Ontario now non-committal on goal of building 1.5 million homes in 10 years
Written by The Canadian Press on October 23, 2025
TORONTO — Ontario appears to be backing away from its goal of building 1.5 million homes over 10 years.
Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack introduced legislation today that he says would streamline approvals and let developers build homes more quickly.
He says it takes too long and costs too much to build a home in Ontario and he believes this bill, in conjunction with previous legislative and regulatory measures, will create the conditions to spur home building.
But when asked if it would spur the industry enough to allow the province to reach its 1.5 million home goal, Flack was noncommittal.
He says the sector is facing headwinds, but he is committed to getting homes built and to getting shovels in the ground faster.
Ontario’s final tally for housing starts in 2024 was well off what’s needed to achieve 1.5 million homes, even with various new categories the government is adding such as university dorms, and the financial accountability officer says housing starts for the first quarter of 2025 were at the lowest levels since 2009.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2025.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press