National Times Bureau, May 17, 2025: Canada’s new Housing Minister, Gregor Robertson, says the goal isn’t to bring home prices down, but to increase supply. In a recent interview, he stated clearly: “We need to deliver more supply,” emphasizing that boosting the number of homes is the federal government’s top priority.
Robertson’s stance supports Ottawa’s broader housing plan. One major move is the $25-billion Build Canada Homes program, designed to push private developers to build faster. The government is also cutting the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on new homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million to make them more attractive to buyers.
But critics warn that supply alone won’t solve the crisis. Economists say housing may remain unaffordable for the next decade unless both home prices and interest rates drop. Even with rate cuts expected from the Bank of Canada, many Canadians still can’t afford current mortgage costs due to stagnant wages and high property values.
Robertson’s strategy may ease market pressure over time, but experts believe it’ll take more than just new builds to fix Canada’s housing affordability problem.
