Outlook for Ontario housing starts weakens further away from 1.5 million goal
Written by The Canadian Press on March 27, 2026
TORONTO — Ontario’s housing start projections have been revised downward once again in the province’s budget, putting the government even farther off track from building 1.5 million homes over 10 years.
At the time of last year’s budget the province expected to see 74,800 homes built in 2026, already lower than the previous budget forecast, but now it’s projecting just 64,800.
The government’s own math early on in its bid to get 1.5 million homes built by 2031 showed that housing starts should be at 175,000 per year.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy last year referred to 1.5 million homes as a soft target, but on budget day neither he nor Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack wanted to talk about it much.
Bethlenfalvy said he’s focusing on affordability, not on the target, and Flack said he doesn’t wake up thinking about the 2031 target, he thinks about the next two to three months.
The government announced an expanded HST rebate on new homes in its budget and says it hopes the measure spurs 8,000 new units.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2026.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press