CMHC Research and Report
In 2009, the CMHC released their report: Livable Lanes: A Study of Laneway Infill Housing in Vancouver and Other Growing B.C. Communities
The report includes a literature review, a report on a laneway housing workshop and forum, and specific recommendations, with many examples from Vancouver.
They define laneway housing as follows: The term “laneway housing†or “carriage housing†refers to a detached form of infill housing that is ancillary to a principal dwelling and typically located in a rear yard and oriented towards the lane.
The research document states: This research presents single-lot, laneway, infill housing as a key part of an overall residential intensification strategy that Canadian municipalities can use to help meet critical housing needs while meeting a range of other key sustainability objectives. Laneway infill housing can occur incrementally without requiring redevelopment or parcel assembly, which can be onerous in time and expense.
Many of the issues they identified are still at play, but with the new expansion of Laneway Housing in Vancouver, we find that the situation is much more open than it was when this report was first introduced. The adoption by the City of Vancouver of Eco-Density strategy has meant that many owners are now looking to laneway housing as a viable and useful initiative.
To see the full study, link HERE to CMHC.
