On 2016-04-04 3:57 PM, graham wrote:

>> This was the 1960s in the Detroit suburbs.
>>
>> Cindy Hamilton
>>
> Developed basements, usually with a rec room, laundry, smal bathroom and
> a spare bedroom, are normal here in western Canada. New houses come with
> heated basements with insulation down to about 4' below grade. My son is
> just finishing his with a workshop for his electronics business and a
> spare bedroom.
> The basement in my 50+ year old house is still undeveloped, which is
> unusual in this neighbourhood.

That has been standard in southern Ontario since at least the 1950s.
New houses typically came with an unfinished basement but most people
end up finishing them with rec rooms, bedrooms, laundry rooms etc.