A new apartment building in downtown Calgary is being constructed using modular housing techniques. This innovative approach involves building units in a factory and then assembling them on-site. The six-story building, developed by ATCO Ltd. in partnership with a City of Calgary affordable housing subsidiary, will feature 84 studio apartments available at below-market rents.

Crews are currently stacking large modules, each weighing approximately 40,000 pounds, into place. The project is expected to be completed in about 19 months, significantly faster than traditional construction methods. Jaydan Tait, chief executive of Attainable Homes, emphasized the efficiency of this method, stating, "The speed is incredible... being able to piggyback the same work at the same time is huge. The limitation to disruption is massive."

ATCO has extensive experience in prefabricated construction, having built around 3,000 housing units in the last seven years. The modules for this project were manufactured at one of ATCO's five factories across Canada. Each production line at the facility can produce one or two modules daily, totaling around 500 units annually.

Adam Beattie, president of ATCO Structures, noted the importance of modular housing in addressing the broader housing crisis. "We wanted to really prove that modular is a solution to affordable housing; not the only solution, but certainly something that provides value to a broader housing crisis," he said.

Brian Hahn, chief executive of BILD Calgary Region, described modular housing as "the next frontier" in construction. He pointed out that while most housing is still built using traditional methods, the landscape is changing. During a recent election campaign, Prime Minister Mark Carney proposed a plan to double new home construction to 500,000 units annually over the next decade, highlighting modular homes as a potential solution to accelerate this goal.

However, some experts are skeptical about the feasibility of such ambitious targets. Sasha Tsenkova, a professor at the University of Calgary, remarked, "It’s obviously not going to be attainable," but acknowledged the federal government's efforts to support both non-profit housing and private sector involvement in creating more affordable rentals.

Carney also announced plans to establish a federal entity to oversee affordable housing development, potentially providing over $25 billion in financing to prefabricated homebuilders. Modular homes are becoming an increasingly significant part of the housing market, with Hahn predicting a rise in both fully manufactured units and component manufacturing that can be assembled on-site, likening it to building with Lego.

Despite the potential benefits, Hahn cautioned against excessive government intervention in the private sector, which he believes is already effectively addressing housing needs in Alberta. The province is on track to surpass Ontario in new home construction for the first time in over 40 years, with nearly 60,000 homes expected to be built by the end of 2025.

The new affordable housing project is located at 1007 – 6th Avenue S.W., conveniently close to an LRT stop. Once completed, the studio apartments will rent for approximately $1,100, which includes utilities. This is notably lower than the average rent for a studio apartment in Calgary, which is around $1,433.

Income eligibility for potential tenants is structured so that they spend about 30% of their gross income on rent, targeting individuals with an income of around $44,000. Tait expressed his vision for affordable housing, stating, "My personal dream would be that everyone has access to a place they can afford that’s (a) dignified shelter for them."

ATCO has also been involved in various housing projects across Canada, including initiatives for BC Housing and the City of Toronto. While modular housing is not the sole solution to the housing crisis, Beattie believes it should play a more significant role. "The more projects like this that are successful, it’s not only better for the industry, it’s better for the occupants and (provides) an affordable housing solution to all," he said.