Purpose-built rentals are lifting total housing starts, but ownership-focused construction needs separate attention for clearer policy decisions, an industry leader warned recently.
Public opinion research found Canadians still strongly aspire to own homes and expect governments to respond, even as ownership starts keep falling.
Bundling rentals with ownership starts can make conditions look manageable, while the segment most Canadians value may receive too little focus from policymakers.
Builder capacity is another watchpoint: association survey data shows ~47% of member respondents already reported layoffs, with ~65% in Ontario doing so.
Suggested actions include infrastructure cost offsets, mortgage stress test changes, and timely government measures to preserve future building capacity when demand returns.
