Between 1947 and 1974, the federal body Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation supervised a national scheme which published over twenty catalogues of small house plans designed solely by Canadian architects for the general use of the Canadian public. Prospective homebuyers and builders across the country had free access to these designs which followed precise building standards. The method allowed for a quick urbanization of a then mostly rural Canada, and acted as an educational means for both the general public and professionals. Most of the houses resulting from these catalogue plans were owner-built and they received modifications to the design immediately before and after being built, sometimes to the point of no resemblance to the initial blueprints. Together, they form an epitome of an interesting postwar vernacular which has heritage value in its efficient, caring and sustainable approach.