Housing reform: It’s time to finish the job

By Richard Lyall

Oct. 6, 2026

Ontario is falling short of its housing targets. That should not be the case. The province has the most consequential housing minister in a generation, and recent reforms go further than any in memory.

Several of the biggest problems named in the 2022 Housing Affordability Task Force report have been tackled, at least in part. However, by the government's own count, many task force recommendations still have not been addressed, and others only partly. Partial progress does not build homes.

So, what's the problem?

Announcements are not results. Governments are good at launching new programs and slow to fix old problems. Writing a policy is easy. Putting it into practice is the hard part, and that is where housing reform keeps stalling.

The ratio of new home prices to household incomes is still far above the historical average. That did not happen by accident. For years, government-imposed costs on new housing spiralled out of control, while the red tape slowing approvals kept getting worse. Homebuyers and renters paid for it at every step.

Governments have finally started going after the two biggest cost drivers: sales taxes and development charges (DCs). Both efforts matter. Neither one is finished.

The Enhanced Ontario New Housing Rebate was the right call. But it lasts only one year, its regulations came late, and claims have moved at a glacial pace. A rebate that buyers cannot collect does not make housing more affordable. The temporary nature of the HST rebate also does not help new condo projects get off the ground.

Paying municipalities to lower their DCs is a constructive step, and many municipalities have taken part. But it is a stopgap. Ontario needs a fair, permanent way to pay for growth-related infrastructure, one that stops loading those costs onto new homebuyers and renters. Without it, relief stays temporary and uncertainty keeps holding back investment.

The solutions to the housing crisis are no mystery. They have been known for years, and they are set out in the task force report, in industry submissions, and in study after study. What has been missing is the follow-through.

Part of the problem is how the system is set up. Getting three levels of government and some 45 government agencies to move in the same direction is a huge job. When those players are not aligned, projects stall, costs climb and homes that are badly needed never get built.

We are making progress, and there is broad agreement on what has to change. But the pace is not good enough. Building Canada Strong takes three things: money, a skilled workforce, and a steady, predictable supply of housing. We cannot attract investment, grow our workforce, or keep young families here if we cannot house them.

The answer is not another round of announcements. It is finishing what has already been started. That means turning partial reforms into complete ones, making temporary measures permanent, and making sure the programs already in place deliver as promised.

RESCON wants to help make that happen. We are working with officials to make the Enhanced Ontario New Housing Rebate claims process faster and simpler for buyers. We are working with municipalities to track how DC relief is reaching the market, and we want to help design a fair, lasting way to fund growth.

With our partners, we are helping bring digital, AI-enabled permitting to Ontario so approvals can move faster. And we are working with government, educators and industry to build the skilled workforce these reforms depend on.

Our housing ministers, at both the federal and provincial levels, have shown real leadership. RESCON is proud to work alongside them and will bring our members' practical experience to every table where solutions are being built. Together we can match the pace this moment calls for.

The plan is clear, and the tools exist. Let's work together to get shovels in the ground.