Detailed impact analysis and policy breakdown
New $15B+ partnership with provinces to build rental housing on underutilized public lands.
"Canada Builds" is a federal strategy leveraging the government's low-cost borrowing power to offer low-interest loans to provinces and territories. In exchange, provinces must agree to build rental housing on underutilized public lands (e.g., old post offices, LCBO sites, surplus gov lots).
Unlike the mortgage cap or amortization changes (which boost demand), this is purely a supply measure. It specifically targets density and rental inventory.
Long-Term Lag: While promising, this policy will take years to impact market rents. Approving land, zoning, and construction takes 3-5 years minimum. Expect to see the first "Canada Builds" keys handed over around 2028-2029.
It signals a shift back to the pre-1990s era where the government actively built social housing, rather than leaving it entirely to the private sector. Ideally, this creates a "public option" for housing that competes with private landlords, theoretically capping rent growth.