Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has called on Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberal government to adopt elements of the Conservative housing platform in response to Canada’s ongoing affordability crisis.
Speaking at a press conference in Brampton on Tuesday, Poilievre urged the federal government to eliminate the federal sales tax on homes valued at $1.3 million or less. He also pressed Ottawa to incentivize municipalities to speed up building permits and cut development charges, measures he said would accelerate homebuilding and reduce costs for buyers.
Poilievre also argued that the government must bring immigration “under control,” claiming that the rapid increase in newcomers over the past decade has worsened housing shortages.
The Conservative leader warned that Canada’s housing bubble is beginning to burst, with home construction expected to slow over the next two years.
His remarks came shortly after a new report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) showed Toronto is on track for its lowest annual housing starts in 30 years, with Vancouver also experiencing a slowdown. By contrast, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, and Halifax all reported homebuilding levels at or near record highs in the first half of 2025, driven largely by rental construction.
Poilievre said the Liberals should act immediately on his proposals to avoid deepening the housing crisis, warning that affordability pressures are reaching breaking points for Canadian families.