B.C. launches digital tool to accelerate standardized housing

Key Takeaways:

• B.C. has launched DASH, a first-in-Canada digital platform that streamlines design, zoning review and prefabricated construction into one tool, allowing developers to generate compliant 3D building plans within minutes.
• The platform aims to speed up housing delivery and reduce costs for three- to six-storey residential buildings, supporting the province’s broader housing goals as rents in B.C. continue to decline more sharply than anywhere else in Canada.
• Developed with architects, engineers, and prefab manufacturers, DASH is open source, federally funded, and part of B.C.’s strategy to scale construction innovation, with potential for national adoption.

The Whole Story:

B.C. is rolling out a new online platform called DASH, Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing, designed to help developers and non-profit organizations build three- to six-storey residential buildings more quickly and at lower cost using prefabricated components and standardized designs.

The first-in-Canada platform integrates design, zoning review and construction processes into a single digital tool, replacing traditional methods with modern, industrialized approaches. Developers can input land parcel details and building specifications, and the platform generates a 3D design and construction plan within minutes, optimized for local zoning regulations and available B.C.-manufactured materials.

“Innovative programs are supercharging our work to deliver the homes that people need and help to drive down asking rents,” said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, in a news release. “For families, seniors and workers throughout our province, this means they will be turning a key and walking through the doorway of their new home sooner.”

The initiative comes as asking rents in B.C. have declined more steeply than anywhere else in Canada. According to Rentals.ca‘s Nov. 6, 2025, report, B.C. rents dropped 9.6 per cent over the past two years and 5.8 per cent in the past year. Vancouver asking rents reached a 43-month low in October 2025, down 11.4 per cent over three years, while Surrey one-bedroom rents fell 12 per cent year-over-year.

BC Housing developed DASH in collaboration with Metro Vancouver, more than a dozen B.C.-based architects and engineers, and 13 prefabricated home manufacturers. The platform is open source with no user-access fees. Planning and zoning regulations have been uploaded for partnering Metro Vancouver municipalities.

“Through DASH, BC Housing and the Province are stepping forward as a leader in housing innovation Canada-wide,” said Vincent Tong, CEO of BC Housing. “By weaving together design, zoning reviews and prefabricated construction processes, this new platform modernizes an industry through standardization, supporting the ability to scale up to deliver homes for British Columbians faster than ever.”

DASH received $4 million in funding from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Supply Challenge. BC Housing is exploring additional federal funding to support continued development and potential national uptake.

The platform supports the province’s Homes for People Plan, through which more than 93,600 homes have been delivered or are underway since 2017. The initiative also aligns with B.C.’s Look West industrial and economic strategy, which emphasizes construction innovation as a key sector for economic security.