razor-sharp clarity without maintenance or degradation. Its performance is further enhanced by motion-adaptive edge pixel enhancement, sophisticated color algorithms, accurate flesh tone rendition and proprietary CinemaMaster Video+ and CinemaMaster Audio+ 2 technologies, giving even modest spaces the likeness of world-class cinemas. With full support for the latest HDCP 2.2 copy protection, it allows users to enjoy all the fast-growing choices for 4K content.

Contemporary Design and Easy Setup to Fit Any Space 
Blending beautiful aesthetics with flawless function, HT2550’s lightweight design, sleek profile and compact footprint blend perfectly into any décor. It’s designed to set up fast with auto keystone correction and powerful 1.2X big zoom, overcoming any installation hassles with ease. In addition, the HT2550 quickly becomes a smart projector by simply connecting an HDMI dongle, such as Google Chromecast, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV Stick, to instantly stream TV shows, movies, sports, and even video games to the big screen.

The BenQ HT2550 will be available in North America in Jan. 2018 for under $2,000usd retail. To find out more, please email: [email protected] or visit http://www.benq.us/product/projector/HT2550

 

About BenQ America Corp.
 The BenQ digital lifestyle brand stands for “Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life,” fusing lifestyle with technology, ease of use with productivity and aesthetic design with purpose-built engineering. It is this mantra that has made BenQ the No. 1-selling projector brand powered by TI DLP® technology in The Americas(1). BenQ offers an extensive line of visual display and presentation solutions that incorporate the latest technologies. The company delivers a broad range of CinematicColor™ projectors, ZOWIE eSports gear and monitors, interactive large-format displays, mobile audio products, cloud consumer products and lifestyle lighting for any application and market — education, home, gaming, enterprise, government, house of worship, digital signage, A/V and IT — with cutting-edge models that lead the industry in performance, reliability, environmental sustainability and aesthetics. Whether it’s interactive projectors or digital whiteboards for conference rooms or classrooms, high brightness projectors for auditoriums or houses of worship, short-throw projectors for schools, 4K UHD projectors for home cinema, interactive flat panel displays for collaboration, or digital signage screens for public spaces, BenQ continues to defy the limits of digital displays. The company’s products are available across North America through leading value-added distributors, resellers and retailers. More information is available at www.BenQ.us. (1) Based upon CY2016 data from the Quarterly Projector Shipment and Forecast Report from PMA Research

About BenQ Corporation
Founded on the corporate vision of “Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life,” BenQ Corporation is a world-leading human technology and solutions provider aiming to elevate and enrich every aspect of consumers’ lives. To realize this vision, the company focuses on the aspects that matter most to people today — lifestyle, business, healthcare and education — with the hope of providing people with the means to live better, increase efficiency, feel healthier and enhance learning. Such means include a delightful, broad portfolio of people-driven products and embedded technologies spanning digital projectors, monitors, interactive large-format displays, audio products, cloud consumer products, mobile communications and lifestyle lighting. Because it matters.