Despite years of policy talk and partial reforms, affordability continues to erode — and confidence in the market is fading fast.
As both provincial and federal governments prepare their fall budgets, one message from Ontario’s housing and investment community has never been clearer: we need bold, coordinated action — now.
🏡 The Stakes: Housing Is the Backbone of Ontario’s Economy
Housing isn’t just about shelter — it’s the foundation of Canada’s economy. It supports more than 1.2 million jobs and contributes over $143 billion annually to GDP. But rising construction costs, regulatory gridlock, and economic uncertainty are slowing new housing starts and threatening tens of thousands of skilled trade jobs.
A slowdown in housing construction doesn’t just affect homebuyers — it ripples across the economy, impacting everything from manufacturing and retail to financial services and local small businesses. When homes stop being built, opportunity stops multiplying.
⚙️ Progress So Far — But Not Fast Enough
Ontario’s housing sector acknowledges the progress made through initiatives like:
- The Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act (2025), which aims to cut red tape and speed up approvals.
- Federal tools such as the Housing Accelerator Fund, Apartment Construction Loan Program, and Build Canada Homes initiative.
- Local reforms to end exclusionary zoning and support as-of-right multi-unit construction.
These are meaningful steps — but the scale of the crisis has outgrown incremental policy. Affordability will not return unless governments move faster, cut deeper, and work smarter — together.
⚠️ The Headwinds We Can’t Ignore
Global trade tensions, supply chain disruptions, and high financing costs continue to weigh on Canada’s housing sector. Developers are pausing mid-project, rental construction is stalling, and everyday Ontarians are losing faith in the dream of homeownership.
Without urgent intervention, Ontario risks a deeper affordability divide — one that will take a generation to rebuild from.
🚀 The Path Forward: Policy Priorities for 2025 and Beyond
To restore affordability, rebuild investor confidence, and get shovels back in the ground, Ontario’s housing and finance leaders — including Lendworth — are calling for decisive action on the following fronts:
1️⃣ Make Housing an Economic Priority
Recognize housing as core economic policy. Protect the jobs, tax revenues, and productivity it generates — especially across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), where housing affordability directly impacts business competitiveness and workforce retention.
2️⃣ Modernize Outdated Tax Rules
Update federal and provincial tax frameworks to reflect today’s market realities. Extend the GST/HST exemption for new homes up to $1.5 million, especially in major urban centres where construction costs and land values have soared.
3️⃣ Cut Fees and Costs for Homebuyers
Municipalities must align development charges and permit fees with actual housing goals — not as cash cows that inflate home prices. A transparent, performance-based fee structure can lower costs, boost supply, and get homes built faster.
4️⃣ Embrace Construction Innovation
Support modern building methods such as modular housing, panelized systems, and robotics, alongside traditional trades. These technologies can dramatically shorten timelines and reduce costs — but they need a clear innovation policy and incentives to scale across Canada.
5️⃣ Free Up Land & End Outdated Zoning
Remove exclusionary zoning policies that limit gentle density. Enable missing-middle housing — duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and small multi-units — to be built “as-of-right” across more communities.
6️⃣ Unlock Private Capital for Public Good
Private and institutional investors are ready to deploy capital. Governments can accelerate both market and non-market housing by reintroducing tax incentives like the Multiple Unit Residential Building (MURB) program and expanding access to mortgage investment vehicles and housing bonds.
🏗️ A United Front for Real Solutions
Ontario’s housing industry — from builders, mortgage lenders, and REALTORS® to trade associations, non-profits, and rental providers — stands ready to collaborate. But partnership must be matched by political courage and policy precision.
Together, we can:
✅ Reignite momentum in housing construction
✅ Restore investor and buyer confidence
✅ Protect jobs and economic growth
✅ Deliver homes families can actually afford
It’s time to turn ambition into action — because Ontario’s housing future depends on what we build next.
Lendworth Canada
Your Equity Deserves More™
📍 Vaughan, Ontario
💡 Lendworth connects capital to opportunity — empowering Canadian homeowners, investors, and communities through smart real estate and mortgage solutions.