Hefty tax burden on housing highlighted by RESCON

By Grant Cameron

Sept. 14, 2026

A big shout out to Premier Doug Ford. He gets my vote for quote of the month.

“He can kiss my ass, as far as I'm concerned," the premier said in a live interview on NewsTalk 1010.

Ford was responding to a social media threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose more tariffs on Canada.

Good for him. Ford’s blunt and very succinct statement summed up the feelings of most Canadians, according to recent polls.

It got the attention of Trump, who later responded with more insults, threats and alternative facts.

Judging from the barrage, it seems this trade war and the tit-for-tat exchange between politicians in the two countries is far from over.

Stay tuned.

On the more serious business of housing, RESCON continued to talk about the issues and matters affecting the housing supply and affordability crisis in Ontario.

Tax burden

In an article on the REMI Network, we noted that the U.S.-imposed 50-per-cent Section 338 tariff on $20–28 billion (USD) of Canadian goods - layered on top of Canada’s 25-per-cent counter‑tariff on U.S. steel and aluminum in effect since March 2025 - will have significant consequences.

In a column in Storeys, we stated that the tax burden on housing remains extraordinarily high. With taxes and government-imposed charges accounting for roughly 36 per cent of the purchase price of a new home in Ontario, we highlighted the importance of getting them reduced.

In Daily Commercial News, we noted in a column that the temporary HST rebate and development charge reductions need to be made permanent tax if policymakers are serious about making homes more affordable.

In Real Estate Magazine, a column pointed out that many Toronto residents would consider moving to another Canadian city if it meant they could buy a home. We explained that if governments are serious about affordability, they must make tax relief permanent rather than temporary.

Apprenticeship

In a column On-Site Magazine, we followed up on a report done recently for RESCON and explained that Canada must redesign apprenticeship training using behavioural science to boost completions and meet growing skilled labour demand.

In Policy Options, authors of the report noted in an article that the skilled-worker shortage in construction and other key sectors will continue to escalate until training policies are designed around human behaviour.

Buyer bans

In a column in The Toronto Sun, we presented our argument on why restrictions on foreign homebuyers no longer makes sense. The ban is set to expire automatically on Jan. 1, 2027.

In a column on MSN, we pointed out that, by any measure, Canada’s housing market in 2026 looks very different from the one that existed when the federal government imposed a ban on foreign homebuyers in 2023, so the ban should be lifted.

Housing coalition

In a column in Canadian Contractor Magazine, we gave a rundown on the importance of RESCON joining an AI for Housing Coalition. The purpose is to create a more predictable, transparent and efficient path through the approvals system.

WSIB

In an article in Canadian Occupational Safety, RESCON VP Andrew Pariser, chair of the Construction Employers Coalition, said the WSIB should pause closure of the Second Injury and Enhancement Fund and hold a full consultation.

Tariffs

In Canadian Forest Industries Magazine, we wrote a column that noted that U.S. tariffs on Canadian lumber and forest products are a serious threat to the residential construction, forestry and wood products industries in Canada as well as the homebuilding industry in the U.S.