Shipping containers gaining popularity as construction option

Once perceived as a childhood plaything, building blocks have gone big time.

Modular homes built out of shipping containers have blossomed into full-fledged housing options, with several Western Canadian-based companies making inroads into local markets and beyond.

"There's definitely a lot of interest in it now. I think people are starting to look at alternate techniques," said Charles Lemieux, co-founder of Alberta-based Blocks Modular Corp., which markets containers for residential, commercial and industrial purposes.

"I think the legwork is actually starting to do something. The city is understanding that we can meet architectural guidelines. It's just getting a product that is competitive – not cheap like what you see on TV where they cut a whole [in the container] and call it a home."