]]>
Article content
Article content
Recommended Videos
Article content
Ellery Broder has been in the property development and modular housing business for over 40 years. Speaking with the Winnipeg Sun, Broder didn’t hold back his concerns about the former Bank of Canada governor’s plan to build 500,000 homes annually through a new federal agency called Build Canada Homes (BCH).
“It’s just not feasible,” Broder said. “The numbers don’t work, the timelines don’t work, and the infrastructure isn’t there. I’ve seen these types of government plans before — good on paper, but completely disconnected from what it takes to actually build housing.”
According to Carney’s proposal, BCH would function as a public developer — acquiring land, managing housing projects, and issuing bulk orders for modular homes. The homes would be built at a projected average cost of $70,000 per unit, supported by $26 billion in debt and equity financing and an additional $10 billion in subsidies and loans for affordable housing developers.
The Winnipeg Sun’s Daily Headline News
Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Thanks for signing up!
A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of The Winnipeg Sun’s Daily Headline News will soon be in your inbox.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
Article content
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Broder says that figure is not rooted in the current reality of construction. “Our company has built modular homes for decades. We were one of the first to really scale it. Even back then, we couldn’t build a 400-square-foot unit for $70,000, and that was before the rise in material and labour costs. Today, you’re looking at closer to $130,000 — at least.”
He pointed out that the $70,000 estimate doesn’t include essential infrastructure such as water, sewer, hydro, and roads, nor does it cover site preparation, landscaping, delivery, or placement. “It’s a base number that ignores the actual cost of making a home livable and connected.”
The Sun asked Broder if the idea might work better in rural or northern communities, where modular housing has traditionally been used. He said modular builds can be effective in limited, targeted cases. “They’re a good fit for certain environments, sure. But not at the scale Carney is suggesting. And not in major cities like Vancouver or Toronto, where vertical development makes far more sense.”
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
The cost and availability of land in urban centres, Broder added, is another fatal flaw in the plan. “The footprint of modular homes eats up more land, which drives up costs. That land isn’t cheap, and in many places, it’s just not available. You build up, not out.”
Beyond the cost concerns, Broder says Carney’s proposal doesn’t address critical regulatory hurdles. “Zoning, building codes, plumbing regulations, these don’t change overnight. It takes years. Even if you had the homes ready to go, you wouldn’t be able to place them. And I see no mention of how the plan accounts for this.”
According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data, the country built roughly 245,000 new housing units in 2024. Broder said tripling that output is “pure fantasy,” given the current state of the labour force.
“In Manitoba alone, there was a shortage of trades to meet the demand for just 22,000 new homes last year,” he said. “We don’t have the workers. And even if immigration policy brings in new people, they still need training. That takes time.”
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
The housing plan also assumes that small-format homes, like the proposed 400-square-foot modular units, would be suitable for a wide range of Canadians, including immigrants. Broder says that’s not the case.
“Newcomers often live in multigenerational households. You can’t put six or seven people in 400 square feet. These homes might suit a single person or couple, but they’re not a one-size-fits-all solution.”
Broder says he’s also uneasy about the proposal’s reliance on a new federal agency to act as the lead developer. “Look at the track record. Bureaucracies are not known for speed or efficiency. Trudeau made a similar promise years ago and we still don’t have the results. Why would this time be any different?”
Asked about allegations — reported in the National Post — that Carney has personal financial interests in modular housing and heat pump companies, Broder declined to speculate. “I’m not interested in that side of the story. My concerns are based purely on what I know from working in this industry.”
Advertisement 6
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Broder said he watched Carney in the English-language federal debate and wasn’t reassured. “If anything, I’m more concerned. He speaks in generalities and avoids the hard questions about how to actually deliver what he’s promising. That’s not leadership — that’s marketing.”
In his view, the path forward is clearer than Carney is making it out to be. “We don’t need a new government agency. We need to clear the way for the private sector. Cut the red tape. Streamline the permitting. Incentivize faster approvals. The builders are ready. We just need governments to stop getting in their way.”
Broder emphasized that he supports more affordable housing, but warned that Canadians should be skeptical of big promises without clear, realistic paths to delivery.
“This country needs housing — no question. But people need to be wary of ideas that sound too good to be true. This plan has all the hallmarks of a policy designed to win votes, not build homes,” said Border.
— Follow Kevin Klein follow on Facebook, X and visit his website kevinklein.ca
Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at [email protected].
Article content
Share this article in your social network
