Unlocking the Door to Homeownership
Discussing Housing Affordability in Canada
DCs are upfront fees charged by municipalities and that are initially paid for by developers for each new unit they build, but ultimately get paid for by the buyers of new homes. They are supposed to be charged to cover the proportionate infrastructure costs such as new roads and water and sewer connections, but have grown to cover much more than their fair share.
Last updated: April 1, 2025 The Liberal Party's Housing Plan, as found here (March 31, 2025). The Liberal Party’s “Building Canada Strong” housing plan (the Plan), announced on the election campaign trail, vows to double the pace of construction by getting the government back in the business of home building, cutting red tape to make…
Government taxes and fees are a major contributor to high house prices, making up as much as 31 percent of the sale price of a home in some regions. And while most of these taxes come at the municipal level, GST (and in some provinces, HST) is also charged. One of the ways the Federal…
Rents are skyrocketing. House prices are too high. Many Canadians aren’t sure if they’ll ever be able to afford their first home. Others will have to leave their city in search of more affordable solutions. Housing connects us all. And not enough housing affects us all. It impacts affordability and rental prices, and hurts the…
When looking at the results, Canadians may assume that not much changed between the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. But when it comes to housing issues, a lot did change. Housing was top of mind for voters and political parties with unprecedented urgency, and was covered extensively in the media. One of the biggest…
While much has happened in the last two years, the issues affecting housing affordability in Canada remain largely the same, with the pandemic intensifying the effects and awareness of those issues. The 2021 federal election is an opportunity for parties to communicate their understanding of the root causes of market-rate housing affordability problems, and for…
The discussion around housing affordability in Canada, particularly in the media and among some federal officials, focuses heavily on the impact of an interest rate increase and high household debt levels on Canada’s financial stability. In response, federal officials have applied demand-side measures that limit access to homeownership. Only recently has the discussion about housing…
Throughout the recent federal election campaign, the Canada Home Builders’ Association worked diligently to put, and keep, housing affordability front and centre. All parties addressed housing affordability in some way, often adopting CHBA recommendations in full or in part. The importance of making life more affordable for Canadians was also addressed in the December 5,…
Over the last five weeks, housing affordability has been top of mind for Canadians, and for politicians. All four major parties have included measures to address housing affordability in their platforms. A national debate on housing took place on October 6, 2019, and there has been a steady stream of media articles talking about the…
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) has been monitoring all political parties as they announce platform measures to improve housing affordability. Today’s announcement from the Conservative Party of Canada – that it would introduce new measures to make it easier for first-time homebuyers to purchase a home – incorporates key measures that CHBA has been…