MDL 201: Feasibility Studies and Pre-Development is an online asynchronous course taking place from August 21 to September 3. It is entirely online and self-paced so it fits around a working schedule. Eligible for PIBC CPL units. Click here to learn more about PIBC CPL reporting.
This course tackles the earliest and most consequential stage of middle housing development: determining whether a project should move forward at all. Over six weeks, students will learn how to:
- Research local housing supply, rental pricing, and demographic patterns to determine whether middle housing aligns with community demand
- Assess site suitability using structured checklists and GIS-based digital tools
- Conduct preliminary due diligence, including legal, technical, and servicing checks, to spot red flags and high-risk site conditions before purchase
- Evaluate financing pathways by breaking down land, soft, and hard costs, comparing lending options, and recognizing CMHC and alternative supports
- Interpret zoning codes, neighbourhood plans, and regulatory overlays to determine what can actually be built on a site
- Navigate the land acquisition process, from purchase-and-sale agreements to strategies for securing sites in competitive markets
The program is built to be useful whether you are a small-scale or first-time builder, a designer, a planner or public servant, or a homeowner weighing the potential of your own lot. No prior development experience is needed, and there are no prerequisites required. Courses can be taken individually or combined toward the full professional certificate. Course hours may also count toward professional development or continuing education credit with your association.
What is mddl U?
mddl U is Canada’s first professional education program dedicated exclusively to small-scale and missing middle housing development, made possible through the Alberta Real Estate Foundation’s Investment Grant. The program is intended as a practical, skills-based training program for early to mid-career development professionals, emerging small scale developers, municipal planners, and community builders who want to understand how to move middle housing projects from concept to construction.
