Ottawa, ON – Today, Brad Redekopp, Conservative Member of Parliament for Saskatoon West, introduced his Private Member’s Bill (PMB) C-287, the Housing Cost Transparency Act.

At a time when Canadians are struggling to afford a home, governments should not be adding hidden costs to housing without clear public disclosure. That’s why C-287 seeks to bring transparency and accountability by requiring the National Research Council (NRC) to publish clear cost and impact information when proposing changes to Canada’s national building codes. 

“Canadians deserve to know how government-driven code changes affect the price of a home,” said Redekopp. “Too often, new rules are added without enough transparency about what they will cost, who will pay and how they will affect the ability to get homes built. This bill is about accountability, transparency and making sure affordability is part of the conversation before further costs are imposed on homebuyers. Conservatives are simply saying ‘show your work.’”

If passed, the Housing Cost Transparency Act will:

  • Require the NRC to publish standardized housing cost and impact summaries for relevant housing-related building code proposals during public review;
  • Ensure the NRC’s summaries explain what the proposal does, what kinds of housing are affected, the estimated cost for a typical home, who is expected to bear the cost, what the expected benefits and drawbacks are and key assumptions or uncertainties; and
  • Require transparency around who requested or formally advanced a proposal.

C-287 makes clear that provinces, territories, municipalities and local authorities retain sole authority over code adoption, permitting, inspections, approvals, zoning, land use and enforcement. The purpose of this bill is to ensure that when national building codes are developed, Canadians can see the cost and impact of proposed changes before they move forward.

“This legislation does not stop governments from improving codes,” Redekopp added. “It simply says that Canadians should be told the truth about what that costs. If a proposed change will make homes more expensive, add delays, or increase red tape, that information should be public, accessible and readily available during the review process.”

Redekopp is calling on builders, municipalities, housing stakeholders, affordability advocates and all levels of government to support the Housing Cost Transparency Act and bring common-sense accountability to the building code process.

“Canada needs homes, not more hidden bureaucracy,” Redekopp concluded. “Conservatives will continue fighting to lower costs, remove barriers and restore the promise that hard work should lead to an affordable home.”