Issue
Housing
Housing affordability and supply at the federal level, where the levers are mostly indirect (the federal government does not build housing; the provinces and municipalities do). Active federal interventions: Bill C-56 of 2023 removed GST on new purpose-built rental construction (CMHC measured a real lift in 2024 starts), the Housing Accelerator Fund disbursed across municipalities, Bill C-20 (Build Canada Homes Act of 45-1) creates a new federal Crown corporation to develop housing on public land, the National Housing Strategy Act and its statutory right to housing, and the Tax-Free First Home Savings Account introduced by Bill C-32 of 2022. Bill C-356 (Pierre Poilievre's PMB) would tie federal infrastructure transfers to municipal housing-start targets. Provincial action: Quebec's PL 31, Ontario's Bill 23/134/250 series, BC's Bill 28 multiplex zoning override, PEI's Bill 32 rent-control framework.
Where parties stand
Compare side-by-side- BC New Democratic PartyBC NDP
The BC NDP under Premier David Eby passed the Housing Statutes (Transit-Oriented Areas) Amendment Act (S.B.C. 2023, c. 30, royal assent November 30, 2023) requiring municipalities to permit multi-unit housing within 800 metres of frequent-transit stops, opened the new BC Builds Housing Society to construct middle-income housing on Crown land, set the BC Housing target at 320,000 new homes over 10 years, passed the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act limiting short-term rentals to principal residences (effective May 1, 2024), and signed the federal Housing Accelerator Fund bilateral agreement worth $1.4 billion for BC.
Source - Bloc QuébécoisBLOC
The Bloc Québécois supports federal funding for housing flowing as unconditional transfer to Quebec rather than through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation direct-delivery programs in Quebec, demands full Quebec administrative control over the Housing Accelerator Fund disbursements to Quebec municipalities, and pushes for federal recognition of Quebec's distinct social-housing framework under the Tribunal administratif du logement and the recently created Programme d'habitation abordable Quebec (replacing AccesLogis). Maintains that the federal National Housing Strategy 2017 has flowed disproportionately to non-Quebec jurisdictions per the Bloc's Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer analysis.
Source - Conservative Party of CanadaCONSERVATIVE
The federal Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre frames the housing affordability crisis as caused by federal red tape, the carbon-pricing framework adding to construction costs, immigration intake outstripping supply, and Liberal-NDP government spending. Calls for the Building Homes Not Bureaucracy Act linking federal infrastructure funding to municipal building-permit-approval targets (proposed minimum 15-percent annual increases), elimination of the federal GST on new homes under $1 million, axing the consumer fuel charge of federal carbon-pricing (Carney did this in 2025), and the For You First-Time Home Buyer mortgage-deduction expansion. Opposes the Liberal Housing Accelerator Fund as overly bureaucratic.
Source The federal Green Party calls for a federal Acquisition Fund to enable non-profits to buy existing apartment buildings before they convert to condos, federal rent control on REITs and large institutional landlords holding more than 1 percent of any province's rental market, full restoration of the National Housing Strategy social-housing budget cut in the 2024 federal budget, repeal of REIT tax preferences under the Income Tax Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. 1), and a federal Right to Housing codified beyond the National Housing Strategy Act (S.C. 2019, c. 29, s. 313) declaration. Supports the federal Housing Accelerator Fund but argues it should require zoning reform as a condition rather than encouragement.
Source- Liberal Party of CanadaLIBERAL
The federal Liberal Party under Mark Carney has committed to the $4-billion Housing Accelerator Fund (signed bilateral agreements with 200+ municipalities by 2024, requiring zoning reform like as-of-right fourplexes for funding), the $14-billion Affordable Housing Innovation Fund, the Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund ($6 billion for housing-enabling water and sewer), and the 2024 Tax-Free Home Savings Account (FHSA, $8K annual + $40K lifetime). Set the 3.87-million-new-homes-by-2031 target announced in Solving the Housing Crisis. Maintains the Underused Housing Tax (S.C. 2022, c. 5, ss. 168 to 233) on non-citizen residential real estate.
Source The federal NDP under Jagmeet Singh frames the housing crisis as a market failure where investors compete with families, calling for a federal Acquisition Fund (similar to BC's HousingHub) to buy existing apartment buildings before they convert to condos, federal Renoviction prohibitions in federally regulated housing, a national ban on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) holding more than 1 percent of any provincial rental market, restoration of the National Housing Strategy's social-housing budget allocations cut under the 2024 federal budget, and a windfall-profit tax on builders charging over the average regional rent.
Source- Ontario Liberal PartyON LIBERAL
The Ontario Liberals under Bonnie Crombie support legalizing fourplexes as-of-right on every residential lot in Ontario (currently blocked by Premier Ford), extending rent control to all rental units regardless of build date, repealing the strong-mayors framework for housing decisions, and restoring municipal Development Charge revenue lost to Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022) so cities can fund water and sewer infrastructure for new builds.
Source The Ontario NDP under Marit Stiles opposes the Ford government's Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022) cuts to municipal Development Charges, calls for repeal of strong-mayor powers, supports province-wide rent control on units built after November 15, 2018 (currently exempt), backs inclusionary-zoning expansion, and proposes a public-builder Crown agency to construct non-market housing on surplus public land.
SourceThe Parti Québécois favours strengthened rent control with public ceiling-rates set by the Régie du logement (now the Tribunal administratif du logement), opposes short-term rental platforms operating outside provincial licensing under Bill 25 (2023), supports new public social-housing construction through the AccèsLogis program, and pushes for full provincial jurisdiction over the federal Housing Accelerator Fund disbursements in Quebec.
SourceThe Nova Scotia PC government under Premier Tim Houston has set a binding 38,000 new housing-unit target by 2027 in the Action for Housing plan (May 2022), invested $500 million through the Province-Municipal Joint Action Group on housing (announced October 2023), increased the Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing budget to $290 million in 2024-2025, and used statutory authority under Bill 26 of the 65th General Assembly to override Halifax Regional Municipality zoning where it conflicts with provincial housing targets. Maintains a temporary rent cap at five percent through 2027.
SourceThe Ontario PC government under Premier Doug Ford passed Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, S.O. 2022, c. 21) cutting municipal Development Charges for purpose-built rental and affordable housing, set a non-binding 1.5-million-new-homes-by-2031 target, introduced the Strong Mayors and Building Homes Act (S.O. 2022, c. 18) giving select mayors veto and minority-vote-pass powers on bylaws supporting housing, and reversed the 2023 Greenbelt land-swap after the Auditor General and Integrity Commissioner reports. Rejects rent control on units built after November 15, 2018.
SourceThe Prince Edward Island PC government under Premier Dennis King has set a target of 5,000 new housing units between 2024 and 2029 in the PEI Housing Action Plan, suspended permit fees for non-profit affordable-housing developers, committed $130 million through the PEI Housing Action Trust over four years, expanded the residential rent-cap framework to a maximum increase of 3 percent indexed to Maritime CPI (compared to no cap in many other provinces), and introduced Bill 32 (Renters' Protection Act) to strengthen tenant protections in response to the province's 7-percent population growth between 2021 and 2024.
SourceQuébec solidaire calls for the construction of 50,000 new social, public, and cooperative housing units over five years through a publicly capitalized builder, a binding rent registry (registre des loyers) on every Quebec rental unit, a vacancy tax on units sitting empty more than six months, and tighter rent-cap rules with the Tribunal administratif du logement publishing maximum allowable annual increases.
Source
Bills affecting this issue
- Bill 250Provincial44th Parliament of OntarioIn committee
More Homes, Built Faster (Continuation) Act
More Homes, Built Faster (Continuation) Act. Third iteration of the Ford government's housing-supply legislation.
- Bill 419Provincial65th General Assembly of Nova ScotiaSecond reading
Affordable Housing Acceleration Act
Speeds up provincial housing approvals in Nova Scotia, especially in HRM.
- Bill 22Territorial20th Northwest Territories Legislative AssemblySecond reading
Housing Stability Act
NWT Housing Stability Act.
- PL 71Provincial43rd Legislature of QuebecSecond reading
Affordable Housing Acceleration Act (Quebec)
Quebec's first substantive social-housing legislation since the 2002 program reorganization.
- Bill 32Provincial67th General Assembly of Prince Edward IslandThird reading
Renters' Protection Act
Caps annual residential rent increases in PEI, requires written leases, and limits when a landlord can refuse to renew.
- C-20Federal45-1In committee
An Act respecting the establishment of Build Canada Homes
Creates Build Canada Homes, a federal entity to accelerate large-scale public-land housing development.
- C-227Federal45-1In committee
An Act to establish a national strategy on housing for young Canadians
National strategy on housing for young Canadians.
- Projet de loi 31Provincial43e législature du QuébecRoyal assent
Act respecting public housing modernization
Quebec's main response to its housing crunch under the CAQ government.
- C-7Federal45-1Royal assent
An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026
Restores the rental-housing-construction tax credit and adjusts other federal housing measures.
- C-205Federal45-1First reading
An Act to amend the National Housing Strategy Act
Amends the National Housing Strategy Act with stronger reporting and accountability mechanisms.
- Bill 28Provincial43rd Parliament of British ColumbiaRoyal assent
Housing Statutes Amendment Act
Overrides certain BC municipal single-family zoning rules to allow multiplex units (up to four or six per lot).
- C-423Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the National Housing Strategy Act (right to adequate housing)
Strengthens the statutory right to adequate housing in the National Housing Strategy Act with enforcement and progress reporting.
- Bill 23Municipal43rd Parliament of OntarioRoyal assent
Strong Mayors Act Expansion
Expands the Strong Mayors framework. Mayors of designated municipalities can override certain council votes and set the budget.
- C-398Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the National Housing Strategy Act
Strengthens National Housing Strategy Act with stronger right-to-housing language and reporting.
- C-56Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Competition Act
Removes GST from purpose-built rental construction. Has driven a measurable increase in rental construction starts since 2024.
- C-356Federal44-1Second reading
An Act respecting payments by Canada and requirements in respect of housing and to amend certain other Acts
Pierre Poilievre's signature housing bill: cuts federal infrastructure payments to big cities that miss annual housing-start targets.
- C-207Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canadian Bill of Rights (right to housing)
Adds a right to housing to the Canadian Bill of Rights.