Federal government reaffirms goal to double home building pace by 2035

The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to double the pace of home construction over the next decade, a central pledge from Prime Minister Mark Carney's 2025 election platform aimed at reducing housing costs. The promise comes amid mixed signals from the housing market and scrutiny over the government's progress.

Housing Minister Gregor Robertson's spokesperson, Mohammad Hussain, stated that through measures including the Build Canada Homes initiative, the Build Communities Strong Fund, and a GST cut for new homebuyers, the government is working toward its goal. The reaffirmation follows a report from Parliamentary Budget Officer Annette Ryan, which noted the specific target was absent from the government's recent spring economic update, raising concerns about a lack of clear benchmarks for tracking federal spending on housing.

Recent data presents a complex picture. While the six-month trend in national housing starts had been declining since September 2025, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported a brief 3.2 percent increase in the trend to 256,777 annualized starts in April. However, the CMHC projects a decline in new home building over the next...