Become a Missing Middle Housing Entrepreneur: Small-Scale. Big Impact.

Cohort 1 Launches May 1, 2026

mddl U is the first program of its kind in Canada: an online professional education program designed to equip professionals, homeowners, and aspiring developers with the tools to unlock the power of missing middle housing. This program was developed in partnership with the University of Calgary School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape and is available to anyone in Canada.

About

There is no program like this in North America

mddl U is the first-of-its-kind training program for small-scale, citizen-led housing development designed for a new generation of real estate changemakers. Built in partnership with leading developers and housing experts, and delivered in partnership with University of Calgary's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, this course isn’t about theory. It’s about action. It’s about learning the step-by-step skills to actually build middle housing whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a policy innovator, or a future city builder.

Who Should Enroll?

This course is designed for people who are passionate about housing, real estate, and creating lasting impact. No prior development experience is required. This is about learning the tools, understanding the constraints, and seeing how to contribute—whether as a future builder, advocate, or innovator.

Curriculum

Key topics include:

Feasibility 101

How to make the numbers work — and when to walk away.

Inside the Lot

Designing for slope, width, depth, and access.

Permits & Plans

Understanding approvals and streamlining pre-construction.

Construction Management for Small Sites

Scheduling trades, tracking progress, avoiding cost overruns, and handing off a successful build.

Code Compliance

Accessibility, fire, and inspection best practices.

Delivering Affordability

What middle housing can offer working- and middle-income households.

Canada is projected to be short 3,500,000 homes by 2030.

Duplexes, fourplexes, walk-ups, rowhomes, and laneway units are finally legal in many places thanks to zoning reform but they aren’t being built.

Why? Because we don’t have enough people who know how to make them happen. We’ve changed the policy. Now we need the builders. That’s where you come in.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the course structured?

mddl U is an online, self-paced course. It is open for registration across Canada, and students currently enrolled in a post-secondary program anywhere in the country are eligible for a small discount.

The course is a 100-hour professional education program with six courses. Participants have 6 weeks to complete each course.

Course 1 (pre-requisite for all following courses) serves as the foundational prerequisite and introduces the middle housing ecosystem, policy context, and development process.
Courses 2–6 explore specialized topics such as feasibility, financing, approvals, and project delivery. You can see the full course outline on our website.

Courses can be taken individually or completed together to earn the full certificate. Participants have up to four years to complete the full certificate.

When does the program start?

The inaugural cohort of mddl U begins May 1, 2026. Courses are self-paced and participants have up to six-weeks to complete each course. Participants can register at any time before the course start date.

How much does the program cost?

Course 1 (Prerequisite): $699

‍Individual Courses (2–6): $850 each

‍Full Certificate Program: $4,250

Is there a bursary for the program?

Presently we do not offer a specific program bursary, however participants are encouraged to leverage professional development dollars.

The University of Calgary and Government presently also offers a number of bursary programs for continuing education students:

Continuing Education Equity DEI Entrance Award (https://conted.ucalgary.ca/funding/edi.jsp)
Esmail and Safana Bharwani Award (https://conted.ucalgary.ca/funding/bharwani.jsp)
Canada Alberta Productivity Grant (https://conted.ucalgary.ca/funding/cap-grant.jsp)‍
Canada Training Credit (https://conted.ucalgary.ca/funding/trainingcredit.jsp)

How is the course graded? Are there office hours?

Each course is assessed through a singular multiple choice exam presented at the end of the course instruction. Participants have up to two chances to pass the exam, a 75% or higher is required to be considered a pass.

Throughout each course, participants have the opportunity to participate in live-program wide office hours on a bi-weekly basis.