The federal government is quietly laying the groundwork for a sweeping new housing initiative aimed at addressing Canada’s growing affordability crisis. Set to launch this fall, the proposed program — called Build Canada Homes — was a flagship promise of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s election platform and is expected to reassert the federal role in homebuilding after decades of municipal and provincial dominance.
Housing Minister Gregor Robertson’s office confirmed that the program remains on track. Designed as a streamlined, mission-focused federal developer, Build Canada Homes aims to accelerate affordable housing construction, spur innovation, and offer low-cost financing options. Officials say the agency will partner with private developers and leverage public land to help double the national housing start rate. But with the country’s attention fixed on trade disputes and broader economic concerns, details on the initiative have been limited — and some experts worry time is running out.
Raymond Sullivan, executive director of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, is urging the government to begin implementing portions of the plan immediately rather than waiting for the agency to be fully up and running. “The need is urgent,” he said. “We can’t afford to wait until every piece is finalized.”
Carolyn Whitzman, a housing researcher at the University of Toronto, echoed the concern, noting that internal discussions are still ongoing over how broad the agency’s mandate will be. While it is expected to focus on public land development, it’s unclear whether it will also play a role in financing, regulatory reform, or construction innovation. The overlap with existing federal agencies like the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) remains unresolved.
Some stakeholders are worried that the new entity could inadvertently slow down housing projects already in progress. Kevin Lee, CEO of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, warned that without clear communication and swift execution, the initiative risks becoming bogged down in bureaucracy. “We’ve seen delays before,” Lee said, citing sluggish timelines in federal office-to-housing conversions and other recent programs. “We need clarity now, not months from now.”
Lee added that simply building on public land won’t be enough to hit the government’s target of 500,000 housing starts annually — especially in a climate of rising construction costs and growing unsold inventory.
While Build Canada Homes remains the government’s flagship effort, housing advocates are also calling for immediate action on other promised measures. Chief among them is the proposed GST rebate for first-time homebuyers, which is stalled in Parliament and won’t be considered until MPs return in the fall.
As economic uncertainty grows and homebuyer confidence wanes, many experts argue that now is the time for bold intervention. Mike Moffatt, senior policy director at the University of Ottawa’s Smart Prosperity Institute, cautioned that Ottawa may miss its window to act. “If we wait until housing becomes a top political issue again, it may be too late,” he said.