Ontario’s 2026 Budget: Turning priorities into policy
Public Affairs and Government Relations|March 26, 2026 This afternoon, Finance Minister Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy tabled Ontario’s 2026 A Plan to Protect Ontario. The $214.5 billion fiscal plan is framed as a response to economic uncertainty driven by tariffs, slowing growth, and declining revenues, while positioning Ontario as a more competitive, resilient, and self-reliant economy. In our pre-budget outlook, we highlighted five key areas to watch: fiscal discipline, economic resilience,...
read moreThe BoC Rate Hold: Brought to You By the Letter ‘U’ for Uncertain
Stephen Punwasi, March 18, 2026 Canada’s normally calm central bank admitted it has no clue what it should be doing right now. The Bank of Canada (BoC) held its key overnight rate, but made it clear this isn’t the usual sign of confidence in a stable economy. Warning of the threat of dual shocks to energy and global economic growth, the Governor’s opening remarks made it clear that he felt uncertain about what comes next. Heck, close to 1% of the words in the Governor’s opening remarks were...
read moreHigh Art Capital Announces GTA Rental and Affordable Housing Initiative, in Partnership with Building Ontario Fund
Fund expected to be capitalized with a minimum of $1.3 billion and designed to unlock approximately 2,200 long-term rental units, including approximately 550 affordable units March 10, 2026 4:59 PM EDT | Source: High Art Capital High Art Capital today announced the launch of its GTA Rental and Affordable Housing Initiative, a fund expected to be capitalized with a minimum of $1.3 billion, to acquire blocks of newly completed, unsold condominium units across the Greater Toronto Area and convert...
read moreTrade tensions, population shifts raise housing risks across Canada
Signal49 forecast mapped new fault lines for brokers watching provincial economies By Liezel Once, 04 Mar. 2026 Trade uncertainty and a sharp turn in Canada’s population story has already been changing provincial outlooks. That shift is also filtering through to housing and mortgage markets. The trends are highlighted in new research from Signal49 Research, formerly The Conference Board of Canada. The firm’s latest provincial forecast, finalized before the late‑February escalation of conflict...
read moreHousing affordability crisis spreading to cities such as Montreal and Halifax, CMHC says
Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press, Published February 25, 2026 A new analysis from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. shows housing affordability challenges have eased in recent years but still remain at historic highs, and have even spread to other major cities. The national housing agency says affordability issues are no longer limited to Canada’s largest cities and have spread to other areas such as Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. One of the key factors, CMHC said, was the impact of...
read moreMississauga approves additional incentives to encourage purpose-built rental housing
DCN-JOC News Services, February 17, 2026 MISSISSAUGA, ONT. – Mississauga City Council has approved a motion to expand the city’s development charges incentive program with the aim of getting more purpose-built rental apartment projects off the ground. The motion eliminates development charges, effective immediately, for one-bedroom plus den and two-bedroom units. To be eligible, developers must pull a building permit before Nov. 13, 2026. According to a release, in January 2025, after the...
read moreThe Bank of Canada’s Economy: Things Get Worse, Then You Die
The BoC delivered an unusually political message this week: The country’s downturn isn’t cyclical, but structural. Stephen Punwasi, February 10, 2026 Canada’s central bank just told business leaders to prepare for economic pain that will outlast most of them. Bank of Canada (BoC) Governor Tiff Macklem declared the country’s old economy dead last Wednesday in Toronto, warning of “painful” and permanent restructuring that will take decades. He’s advocating for big gambles he admits may not work,...
read moreOntario’s housing slowdown is a full-blown economic emergency
Ontario’s housing slowdown is a full-blown economic emergency According to the latest data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, housing starts in Ontario declined sharply in 2025 By Dave Wilkes , Special to National Post Published Feb 04, 2026 New home construction has long been a cornerstone of Ontario’s economy, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs, generating billions in economic activity and tax revenue, and playing a central role in meeting the housing needs of a growing...
read moreOttawa wants to get banks, pension funds involved in affordable housing: minister
Nine months into his mandate, Robertson said he is focusing his efforts on the lowest rungs of the housing ladder, where people are most vulnerable. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2026. Craig Lord, The Canadian Press OTTAWA — The federal housing minister says he wants to ramp up the lagging pace of homebuilding in some provinces by bringing developers off the sidelines and into Ottawa’s affordable housing projects. Gregor Robertson also said in an interview that...
read moreCanadian Building Investment Soars On Taxpayer-Funded Rental Bubble
Canadian Building Investment Soars On Taxpayer-Funded Rental Bubble Stephen Punwasi January 23, 2026 Canadian real estate investment is suddenly booming again—but it’s not what it looks like. Statistics Canada (StatCan) data shows investment in building construction hit a record high in November, driven almost entirely by residential projects. Look closer, and the surge narrows fast—growth is concentrated in Ontario multi-family construction. These aren’t condos, but they’re largely corporate...
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