The craze for houses made from shipping containers is taking shape in Quebec with the creation of a first district reserved for this type of dwelling.
The project, put forward by the company Highcube, will see the light of day by the fall in Ham-Sud, in the Eastern Townships, with eight first locations initially planned.
“The response is very, very good,” exclaims Patrick Sauvé, who founded Highcube with his partner Alain Gauthier. He told us in an interview that several people were interested in reserving one of the first lots on the site, called Écoquartier Orion, which it will be possible to visit this Saturday.
This eco-neighbourhood, at the heart of vacationing, intends to promote access to property, by offering container homes, 54,000 square feet of land, septic systems, an artesian well and more starting at $209,950.
Other phases could be developed later, for a total of 65 locations.
New to Canada
If container homes are common in Europe, they remain unknown in Canada. For five years, Highcube has given itself the mission of educating the population and the authorities on these alternative dwellings.
The company conducted engineering studies to optimize the transformation of shipping containers into prefabricated houses and ensure the durability of the container, considering the extreme temperature differences in Quebec. “Metal is not worked in the same way as wood. The idea was to learn how to properly protect the metal,” explains Mr. Sauvé.
According to him, spraying a layer of urethane on the metal makes it deteriorate much less quickly than wood. Additionally, a specialized anti-rust paint is applied to the inside and outside of the container. Exterior building envelope materials add protection.
“We did some tests. There really is no additional moisture that will form. In addition, all our buildings come with an air exchanger,” he specifies.
Highcube recently moved to Kingsey Falls, Centre-du-Québec, to premises in the industrial park. Five companies that work with metal are located nearby. “We found an extraordinary energy. There is a whole network,” says the businessman.
Fascinating concept
Container houses attract both young people and retirees tired of cleaning their “gigantic house”.
“It fascinates people a lot, but there are criticisms. It goes in all directions”, nuance Mr. Sauvé. Some people would find these homes too expensive, but he said container prices have tripled since the pandemic.
He fell in love with the concept, which reminds him of his youthful passion for “lego games”. “I found the design extraordinary. The possibilities of assembly, of layering really great”, shares this amateur of challenges.
Five models of container houses or chalets are offered to future residents of Orion. Highcube intends to develop a second eco-district of the same kind in Saint-Zénon, in Lanaudière. “Our medium and long-term objective is to have eco-districts in all regions of Quebec and elsewhere,” concludes the businessman.