MLI Select Visitability Requirements: What “100% of Units” Means

The MLI Select visitability requirements for all units are the baseline under every CMHC accessibility level. Earning accessibility points does not mean making every unit fully accessible. It does mean every unit must meet a basic level of access for visitors. This guide explains the wording CMHC uses, how visitability differs from accessible and universal design, and how to audit a plan set unit by unit.

For the full process, see our MLI Select accessibility requirements checklist.

Last updated: October 14, 2026. This article reflects CMHC’s MLI Select page, dated September 21, 2026.

What “visitable” means

CMHC adopts the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) definition from standard B651:23. In plain terms, a visitable unit offers a basic level of access for visitors, such as people who use wheeled mobility aids, older adults, or residents with a temporary disability.

The definition breaks down into three abilities:

1. Enter the unit safely.
2. Move around the visitable level independently.
3. Use the toilet facilities.

The specific design requirements are in CSA B651:23 itself, so your architect or accessibility consultant should work from the standard. This post describes the definition, not the technical measurements.

Where the idea of visitability comes from

CMHC’s 2016 publication Accessible Housing by Design: Visitability describes visitability as an approach that builds a basic level of accessibility into all housing, so that anyone can get into and out of a home and use a bathroom on the entrance level. CMHC calls it one of the simplest and most economical ways to apply universal design.

That publication lists typical visitable features as topics: a no-step entry, wider main-floor doorways and hallways, a main-floor bathroom with room to turn a wheelchair, lever-style door handles, and site grading that supports level entries. These come from CMHC’s general guidance on housing, not from MLI Select’s criteria. For MLI Select, the standard that counts is CSA B651:23, so use the publication for context and the standard for the actual criteria.

Alberta’s Barrier-Free Design Guide (fifth edition, 2017) also discusses visitability as the concept of basic accessible features on the main floor of a home.

Visitable is the floor, not the points

CMHC treats visitability and accessibility points as two different things:

So a building can have 100% visitable units and still only a small group counted as accessible. See our guides on accessible apartment design and universal design for those layers.

Why “all units” is the part that catches people

CMHC’s wording covers both accessible and non-accessible units. That means no unit type is exempt. If your plan set has six unit types, all six must be reviewed.

Hypothetical example: a 30-unit building must show 30 of 30 units as visitable, even if only a few are designated accessible. If you also pursue Level 1 through accessible units, 15% of 30 is 4.5, so plan for at least 5 accessible units and confirm rounding with CMHC.

A unit-by-unit audit template

Use the three parts of the definition as a review tool. Fill in one row per unit type with your architect. The two example rows are illustrations only.

Then review the connections between units and the outside world:

• Entry: is there a safe route into every unit from parking, the street, and the building’s main entrance?
• Movement: can a person who uses a wheeled mobility aid move independently through the visitable level of each unit?
• Toilet: is a toilet reachable and usable on that same level?
• Common areas: are the routes, lobbies, and shared spaces between those points barrier-free under CSA B651:23?

Who confirms it, and what you submit

CMHC accepts a signed attestation from an architect or a designated accessibility consultant, submitted at application. CMHC’s documentation guide lists these items:

• Confirmation that the building complies with CSA B651:23 for 100% visitability of all units and for barrier-free common areas.
• A summary of key accessibility features.
• A sample accessible or universal design unit.

The signatory also acknowledges that CMHC may review or audit the analysis. If the criteria are achieved after insurance begins, the borrower signs an attestation within 60 days of the final advance, or as CMHC prescribes.

Open questions to settle early

CMHC’s pages state the rule but not every edge case. Raise these with CMHC or your approved lender before design is final:

• How does the visitability requirement apply to upper-floor units in a building without an elevator?
• How is visitability treated in a renovation of an existing building?
• Does visitability apply if you are not claiming accessibility points? CMHC states it for every accessibility level. Some lender summaries say it applies to all MLI Select projects, but this is not on CMHC’s own page.
• For units with more than one level, how is the visitable level identified?

Visitability for Alberta projects

CMHC’s criteria are national. In Alberta, the National Building Code – 2023 Alberta Edition has been in force since May 1, 2024, according to the Government of Alberta. Your project is also reviewed by the local building authority. The CSA standard that CMHC cites says it does not decide where or how its requirements apply, so the code review and the CMHC attestation are two separate checks.

Ask your architect to review both alongside CSA B651:23. Our MLI Select hub, our Alberta Building Code overview, and the list of MLI Select projects in Calgary show how projects position themselves.

Frequently asked questions

What does visitable mean under MLI Select?

Under the CSA definition CMHC cites, a visitable unit lets a person enter safely, move around the visitable level independently, and use the toilet facilities. It targets visitors such as wheeled mobility aid users, older adults, and people with temporary disabilities.

Do all units need to be visitable?

Yes. CMHC states that all units, both accessible and non-accessible, must be 100% visitable under CSA B651:23 and that common areas must be barrier-free.

Is a visitable unit the same as an accessible unit?

No. CMHC counts accessible units under CSA B651:23 separately, and they are one way to earn the 20 or 30 accessibility points. Visitability is the baseline for every level.

Is visitability the same as universal design?

No. CMHC’s 2016 publication treats visitability as a narrower baseline within the broader idea of universal design.

Who confirms that my building is visitable?

An architect or a designated accessibility consultant signs the attestation at application. CMHC may review or audit the analysis.

Does visitability apply to existing buildings?

CMHC’s existing-property table includes the same visitability and barrier-free requirement. How it applies to a specific retrofit is a question for your consultant and CMHC.

Where can I read the visitability requirement?

It appears in the accessibility criteria on CMHC’s MLI Select page and in the CMHC accessibility attestation form, both linked below.

Sources

• CMHC: MLI Select (page dated September 21, 2026)
• CMHC: MLI Select Accessibility Criteria Attestation (PDF)
• CMHC: MLI Select Required Documentation Guide (PDF)
• CMHC: Accessible Housing by Design: Visitability (2016, PDF)
• Safety Codes Council: Barrier-Free Design Guide (PDF)
• Government of Alberta: Codes in force

This article is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or architectural advice. MLI Select terms are set by CMHC and may change. Confirm current requirements with CMHC, an approved lender, and a qualified professional before making decisions.

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