The City of Yellowknife has partnered with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to promote the Housing Design Catalogue – one of several initiatives aimed at improving housing affordability for Yellowknifers. 

The Catalogue provides adaptable design options for homeowners and builders to meet a variety of housing needs, helping to reduce upfront development costs and deliver designs tailored to our northern community.

Designs Available

The City of Yellowknife supports the use of all of the following Northwest Territories-specific designs from the Housing Design Catalogue.

Accessory Dwelling Unit - Municipal Accessory Dwelling Unit - Tanked Fourplex - Municipal Sixplex - Municipal Rowhouse - Municipal

Note: Accessory Dwelling Unit - Tanked will not be permitted in a lot where municipal services are available. All City-supported designs are permitted in all residential zones. Zoning regulations such as setbacks, minimum lot width, maximum lot coverage, building height, parking and other development regulations will apply.

 Designs were developed by northern architecture and engineering professionals and are designed to be:

  • Adaptable for a range of accessibility needs
  • Energy efficient and climate resilient
  • Cost-effective through standardization
  • Reflective of regional climate zones, housing needs, and construction methods, and
  • Compliant with local codes and regulations

Benifits

  • Cost Effective

    Using Housing Design Catalogue plans can save you money and time, as you do not need to create plans from scratch. The plans are available to property owners free of charge. 

  • Timely Review

    The City-supported Catalogue designs generally do not require a development permit, and building permits (part 9) can be processed between 10-20 days as per the service standard. While each project must be reviewed for compliance based on the individual lot conditions, planning and building staff have pre-reviewed the Catalogue designs for zoning by-law and building code compliance.

  • Efficient Inspections

    Building inspectors are familiar with the Catalogue designs. Inspections can be requested to @email and will be scheduled within 5 business days.

Design Refinements

The Catalogue designs are code-compliant and ‘near permit-ready’. As such, minimal modifications are required to prepare permit-ready drawings. A ‘qualified professional’ (for example, a licensed designer with BCIN number or architect) is needed to finalize a ‘Complete Design’, ensuring the design is adapted to your unique site conditions. 

This includes but is not limited to:

  • Designing a foundation/basement suitable for your site grading
  • Preparing a site plan to show how the building, parking, walkways, etc., will be laid out to comply with zoning
  • Preparing site servicing drawings
  • Confirming heat load calculations
  • Selecting accessibility features
  • Selecting energy efficiency features

The designs also allow individuals to make a design their own through material selection and aesthetic design choices. Colours and materials for cladding, roofing, and interior finishes will also need to be selected and incorporated into the design by your ‘qualified professional’. The renderings provided by the CMHC are illustrative examples only.

For more information, please refer to the catalogue.

Process Steps

  1. Understand your lot and the zoning rules to determine what plan will work on your lot.
     
    • Check your survey to confirm lot size and easements
    • Look for infrastructure, such as hydrants, streetlights, street trees, etc., that your project should avoid
    • Confirm the zoning rules that apply to your lot as per Zoning By-law No. 5045. City-endorsed designs are generally permitted in most of the residential lots, subject to meeting regulations, such as minimum lot width, minimum number of parking spaces, maximum driveway or parking lot size, minimum building setbacks, maximum building height, maximum lot coverage, any landscape, and development regulations.
  2. Review the Housing Design Catalogue and User Guide, pick your plan, and download the technical design package.
  3. Retain a ‘qualified professional’ to help you complete your Derived Design based on the Catalogue plans and help you prepare a site plan, foundation plan and servicing plan.
  4. Request for a zoning compliance check if required.
  5. Visit Building Permits to learn more about permit requirements.

Contact Us

City staff are here to help! Contact us by phone, by email or in person at City Hall.

  • Phone: (867) 669-3417
  • Email: @email

  • In Person: 

            City Hall, 4807 52nd St. 
            Yellowknife, NT,
            X1A 1T3

            Drop-in times: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.