Ontario’s housing future under Ford’s third term

On February 27, Doug Ford secured a historic third term as Premier of Ontario, with his Progressive Conservative (PC) party winning or leading in 80 of the province’s 124 seats. Now, his government is pushing forward with its housing strategy.

Ford’s approach to housing remains focused on increasing supply, with several measures aimed at accelerating construction:

• Remove “bureaucratic hoops” to streamline approvals

• Launch a province-wide tool to speed up land-use planning and Building Code permits

• Lower development costs in “housing-forward” cities like Vaughan and Mississauga

• Leverage the Building Faster Fund to reward municipalities that hit housing targets

The PC government believes cutting red tape and incentivizing construction will help bring affordability back to Ontario's housing market.

Additionally, the PCs have capped rent increases at 2.5% for two years but continue to exempt all units built or first occupied after November 15, 2018 from rent controls, claiming it will encourage more rental development.

Beyond housing, Ford has taken a strong stance against US tariffs, vowing to “fight tooth and nail” to protect Ontario’s economy and jobs.

Find the full details on Ford’s third-term policies here.

As his new term begins, Ontario’s property managers, investors, and renters will be watching closely to see if these policies truly move the needle on affordability.

More government headlines

Full text: Read Ontario Premier Doug Ford's third election victory speech – National Post

Trudeau resigns: what’s next for Canada’s housing market? – PayProp blog

Northern Ontario political voices urge people to be strong in the face of Trump tariffs – CBC