The Housing Canada Coalition congratulates Prime Minister Mark Carney and his team on the results of this federal election at this moment of historic importance for Canada.
Across party lines, Canadians sent a strong message: they want to see the housing crisis fixed. Housing affordability consistently ranked as a top issue in this election and remains a clear national priority.
Canadians are also thinking about how U.S. trade tensions – another important election priority – could affect their housing and make the crisis worse. Recent Abacus polling shows that more than half of Canadians – 53% or 22 million people – fear that they could lose their home or become homeless as a result of the trade war. Nearly two-thirds of Canadians (63%) are worried that tariffs could affect their ability to pay their mortgage or rent in the next year. And 78% are worried that ongoing tariffs will drive up the cost of building homes.
In this challenging context, we have a critical opportunity for a Team Canada approach that brings Canadians and all orders of government together around bold, practical solutions.
It’s time to end the housing game – for good. Our coalition, representing leading organizations across the housing continuum, has developed a roadmap to get there. Our 10-point plan includes detailed immediate and longer-term steps to ensure that every Canadian has a safe, secure, and affordable home.
We were pleased to see that all major parties’ platforms included elements of our plan. Prime Minister Carney’s platform included commitments to build more affordable housing; reduce development barriers; eliminate the GST for first-time home buyers on homes at or under $1 million; retain and expand purpose-built rental housing stock, including reintroducing a MURB provision; and invest in innovative prefabricated and modular housing. We look forward to collaborating on the details to ensure the success of these initiatives and more.
However, there were important gaps in the platform when it comes to homelessness and support for urban, rural, and northern Indigenous housing. Ending the housing game means also addressing these issues for all.
Canadians’ fear of losing their homes as a result of the trade war shows action on homelessness can’t wait. This response must be focused on root causes, not criminalization. As the Prime Minister noted on the campaign trail, the main issue underlying the rise of homelessness – particularly unsheltered homelessness – is lack of homes. Our partners have years of experience in communities across the country and proven strategies for reducing homelessness that we can bring to the table to drive this work forward.
Canadians are done with an unfair housing system where no one can get ahead, and they’re ready for bold action. This is the moment for leadership, courage and Team Canada collaboration. We stand ready to partner with the new government to build a future where everyone has a safe, secure, affordable place to call home.
The Housing Canada Coalition is a partnership between the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH), Habitat for Humanity Canada, the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), and the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA). As organizations across the housing continuum, coalition members have a shared stake in finding solutions so every Canadian has a safe, affordable place to call home.
About the Canadian Real Estate Association
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry associations. CREA works on behalf of more than 160,000 REALTORS® who contribute to the economic and social well-being of communities across Canada. Together they advocate for property owners, buyers, and sellers.
For more information, please contact:
Pierre Leduc, Media Relations
The Canadian Real Estate Association
Tel.: 613-237-7111 or 613-884-1460
E-mail: pleduc@crea.ca
