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In the lead-up to the 2025 federal budget, industry groups warn that while housing demand remains strong, the government’s measures do not clearly support a meaningful uptick in construction. Without more aggressive supply-side policies, the shortage of homes is likely to intensify, which in turn threatens affordability, housing starts and the viability of the development sector.
Critics note that the budget makes some concessions—such as expanding the GST/HST rebate threshold for first-time buyers and signalling infrastructure investment—but stops short of providing structural changes. For example, the promised reduction of municipal development charges and the long-advertised Multi-Unit Residential Building (MURB) tax incentive program are either weakened or missing. The building and land-development lobby warns this could cost the economy up to 100,000 jobs and lead to fewer homes being built just when more are needed.
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