Canada is falling far short of meeting its housing targets, and bold action is needed, the Federal Housing Advocate says in a report released Thursday.
The report, authored by housing policy expert Dr. Carolyn Whitzman, warns that at the current pace of construction, it could take more than 1,000 years to eliminate homelessness and core housing need. Canada is missing an estimated 4.4 million affordable homes, a figure that includes vulnerable populations often excluded from census data such as people experiencing homelessness, students, and those in congregate housing.
Since the launch of the National Housing Strategy in 2017, non-market housing completions have stagnated at 4,000 to 6,000 units annually, representing just 3 per cent of new builds, while chronic homelessness has increased by 22 per cent. The Parliamentary Budget Officer projects that only 78,000 households will be lifted out of core housing need by 2028, far short of the 530,000 targeted.
Federal Housing Advocate Marie-Josée Houle says non-market housing must become a central focus of federal policy. “Canada has the tools, the policy consensus, and the legislative foundation to solve the housing crisis. What we need now is the political will to focus on the right supply of housing that is truly affordable for those most in need and to hold ourselves accountable for delivering it,” Houle said.
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The report urges the government to commit to making at least 20 per cent of all housing non-market by 2055, with 40 per cent of new construction today dedicated to non-market units. It also calls for human rights–based affordability definitions, the creation of 100,000 deeply affordable homes annually, and coordinated action across all levels of government.
Programs such as the Rapid Housing Initiative have shown success, delivering 57 per cent of homes affordable to low-income households with just 7 per cent of total funding, the report notes. Scaling such initiatives, alongside new construction and preservation efforts, could help Canada meet housing needs within roughly 30 years.
The Advocate’s recommendations will help inform the next phase of the National Housing Strategy, set for renewal in 2027–28.