Ontario falls short on homebuilding goals

Ontario's housing shortage remains a major challenge, and the latest numbers suggest the province still has a long way to go to meet its construction goals.

According to internal government data obtained by Global News, the province achieved just 58% of its 2025 target of 150,000 new homes, even using an expanded definition that includes basement units, student housing, retirement homes, and long-term care beds.

Municipalities with assigned housing targets recorded 65,476 housing starts, while Ontario as a whole delivered 86,760 starts.

The shortfall comes despite the introduction of the Building Faster Fund, which rewards municipalities for hitting housing targets. Only 13 municipalities met the goals set by the province.

While there's little property managers can do to directly influence construction volumes, there are still ways to respond. Working with landlords to explore garden suites and other permitted housing options can help add rental supply at a local level, and demand for these units is likely to be high.