Rental Housing Blueprint

Overview

The Rental Housing Blueprint and Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing (DASH) initiatives aim to deliver rental housing faster through streamlined approvals, standardized building designs, and off-site construction. These initiatives are a partnership between Metro Vancouver, BC Housing, and member jurisdictions.​

Regulatory recommendations​​

Simplified zoning and regulations can speed up approvals, reduce costs, and support faster housing delivery.

In 2024, Metro Vancouver, in partnership with 11 member jurisdictions, developed recommendations for simplified zoning and regulations to streamline approvals for new rental housing.

In 2026, Metro Vancouver examined three case studies of DASH demonstration projects to identify ways to streamline regulations. The Getting to DASH report presents practical ways local governments in BC can speed up housing delivery with off-site construction.

This work was funded through the Metro Vancouver Sustainability Innovation Fund.​

Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing (DASH)

Using prefabricated components and moving to off-site construction has the potential to cut the cost of construction and speed up rental housing delivery by 20 to 50 per cent.

Metro Vancouver is a founding partner of the DASH initiative, which is led by BC Housing. DASH offers open-source digital building tools and permit-friendly designs for buildings up to six storeys. These tools and designs help architects, designers, and housing providers build new multi-family homes faster and easier. This work was funded through the CMHC Housing Supply Challenge Round 5 – Level Up.

 Visit acceleratedhousing.ca to learn more.​​​

Implementation

Metro Vancouver Housing has identified two affordable housing projects where the Rental Housing Blueprint and DASH will be implemented and tested. Updates on these projects will be shared as they become available.

Working together​​

To change the way that housing is delivered we need to work with many different stakeholders. This initiative brings together housing providers and funders, local and regional governments, researchers, and other technical and industry partners to change across the continuum from regulation to design to construction. ​