Golden Horseshoe cities flunk housing report

Most municipalities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe have failed to meet their housing targets, according to a new report.

Researchers from the University of Ottawa’s Missing Middle Initiative collaborated with the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) to compare housing starts in the first half of 2025 with the same period for each year from 2021 to 2024.

Of the 34 municipalities reviewed, 22 received an “F” grade for their construction performance, with only Brantford and Milton earning top marks.

Overall, housing starts were down 40%, led by a 54% drop in condos. Toronto saw the sharpest decline at 58%.

“Housing projects have been shelved and the industry has hit a wall,” said Richard Lyall, RESCON president. “We need governments to take concrete action to lower the tax burden and modernize the process to kick-start the industry. Our economy will be in dire straits if we do not act quickly.”

Canada continues to face a national shortfall – the Parliamentary Budget Officer warns the country must build 3.2 million homes in the next decade to restore affordability, yet current construction projections fall short by 65,000 units each year.

For its part, the city of Brampton recently launched a major incentive program offering up to 100% off development charges for two-plus-bedroom rentals. Mayor Patrick Brown hopes it will spur thousands of new units.

For property managers, that growth would mean new opportunities to expand portfolios and attract new investors into the market – assuming construction finally picks up.

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