Ottawa, ON – Scott Aitchison, Conservative Shadow Minister for Housing, released the following statement on the Prime Minister’s announcement on the Liberals’ latest housing reannouncement:
“The Prime Minister’s latest press conference is just another repackaging of projects already announced or already under construction, and will do nothing to build the millions of homes needed to restore the promise of homeownership for future generations.
“For most of this country’s history, the deal was simple: work hard, save, and you could afford a home. Now, after 11 years of Liberal government, that deal is broken as home prices in Canada have grown 28 per cent faster than incomes since 2015, the worst in the G7, according to the OECD.
“The worst housing affordability in the G7 didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen because Canadians stopped working. It happened because the Liberals spent billions on promises, announcements and photo-ops while delivering fewer homes for Canadians to buy.
“Despite the Prime Minister promising to double housing starts, last month, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reported that housing starts will fall as much as 21 per cent by 2028. Meanwhile, Canada is building less than half of the 430,000 to 480,000 starts we need every year to return affordability to where it was pre-pandemic.
“Of the homes that are being built, they are disproportionately smaller rental apartments and condos, not the single-family homes young Canadians aspire to own. Construction of homes intended for homeowners fell to a 30-year low in 2025, while rental construction has reached a record high.
“BMO Capital Markets put it simply: Canada is becoming a ‘nation of rentals,’ with the building of ownership-oriented homes falling to levels the bank said are usually seen in recessions. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates that Build Canada Homes will add just 26,000 units to the national supply over five years: a rounding error dressed up as a plan.
“Conservatives will replace photo ops with action by cutting the GST on all new homes under $1.3 million, working with municipalities to reduce development charges and rewarding those who approve more housing. We want to get government out of the way so builders can build, buyers can buy, and every family can have a place they can truly call their own.”