Unlocking the Door to Homeownership
Discussing Housing Affordability in Canada
Canada’s housing affordability challenges cannot be solved by focusing on just one part of the system. Canada’s last National Housing Strategy focused almost exclusively on non-market social and subsidized housing—as the time comes to update the strategy, it is critical that the full continuum be addressed, with permanent policy measures to do so.
The federal government should support homeownership affordability in the 2026 Spring Economic Update by building on recent announcements to cut taxes on new housing.
The data from Canada’s latest Housing Market Index (HMI), published quarterly by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA), fell yet again this quarter to new record lows for housing purchase/start prospects of all housing forms for ownership. CHBA’s single-family HMI reached a low of 23.3 out of 100, while the multi-family HMI was 16.8. The…
The NDP has proposed the Canadian Homes Transfer, an $8 million fund over four years to encourage cities to build more homes, faster. The NDP says this will help build more than 3 million homes by 2030. The party is also proposing another $8 million for the Communities First Fund which will support provinces in…
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…